Jane Harman: “I rise in support of the Harman-Ehlers amendment and the underlying authorizing legislation. Madam Chairman, I represent…”

“I rise in support of the Harman-Ehlers amendment and the underlying authorizing legislation. Madam Chairman, I represent the heart of the aerospace industrial base, and have long called my district the ``satellite center of the universe.'' I have always been mindful of the need for a skilled and diverse industrial base. Simply put, rocket scientists don't grow on trees. Earlier this year, on a visit to a major aerospace firm in my district there was a stark reminder of the crisis facing that industry. Following a briefing on an important satellite program, I asked if any the employees in attendance had anything else to tell me. A 31-year old engineer raised his hand and said, ``all my peers are gone.'' Engineers his age, he explained, are leaving the aerospace industry for other fields, and very few are interested in taking their place. The problem is twofold. More than 60 percent of the aerospace industry workers are over 45, and 26 percent of them are eligible for retirement in 2008. And, as a Nation, we have failed to inspire our kids, particularly girls, to go into STEM fields, science, technology, engineering and math. There just isn't a pool of qualified workers for NASA and others to draw from. The result is a looming demographic cliff that leaves NASA and the industry without the intellectual capital necessary to keep pace with global competitors.”