[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3668-3671]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1330
       SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 117) supporting the goals and ideals 
of National Engineers Week, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 117

       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
       Whereas February 15 to 21, 2009, 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 
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. 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. 117, the resolution now 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 117, supporting the goals and 
ideals of National Engineers Week. And I would first like to thank my 
colleague, Mr. Lipinski from Illinois, for introducing this resolution. 
As one of the only handful of engineers in Congress, Mr. Lipinski has 
and will continue to be a strong advocate for engineers and engineering 
on the Science and Technology Committee and here in the Congress.
  As the sponsor of the bill, I now yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Illinois will control the time.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I 
rise today in support of H. Res. 117, supporting the goals and ideals 
of the National Engineers Week.
  As an engineer, I am proud to sponsor this resolution again honoring 
National Engineers Week, and I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for working with me on this resolution and on so 
many other important issues. Mr. Ehlers and I are the cochairs of the 
STEM Ed, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Caucus. STEM Ed 
is really critical to the future of our country and the future of 
American technology and leadership in the world. And promoting STEM Ed, 
especially in engineering, is a big part of what National Engineers 
Week is all about.
  I want to begin by sharing a few statistics: Three hours, 44 percent, 
and 45,000 teachers. Three hours is the average amount of weekly 
science instruction currently received by early elementary school 
students in the United States, 3 hours; 44 percent of districts cut the 
time devoted to elementary science education since the enactment of No 
Child Left Behind; and, at the end of 2000, the last year that we have 
good statistics for, 45,000 math and science teachers left the teaching 
profession.
  Couple these statistics with the projection that, by 2012, about 46 
percent of all engineering jobs could become vacant due to retirement 
by the aging workforce, and it becomes clear we need a renewed emphasis 
on educating and exciting America's youth about engineering and 
science.
  Next week is the 18th annual Engineers Week, a week which features 
events aimed at educating youth and fostering public awareness about 
the vital contributions made by engineers to our quality of life and 
our economic prosperity. Through programs like the

[[Page 3669]]

Future City Competition, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, and the 
first robotics competition, the National Engineers Week Foundation 
confronts the challenge of plugging the leaky pipeline and encouraging 
more students to pursue careers in engineering. We lose far too many 
students through this leaky pipeline, and we are not producing enough 
engineers right now through our educational system.
  Engineers Week comprises numerous events. For example, students learn 
the value of teamwork as they work in groups to develop creative and 
practical solutions to some of the most important problems facing our 
world. Projects like designing future cities make engineering come 
alive for students, planting a seed that can lead to further studies or 
a career in engineering. Indeed, research shows that children's early 
experiences with science and engineering are a stronger prediction of 
long-lasting interest in science fields than aptitude tests.
  I can attest that my own childhood experiences with science and 
engineering captivated me. As a child growing up in Chicago, I was 
fascinated with figuring out how mechanical devices worked. I remember 
that my high school calculus and physics teachers at St. Ignatius, 
Father Thul and Father Fergus, were the ones who helped mold this 
childhood fascination into an interest in engineering.
  As a child, I also remember going to the Museum of Science and 
Industry. I remember touring the coal mine exhibit. I remember seeing 
the enormous train set teaching about trains and setting out the tracks 
and about how locomotives work. I remember all the exhibits there, and 
how much that excited and captivated me. And all these experiences 
instilled in me the knowledge, confidence, and intellectual curiosity 
needed to pursue an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at 
Northwestern University and then a master's degree in engineering from 
Stanford. One of the central goals of National Engineers Week is to 
provide this kind of inspiration for the next generation of students.
  Engineers have played a critical role throughout our history, and 
there are numerous challenges facing our world that require immediate 
engineering solutions, including developing American energy 
independence, finding solutions to confront global climate change, and 
making our Nation more secure. We need to make sure that our country 
remains capable of designing, planning, and building these projects. We 
need to help grow the next generation of talent by removing the social, 
educational, and economic barriers that deter young students from 
careers in engineering and technology. Now more than ever we need to 
recognize the many contributions that engineers have made to our 
country and the role that they must continue to play if we are to 
remain competitive in an increasingly connected global economy.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to again thank the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Ehlers), I would like to thank Ranking Member Hall, as well as the 
37 other cosponsors of H. Res. 117. I would like to especially thank 
the engineers who have contributed so much to America. I urge my 
colleagues to pass this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 117 supports the goals and 
ideals of National Engineers Week, which will be celebrated this year 
in just a few days, starting on February 15.
  The National Society of Professional Engineers established one of 
America's oldest professional outreach efforts, National Engineers 
Week, in the year 1951.
  During this week coming up, a wide range of activities are planned in 
order to increase the understanding of and the interest in engineering 
and technology careers, and to promote K-12 literacy in math and 
science. Among these activities is the Future City competition, which 
has engaged more than 30,000 middle school students in more than 1,000 
schools across the Nation to tackle water conservation issues. The 
finals for this competition will be held during National Engineers 
Week.
  Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is another activity during the 
week, intended to help spark enthusiasm for science and engineering in 
our daughters and our granddaughters. Currently, less than 20 percent 
of engineering undergraduates are women, and only 10 percent of our 
professional engineering workforce is women.
  These activities and many others will also highlight the 
contributions that engineers have made to our society. The innovation 
path that our country has trail blazed would not be possible without 
the work of engineers. From designing satellites to help us predict the 
weather to creating bandages that don't hurt when you pull them off, 
engineers play a role in nearly every facet of our lives. It is 
essential that we capitalize on opportunities such as National 
Engineers Week to raise awareness of the valuable work and 
contributions of engineers to society, and to attract young people of 
all ages to this very rewarding profession.
  I commend the corporate sponsors of the week, who recognize that 
their future depends on our engineers of tomorrow. I support the goals 
and ideals of National Engineers Week, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me in this support.

