WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With broad, bipartisan support, Congressman David Wu and other members of the Science and Technology Committee today passed two major pieces of legislation on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The bills work to implement recommendations of the esteemed National Academies' report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, to improve K-12 math and science education and strengthen research and innovation here at home.
"Today's successful scientists and engineers were inspired by a great teacher at a young age that kept them interested in the sciences and mathematics," said Congressman Wu. "We need more of the same. Our support should begin in K-12 and continue into their early careers to help steer scientists and engineers toward research goals."
The National Academies' report concluded that without immediate action, the U.S. may not be able to maintain global leadership in innovation and education. Among the factors contributing to this conclusion, the panels found that in the year 2000 more than 85% of students in grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major or certification in the physical sciences. In 1999, 68% of U.S. 8th grade students received instruction from a mathematics teacher who did not hold a degree or certification in mathematics.
H.R. 362, the "10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds" Science and Math Scholarship Act, will help solve this problem by increasing the number of qualified, well-equipped math and science teachers in grades K-12. To help the U.S. maintain its competitive edge, H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act, will increase support for long-term research and encourage young scientists to pursue high-risk/high-reward research. H.R. 363 does not simply seek to fund all science; it focuses on fostering the most innovative elements of scientific enterprise.
Congressman Wu continued, "New ideas, new ways of doing things, fuel our economy. It is absolutely essential that we help ensure these ideas continue to flow and contribute to the global science and technology dialogue."
H.R. 362 will:
- Create thousands of new teachers - with content and expertise in their area of teaching - via the Noyce scholarship program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). In return, students make a commitment of up to 6 years to the teaching profession.
- Create summer institutes and graduate programs that provide sustained, content-oriented professional development to teachers through Math Science Partnerships at NSF.
- Create centers for improvement of undergraduate education in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields via the STEM Talent Expansion Program at NSF.
H.R. 363 will:
- Support outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers through grants at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) of $80,000 per year for 5 years;
- Establish a floor of 1.5% of research funding appropriated for NSF for an existing program supporting graduate students in multidisciplinary fields of national importance;
- Establish a presidential innovation award to stimulate scientific and engineering advances in the national interest;
- Set up a national coordination office to identify and prioritize research infrastructure needs at universities and national laboratories and to help guide the investments of new infrastructure funds authorized for NSF and DOE;
- Direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to report on efforts to recruit and retain early-career scientists and engineers.
Both bills passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now will be referred to the U.S. Senate for further action. The bills are components of the Democratic Innovation Agenda.
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