[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9182-9183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        THE TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CAPITAL INVESTMENT ACT OF 1999

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address one of our 
Nation's fastest-growing industries, the high-tech industry. In 1998 
alone, the information technology industry accounted for 15 percent of 
our Nation's economic growth, and there is no indication that this 
trend will slow in the future.
  Our high-technology economy creates better-paying jobs, increases 
productivity in all sectors of the economy and relies on a 
knowledgeable workforce. Further, high-tech companies currently employ 
4.8 million people.
  But, Mr. Speaker, we have a problem. Recent studies have shown a 
significant shortage of qualified workers in high-tech industries 
nationwide. Today, there are about 190,000 unfilled information 
technology jobs in the United States, and nearly half of the CEOs of 
these companies report having inadequate numbers of workers to staff 
their companies.
  This personnel shortage is expected to grow rapidly over the next 
decade. If we fail to give this issue the appropriate attention today, 
we may send many of these well-paying, high-paying jobs overseas.
  In order to address this shortage, I have introduced H.R. 709, the 
Technology Education Capital Investment Act. This legislation would 
help to stimulate technology education and increase the number of 
graduates of engineering and technology workers from our universities 
and community colleges.
  The act addresses the issue of worker shortage in high-technology 
industry by making science and technology a priority for elementary 
schools, higher education and businesses alike. My bill would provide 
money to the National Science Foundation to provide elementary school 
children with programs that encourage math and science.

[[Page 9183]]

  H.R. 709 also creates scholarships for students entering math, 
science and engineering degree programs and develops partnerships 
between high-technology firms and institutions of higher education by 
providing hands-on internships for college students.
  Finally, this legislation extends tax exemption for employer-provided 
education assistance and establishes a Technology Workforce Commission 
that would report back to Congress on what to do about this issue.
  I have introduced this bill not only because I am deeply concerned 
with the shortage of well-trained high-tech workers but also out of 
concern that our children are falling behind their peers in what is 
already a worldwide marketplace.
  We must make education and learning a priority. This bill, in fact, 
will reduce the current shortage of qualified high-tech workers and 
provide our Nation's next generation of leaders with the resources they 
need to succeed.

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