[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9883]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE AND MATH EDUCATION

  (Mr. SMITH of Michigan asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Madam Speaker, high school seniors from all 
over the United States will be graduating and receiving their diplomas 
at this time of year. Recently I have been named chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Research in the Committee on Science. I have told the 
administration as we talk about national security that I think probably 
the second greatest threat to national security is where we are going 
in our performance in science and math education in our schools. We now 
rank below any of the other G-7 countries of the industrialized world. 
We have got to be more aggressive in moving ahead in our efforts to 
interest and performance with science and math education.
  In my subcommittee, we will be holding hearings this week on 
legislation that will help us do a better job in this area. Science 
teachers need to be encouraged. But also we need to encourage the 
parents and the teachers of those students in the first 3 or 4 years of 
school if we are to be successful. This world is getting more 
complicated with biotechnology, information technology and other 
science based technology. Those kids are going to be better served if 
they have a better math and science education.
  I commend these graduating students throughout the Nation for what 
they have achieved so far but encourage them to study a little more 
math and science, as they enter college or the job market. It will pay 
big dividends.

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