               National Engineers Week Corporate Sponsors

       3M; Bechtel Group Foundation; Bentley; Boeing; BP; 
     CH2MHill; Conoco Phillips; DuPont; ExxonMobil; Fluor; 
     Hitachi; IBM; Intel; Lockheed Martin; Motorola; Northrop 
     Grumman; Raytheon's Math Moves; Rockwell Collins; Symantec.

  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).
  Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I commend the House today for 
taking up the important issue of engineers.
  I was talking just recently in my district in Michigan; we are hit 
incredibly hard, 11 percent unemployment and growing.
  A single mom, college educated, lost her job. She was a marketing 
manager for a large retailer, went to work for a small cafe. She found 
out last week her hours are being cut because they didn't have enough 
traffic. It is pretty difficult for her to even make ends meet. We just 
got an announcement that 10,000 General Motors white collar employees 
will be out by May 1. Some of them will be engineers. It is incredibly 
devastating.
  And when you think about what we are talking about today and how 
important it is laid over the fact that we are having a discussion 
about the most massive spending bill in the history of the United 
States, these people are hurting. And if I could for just one minute 
look in their eyes and say, ``This is the bill that will save you and 
your children's future,'' I could be on board. But what we are telling 
them is that it is more important for fancy golf carts here for 
bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., billions of dollars spent in this 
town, in this town, when people living in places like Lansing and 
Howell and Brighton, Michigan, and Holt are fighting to keep their jobs 
today.
  And, by the way, I am going to have to go to that eighth grade class 
and say, you know, we are going to go to the market for the first time 
in American history with something on the order of $2.6 trillion. And 
do you know what that means for you? Maybe you can't get a loan for a 
car that you would like to buy some day. You probably will be crowded 
out when you are trying to get a student loan, or paying maybe double 
digit, close to 20 percent interest. Your milk will be more expensive, 
your bread will be more expensive. And, guess what. We will have the 
most massive debt in the United States history to show for it.
  So if we want to encourage people to go into engineering, and I think 
we should, we ought do smart things. And, oh, by the way, something 
else in this bill for our engineers.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.
  Mr. ROGERS. I thank the gentleman.
  If you do really great stuff and you innovate our way out of this 
problem

