[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2635-2639]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 59) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Engineers Week, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H. Res. 59

       Whereas engineers use their professional, scientific, and 
     technical knowledge and skills in creative and innovative 
     ways to fulfill society's needs;
       Whereas engineers have helped meet the major technological 
     challenges of our time--from rebuilding towns devastated by 
     natural disasters to designing an information superhighway 
     that will speed our country into the future;
       Whereas engineers are a crucial link in research, 
     development, and demonstration and in transforming scientific 
     discoveries into useful products, and we will look more than 
     ever to engineers and their knowledge and skills to meet the 
     challenges of the future;
       Whereas engineers play a crucial role in developing the 
     consensus engineering standards that permit modern economies 
     and societies to exist;
       Whereas the 2006 National Academy of Sciences report 
     entitled ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' highlighted the 
     worrisome trend that fewer students are now focusing on 
     engineering in college at a time when increasing numbers of 
     today's 2,000,000 United States engineers are nearing 
     retirement;
       Whereas the National Society of Professional Engineers 
     through National Engineers Week and other activities is 
     raising public awareness of engineers' significant, positive 
     contributions to societal needs;
       Whereas National Engineers Week activities at engineering 
     schools and in other forums are encouraging our young math 
     and science students to see themselves as possible future 
     engineers and to realize the practical power of their 
     knowledge;
       Whereas National Engineers Week has grown into a formal 
     coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and 
     cultural societies, and more than 50 major corporations and 
     government agencies;
       Whereas National Engineers Week is celebrated during the 
     week of George Washington's birthday to honor the 
     contributions that our first President, a military engineer 
     and land surveyor, made to engineering; and

[[Page 2636]]

       Whereas February 18 to 24, 2007, has been designated by the 
     President as National Engineers Week: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers 
     Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest 
     in engineering and technology careers and to promote literacy 
     in math and science; and
       (2) will work with the engineering community to make sure 
     that the creativity and contribution of that community can be 
     expressed through research, development, standardization, and 
     innovation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks, and to 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 59, the resolution now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 59, supporting the 
goals and ideals of National Engineers Week.
  National Engineers Week takes place this year February 18 through 
February 24. This is not a random week that is chosen; it is chosen 
because this is the week that we celebrate George Washington's 
birthday. George Washington is widely recognized as our Nation's first 
engineer.
  Engineers have helped make our country great from their service in 
the American Revolution to developing key modern industries, such as 
aerospace and energy. I would like to honor and recognize the more than 
2 million engineers in the United States and the contributions that 
they have made to our country.
  Engineers are at the forefront of human advances because engineers 
combine imagination and creativity, with math and science training to 
solve problems. Engineers are not just builders, as they are sometimes 
envisioned; they are problem solvers. This is one of the first things I 
was taught when I was a graduate student at Stanford University in the 
department of engineering economic systems.
  Engineers in the past have helped build the boats to cross the seas, 
railroads to take us west, and the Internet to communicate with the 
world. We need the innovative capability of engineers to confront the 
problems and challenges before us today. Engineers will help Americans 
develop energy independence, find solutions to confront global climate 
change, and make our Nation more secure.
  I have a unique perspective as only one of a handful of engineers in 
Congress. Besides my Master's degree from Stanford, I earned a 
Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in mechanical 
engineering. I have seen that America is falling behind other countries 
in this discipline. U.S. students continue to score below international 
averages on math and science tests. It has been reported that in 2004 
China graduated more than six times the number of engineers that 
graduated in the U.S.
  On a recent tour of Northern Illinois University's college of 
engineering and engineering technology, I again heard how few Americans 
are getting engineering degrees, especially graduate degrees. It is 
great that America has such top universities that we are attracting 
some of the brightest minds from around the world to come to study 
here, but we are beginning to lose more and more of these students when 
they graduate and they go back home. This is harmful to America's 
future.
  In 2005, the National Academy of Sciences released a report entitled, 
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' which raised questions about 
America's future technological competitiveness. This report echoed by 
the President of the United States in the State of the Union address 
last year emphasized the need for government to take a number of 
actions, including addressing the potential for a shortage of 
engineers.
  We must act quickly to take up this challenge. We cannot let another 
year go by and we cannot afford to let our economic future falter, and 
that future requires continuing technological innovation supplied by 
our Nation's engineers.
  National Engineers Week seeks to raise public awareness about 
engineers' contributions to society and our quality of life. It has 
inspired future engineers for more than 50 years. Founded by the 
National Society of Professional Engineers, including more than 100 
society, government, and business sponsors and affiliates, including 
Boeing, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American 
Council of Engineering Companies, National Engineers Week draws upon 
local and regional experts to promote high levels of math, science, and 
technology literacy. Annually, it reaches thousands of parents, 
teachers, and students in communities across the country.
  From national and regional engineering competitions such as the 
Future City Competition, to events such as Introduce a Girl to 
Engineering Day, this week helps inspire the next generation of 
engineers and scientists.

