Alan Lowenthal: “Providing science, technology, engineering, and math education to America's youth is critical to the global…”

“Providing science, technology, engineering, and math education to America's youth is critical to the global competitiveness of our Nation. The STARBASE program engages local fifth-grade elementary students by exposing them to STEM subjects through an inquiry-based curriculum and is currently active in 56 congressional districts throughout the Nation. Today I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for their strong leadership in reestablishing funding for the program over the past 2 years. I am respectfully requesting an additional $5 million to help expand the program nationwide. Today I am offering STARBASE amendment No. 18 to H.R. 2685, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. My amendment increases funding to the STARBASE Youth Program by $5 million, and while providing support for the program, it also reduces spending by $1 million. The STARBASE program is carried out by the military services because the lack of STEM-educated youth in America has been identified as a future national security issue by the Department of Defense. Two years ago, both the House and Senate rejected the Office of Management and Budget's, the OMB, proposal to terminate this critical program. As a Member of Congress, I appreciate OMB's desire to consolidate STEM's programs across the spectrum into one funding line. However, this is a national defense item and has been identified by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as such.…”