[[Page 3670]]

and we start using less energy and become more energy independent, 
guess what. In this bill, it says: Utility companies, to make up the 
difference, you can charge your customers more.
  So you know what, people who are losing their job, go out and buy 
really fancy light bulbs that save you money. And when you do, the 
utility gets to come in and charge you more for your electricity.
  This is a sham and it is unconscionable what we are doing to real 
working Americans. I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that we would take a 
moment to stop and think about the people that we are impacting. This 
isn't about a political victory. It is about people who right today are 
getting pink slips from General Motors. Or maybe they already have, and 
are hoping and praying that they will get a chance at a job in the 
future.
  This bill is wrongheaded. It is dangerous to the future of this 
country. And we are telling our children: Guess what, we are sentencing 
you to debtors prison, and foreign governments are going to be the 
jailers. Good luck.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady 
from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, you know, I find it amazing that we are 
in the middle of a debate of a good resolution. We are all for 
engineers. We like the innovation and the creativity that they bring 
forward. But, Mr. Speaker, what we are faced with is, is this the 
appropriate time for this type discussion? Or, is the time now to try 
to read through this, let's see, 1,500 pages that we have had laid 
before us? The spending bill that is masquerading under the title of 
stimulus, when we are told by the Congressional Budget Office that, at 
best, 10 percent of this bill would be spent this year?
  We know that stimulus is to be timely, it is to be targeted. But we 
also know that this bill is going to spend money for 10 years. And I 
will tell you what. It is of great concern to me that our children and 
our grandchildren are the ones that are going to be paying for this, 
because we are heaping on their head another $1.2 trillion. And that 
doesn't include the interest, another $1.2 trillion of debt.
  Now, I am told that this bill spends, per page, $1,206,185,569 per 
page.

                              {time}  1345

  That is how much is being spent in this legislation that has not gone 
through regular order, that has not been debated. All the programmatic 
spending that is in here, there is not time for that. And we are 
hearing one of the reasons is because there are codels that are leaving 
at 6 o'clock on Friday. Now a codel is a congressional delegation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. So because we have to hurry up and finish and get to 
recess, we can't get inside the numbers and figure out what we're going 
to do with this bill.
  Now some of it we have found out, if you're into golf carts, there is 
$300 million for green golf carts. We have also $125 million for sewers 
in D.C. We have $500 million for NASA exploration activities. We have 
$2 billion for FutureGen. We have $70 million for an energy-efficient 
visitors centers program.
  These are all items that may be worthy of standing on their own 
merit. The problem is this is not a stimulus bill. It is a spending 
bill. It has become the biggest pork barrel bill that we have ever 
seen. It is full of special interest earmarks and favors that will go 
to specific industries.
  I urge everyone to vote ``no'' on this, and I urge us to take our 
time to debate.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield 2 minutes to my friend from Oregon.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in permitting 
me to speak on this resolution as I appreciate his leadership in these 
areas.
  As I listened to my colleague a moment ago conclude her comments, one 
could be confused a little bit about why we are here. We are here 
celebrating the engineering profession. But it is interesting in the 
context of stimulating the economy and rebuilding and renewing America 
the role that our engineers have played. Just last week, the American 
Society of Civil Engineers introduced their report card. Every 5 years 
they provide a snapshot of the role that infrastructure plays in this 
country. Last week, their report card graded infrastructure in the 
United States as a D. And the gap of meeting the infrastructure needs 
just for the next 5 years has increased from $1.6 trillion to $2.2 
trillion.
  I have appreciated over the years working with the engineering 
profession. One of the most rewarding portions of my career was 10 
years as Portland, Oregon's Commissioner of Public Works, where working 
with people in the engineering profession to deal with long-term value, 
environmental protection, and the infrastructure for transportation, 
safety, environmental protection are invaluable.
  For us to take a little time recognizing on the floor of the House 
the role that this profession has played in helping us do our job, if 
each Member of this body would spend time at home working with their 
local engineers, thinking about the challenges that they face with 
clean air, clean water and transportation in their own communities, 
they would have greater confidence in coming back and supporting a 
robust economic stimulus package, but one that deals with the future of 
this country.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I hope that people take the time to listen to the men 
and women who are working with local business and with local 
governments to understand the fix that we are in. If we're ever going 
to restore a robust economy and prepare with protecting the future of 
the planet while we deal with the liveability of our communities now 
and making our families safe, healthy and economically secure, it will 
be in large measure because we're able to link with and to utilize the 
power of this profession, people who are there working with us to try 
and get it right.
  So I rise in support of this resolution. I salute the engineers that 
I have had the privilege to work with over the years. And I strongly 
urge my colleagues not just to vote for the resolution, but to go home 
and work with and listen to the engineers at home, because they have 
got a prescription for restoring our economy, rebuilding America's 
future and making all our families safer, healthier and more 
economically secure.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield my neighbor from Louisiana 
(Mr. Fleming) 2 minutes.
  Mr. FLEMING. From my neck of the woods, north Louisiana, we have 
quite a number of engineers. And right now I'm very concerned about 
engineers because of our current economic situation. President Obama 
just mentioned that his stimulus bill is better than no bill at all. 
However, I have to point out that we Republicans have submitted H.R. 
470, which is a far better version and far more stimulative. We talk in 
increments of billions and trillions of dollars, $1 billion here, $100 
million there. But I want to put a real face on the stimulus bill. A 
few days ago, we were contacted by Michael Moss, a constituent. He is a 
small business owner in Shreveport, Louisiana. Michael is 51. He owns a 
financial services business that has been operating in our community 
for over 30 years. Michael called and asked, where is the bailout for 
his small business? Everybody else is getting a bailout. He employs six 
hardworking Louisianans. And they work themselves to death. Also he 
employs elderly parents who rely on him or his business for their 
income. Michael doesn't own a jet plane. Yet he gets no bailout. He 
owns a used Ford Explorer instead. He doesn't own a home. He merely 
rents one. But he is still working his small business. He discussed the 
stimulus package. And what he is saying is, look, the small businesses 
are creating the jobs and need the help.