                              {time}  1345

  If we are going to produce more American engineers, one needed step 
is to improve STEM education, that is science, technology, engineering 
and math education. But we must also do more to inspire our children to 
become interested in engineering.
  When I was growing up in Chicago, I was fascinated in learning how 
things work, as most kids are. I remember it was Father Fergus who 
taught me physics in high school at St. Ignatius, and in that class he 
took my childhood fascination with how things worked and got me 
interested in engineering. He spurred me to follow up on that when I 
went to college.
  We need events such as National Engineers Week and things that go on 
within the week to help encourage and inspire more kids to go into 
engineering. We have to do everything we can to inspire future 
engineers so that America continues its leadership in this increasingly 
competitive world.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis) 
for his involvement also with this National Engineers Week resolution. 
And I would like to especially thank the engineers that contributed so 
much to America and to honor them for their commitment to continue 
working to better our society.
  I ask my colleagues to support H. Res. 59 in its deserved 
recognition.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H. Res. 59, of course, supports the goals and ideals of National 
Engineers Week, which is going to be celebrated this year during the 
week of February 18. The National Society of Professional Engineers 
established the first National Engineers Week back in 1951. The purpose 
of the week is to increase the understanding of and interest in 
engineering and technology careers, and to promote K-12 literacy in 
math and science. It also showcases the important contributions that 
engineers have made to our society.
  Engineers have a critical role to play to help keep our Nation ahead 
of the innovation curve. It is essential that we capitalize on 
opportunities such as National Engineers Week to raise the awareness of 
the valuable work and contributions of engineers to society and to 
attract young people of all ages to this very rewarding profession. As 
such, I ask my colleagues to support H. Res. 59.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I would like to 
express my strong support for H. Res. 59, and the authors that made 
this possible, supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers 
Week.

[[Page 2637]]

