[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12732-12733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY 
                       EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 9, 2002

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor and in support of this 
important bill.
  Despite predictions for an increase in jobs requiring technical 
skills over the next decade, the number of students graduating with 
degrees in the sciences has decreased during the last decade.
  This pattern has had serious ramifications for our nation's economic 
growth.
  The H1-B visa increase we passed two years ago was a reflection of 
the failure of our

[[Page 12733]]

educational system to produce students with strong proficiency in math, 
science and engineering . . . this bill addresses this failure.
  The Tech Talent Bill is innovative legislation that will help reverse 
current trends by rewarding colleges and universities for taking steps 
to increase the numbers of science and engineering majors.
  A relatively small investment made through the grants authorized in 
this bill will seed U.S. companies with the employees they need to 
remain competitive in a global marketplace.
  By providing these financial incentives, we will not only be 
strengthening our own workforce but also lessening our dependence on 
foreign experts who may be here on H1-B visas.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and look forward to its 
swift passage.