[[Page 3671]]

Small businesses create jobs so families have stable incomes in order 
to go out and spend. He suggests, and I agree with him, that we need to 
expedite depreciation schedules, eliminate capital gains tax and 
eliminate payroll deductions immediately. Remember that we make plans 
based on what we expect our tax situation to be, especially my fellow 
business owners. We know that the tax returns are going to be there, 
and we go ahead and plan to spend the money.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. 
We have no further requests.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. 
Res. 117, to ``support the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week, 
and for other purposes.''
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 117 recognizes the need to support 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 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.
  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, our 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.
  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.
  The great state of Texas boasts excellent schools that produce many 
of the nation's outstanding engineers. Texas Tech University's Whitacre 
College of Engineering is an internationally recognized research 
institution ranked among the best in the country. The Dwight Look 
College of Engineering at Texas A&M University is one of the largest 
engineering colleges in the nation, with nearly 9,000 students and 12 
departments. Texas A&M University ranks among the top five producers in 
the country for undergraduate engineering degrees. Prairie View A&M 
University's College of Engineering has a rich and well established 
legacy of producing some of the most outstanding engineers, computer 
scientists and technologists in the nation.
  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.
  I thank my colleague, Rep. Daniel Lipinski, of Illinois, for 
introducing this important resolution, to ensure that we continue to 
cultivate the understanding of and interest in engineering and 
technology careers that will be quite beneficial to society. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today in support of 
this resolution recognizing National Engineers Week and the important 
contributions to society made by engineers. A range of activities and 
programs highlighting Engineers Week will be taking place across the 
country. Communities, schools, and museums will host events to excite 
young people about engineering by helping them see the role this 
discipline plays in the world around them.
  This resolution and National Engineers Week come at a fitting time. 
We are in a dire economic situation, in part because of a failure to 
sufficiently support science and engineering in the past. Research and 
development will be the foundation for the discoveries that will fuel 
our economic recovery and sustain our long term economic growth. 
Engineering is often the critical bridge between the basic science and 
the productive innovation or the marketable product. It is entirely 
proper that we acknowledge this important field at this critical time.
  National Engineers Week is the most visible event in an ongoing, 
year-round effort by the National Engineers Week Foundation to support 
and encourage interest in engineering and technology. As Congress 
supports the excellent programming of National Engineers week, it 
should follow the Foundation's lead in making a commitment to science, 
research, engineering, and education. Congress should work to ensure 
that all individuals who choose to pursue an education in engineering 
and related fields have the opportunity to do so. And Congress should 
fully fund the America COMPETES Act and make a sustained investment in 
our national innovation infrastructure.
  This resolution recognizes the value of National Engineers Week and 
engineering-related disciplines generally. I am delighted to support 
it.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Again, I urge and encourage support for this 
bipartisan good bill and resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 117.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. 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, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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