  Texas is an energy-producing State, and the engineering workforce 
plays a major role in Texas livelihoods.
  The fruits of engineering are technologies enjoyed by every American. 
We need engineers to put creative ideas into real-life solutions. 
Engineers are the fabric of our workforce. They design beautiful and 
energy-efficient buildings, and build industrial robots that construct 
everything from cars to computer chips with precision. Engineers are in 
the business of improving the quality and design of many different 
products such as chemicals, computers, engines, aircraft and toys, and 
they are an integral component to our Nation's innovative workforce.
  We need many more than we produce, and we need many more to get 
graduate degrees so we can continue to produce them.
  I am proud to support this resolution celebrating National Engineers 
Week, and urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis), the ranking member on Energy.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. 
Res. 59, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Engineers Week.
  It is particularly helpful to have people from all walks of life in 
this body. It is especially helpful to have Mr. Lipinski as an engineer 
here, along with some other engineers, to cause us to focus on the 
crucial need for engineering education in this country.
  My dad is an engineer. He lost this son to political science and the 
law. Not everybody can be an engineer. But the folks that can be 
engineers really will help us solve the challenges of the future.
  Here is our challenge in terms of numbers: India is graduating 
somewhere north of 200,000 engineers a year; China is graduating nearly 
300,000 engineers a year; and the United States is somewhere in the 
order of magnitude of 60,000 engineers a year. That doesn't bode well 
for us.
  In a technological world, we need more engineers. We need people to 
enter science, technology, engineering and math education. And so it is 
a good thing to have a week to celebrate the importance of engineering 
to the history of the country and to the future of the country. I 
applaud the gentleman from Illinois' effort to bring this to the floor, 
and I am in complete support of the resolution and look forward to its 
adoption.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Holt), the distinguished plasma physicist.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Illinois.
  Madam Speaker, as one who has taught engineers earlier in my career, 
I am delighted to rise in support of this legislation that will 
recognize National Engineers Week and, through that, highlight the 
contributions made to society by engineers.
  The programs that fit under National Engineers Week are broad. They 
will include such activities as Introduce a Girl to Engineering that 
will encourage women to pursue engineering and recognize those who do.
  Other initiatives will include competitions and online exhibits, as 
well as television programs. It will highlight that engineering is 
critical to the security of our country, certainly through developing 
sustainable energy production and use, in preventing and mitigating 
natural and man-made disasters, and to make our world work better and 
to contribute to the livability of our society.
  Now Congress can pass this legislation supporting the excellent 
programming of National Engineers Week. Congress can also ensure that 
we make the best decisions based on the best information related to 
science, engineering and technology, such as we used to do with the 
help of the Office of Technology Assessment.
  Congress can pass legislation to ensure that students nationwide are 
taught technical skills, that they are taught the importance of those 
skills as well, and to make sure that there are no financial obstacles 
for individuals who seek to pursue higher education in engineering and 
related fields. And Congress can ensure that federally funded research 
and development is not neglected as we put together the budget.
  This is good legislation that highlights important work. I am pleased 
to support it.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Missouri who is an engineer, Mr. Akin.
  Mr. AKIN. Madam Speaker, I thought it would be appropriate to make a 
comment or two about engineering because I was trained as an engineer. 
I must not have been much of one because I ended up in politics. It 
doesn't happen that often that people who have an engineering 
background end up in the political sector; but it is quite common in 
engineering for people to get the undergraduate degree and then to move 
into other kinds of areas, and the engineering background gives them a 
tremendous problem-solving basis to be able to be quite effective in 
various other kinds of careers.
  It is a national concern to us as Americans that we are producing 
fewer and fewer engineers. What happened was, in the era of Sputnik 
when I was a kid, everybody realized we were technologically behind, 
particularly behind the Soviet Union, and realized the urgency in 
having people develop an interest and background in science and 
engineering. At that time, we produced a good number of engineers, and 
they were fine engineers. They now work for many of our household-name 
large corporations, certainly many in my own district, Boeing 
Corporation, for example.
  These engineers have also started all kinds of different businesses 
and been very successful, and have been very successful in producing a 
lot of the technology that keeps our young men and women safe on the 
battlefields. It also is technology that has given us a wonderfully 
high standard of living and has allowed America to prosper in many 
ways.
  Unfortunately, now there is a tremendous dearth of engineers. We have 
a number of small companies that produce products that are related to 
the defense industry that I know of in the St. Louis area, just as an 
example, and they are saying that we would give anything to be able to 
hire engineers. We just can't get any of them. The only engineers we 
can get are coming out of India or some other country far away, and our 
own students, Americans, are not choosing careers in engineering. That 
is distressing.
  I suppose that there are reasons for why this is going on. Perhaps 
one of them is the malaise and the very lukewarm kind of results that 
we are getting out of secondary education in America. The SAT scores 
are continuously changed year to year, and they can be adjusted 
downward. Engineering is very rigorous. It requires an understanding of 
mathematics, and it is a very hard undergraduate degree. Many people 
that start in engineering end up in something like political science. 
It is far easier than engineering.
  But there are rewards in engineering, and if there are young people 
that are paying attention to what we are discussing here on the floor 
of the U.S. Congress today, I would encourage them that engineering is 
a fantastic undergraduate choice, and it doesn't have to end up behind 
a drawing board. It ends up in all kinds of positions and opportunities 
to those who have a disciplined mind and are capable of understanding 
basic principles of how things work.
  I have to say, in Congress it is tremendously helpful. I serve on the 
Committee on Armed Services, and we are constantly getting involved in 
technical kinds of questions, things like armor on Humvees, body armor, 
how to defeat IEDs, all of the technology of software and people 
tapping into databases. On the Science Committee, as well, we deal with 
all kinds of areas, everything from exploration of space to the simple 
use of materials.
  I would encourage all young people to seriously consider engineering.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
California, a new member of the

[[Page 2638]]

Science Committee and an engineer himself, Mr. McNerney.
  Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 59 and the 
goals and ideals of National Engineers Week.
  As an engineer for my entire professional career and only one of a 
handful in the House, I thank Mr. Lipinski for introducing this 
legislation to bring the spotlight onto this professional career 
choice.
  My father was an engineer; I am very proud to be following in his 
footsteps. As we vote on this legislation today, I am reminded of 
something that my mother used to tell me over and over: It was the 
engineers that would be solving many of our Nation's and our world's 
problems. Her words couldn't have been more relevant than they are 
today, as we face many challenges such as global warming, the demand 
for fresh water and food throughout the world.
  Well, in the 1970s, the engineering profession wasn't considered the 
most exciting, but throughout the 1990s, we became aware of how 
exciting the challenges are that we are facing in engineering; and this 
has led to a resurgence in interest and inspired a whole generation of 
young people.

                              {time}  1400

  I am hopeful that with the passage of H. Res. 59 we will help inspire 
more of those young people to get involved in the engineering 
profession.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my friend Mr. Lipinski.
  Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I wanted to let the majority know that I 
have no other speakers requesting time, and I will just reserve the 
balance of my time for my closing remarks.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. We 
have no more speakers besides myself.
  Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to thank the Chair for allowing me to manage the remaining 
time on our side in the absence of the ranking member, Mr. Hall, who 
had a very important meeting before the Rules Committee, and I thank 
the Chair for allowing that.
  Madam Speaker, I am not an engineer but I went to an engineering 
school. In fact, I went to one of the very best engineering schools in 
this country. I am a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a heck of an 
engineer and actually not an engineer but a chemist. I look forward to 
the next bill as we honor Dr. Julian.
  But engineering, Madam Speaker, is a profession in this country that 
is very, very important to us, to our ability to compete in this global 
economy, and as we all know, we are losing unfortunately far too many 
engineers to retirement and not replacing them. If we are going to 
remain competitive in this country, and I know the work of the 
Education and Labor Committee of this House and Chairman Miller and 
before him Chairman McKeon and Chairman Boehner, we have addressed 
these issues in our reauthorization of higher education and how 
important it is; and I know that Chairman Miller, as we go forward to 
reauthorizing No Child Left Behind and highly qualified teachers and 
special incentives for math and science teachers at elementary, middle 
and high school levels so that we do stimulate more bright young minds 
in this country, and yes, many more women than may be traditionally 
would select engineering as a professional track, as a career, because 
this is the only way we are going to be able to compete in this global 
economy.
  I love sports, Madam Speaker, and I know we all do and we honor 
sports teams all the time up here, whether it is basketball, football, 
hockey. You name it, we are doing these resolutions, but I like to see 
more and more of this kind of activity where we are supporting the 
goals and ideals of National Engineering Week with H. Res. 59 to say, 
look, what is really important in this country is not games. Games are 
fun and games are a diversion, but this is about life and the success 
of our individual young students and, indeed, our country.
  So to have an opportunity to stand here and have the closing remarks 
on supporting H. Res. 59, I commend the majority and my friend 
Representative Lipinski and others that have brought this, 
Representative Johnson and other members of the Science Committee. I 
think this is a wonderful opportunity to salute our engineers and the 
profession.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank Mr. Inglis, Mr. Gingrey and Mr. Hall for their support on 
this resolution. As an engineer but also as a former political science 
professor, I do not want to disparage political science whatsoever. 
However, it is clear that America does need more engineers, and to do 
this we have to value engineers and engineering much more in this 
country.
  I am very hopeful that this resolution is going to be the first step 
that this Congress takes to not only honor our current engineers but 
also inspire more American children to become engineers and to find the 
solutions to the challenges that we face today.
  We need to do more. We need to take more steps. We need to improve 
science, technology, engineering, math, known as STEM education. We 
need more R&D funding; but today, let us just take this first step and 
urge my colleagues to take this first step. Vote for H. Res. 59 and 
honor engineers during National Engineers Week.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise in strong 
support of H. Res. 59 which supports the goals and ideas of National 
Engineer Week. As you know, new discoveries and technologies are 
changing the way Americans live and work. Through dedicated research 
and development, engineers expand our knowledge and lay the foundation 
for the progress of our country. This week is an opportunity to 
recognize engineers for their many contributions to our way of life and 
to encourage young people to pursue their curiosity by studying math 
and science.
  Engineering education began in America under circumstances that 
differ substantially from those of the other leading professions. 
Medical schools, for example, were established by individual 
physicians, and then loosely affiliated with universities.
  By contrast, engineers were first trained by apprenticeship, 
particularly on canal construction projects. This tradition was 
perpetuated on railroad construction projects, and later in factories 
and machine shops, long after college engineering programs were 
established. Eventually, engineering schools in the United States were 
sponsored by the Federal Government, the U.S. Military Academy in 1802, 
and the land-grant colleges beginning in 1862. They were also fostered 
by public-spirited citizens who fostered the Rensselaer Polytechnic 
Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and from 
within established universities in response to interest or demand.
  The engineering workforce is the driver of society's technological 
engine, an awesome responsibility. We will not be able to address this 
responsibility without diversifying the pool of science and engineering 
talent. This broadening of participation must come from the Land of 
Plenty, mostly untapped potential of underrepresented minorities and 
women--America's ``competitive edge'' for the 21st century.
  We know that more than any other species, humans are configured to be 
the most flexible learners. Humans are intentional learners, proactive 
in acquiring knowledge and skills. And, it turns out that we are more 
successful learners if we are mindful or cognizant of ourselves as 
learners and thinkers.
  To date, our knowledge of the science of learning, is just the tip of 
the iceberg of what we have yet to learn. Our ultimate goal is truly 
not to waste a single child and to teach and train a workforce that is 
well prepared and can adapt and change.
  The revolution in information technologies connected and integrated 
researchers and research fields in a way never before possible. The 
Nation's IT capability has acted like adrenaline to all of science and 
engineering. A next step is to build the most advanced computer-
communications infrastructure for researchers to use, while 
simultaneously broadening its accessibility.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Lee). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Illinois

[[Page 2639]]

(Mr. Lipinski) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution, H. Res. 59.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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