Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 425, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. I want to thank Mr. Dunn and Mr. Lamb for introducing this important legislation. Now, more than ever, U.S. global competitiveness depends on our ability to grow and sustain a STEM-capable workforce poised to meet the needs of the private sector. With an economy that is rapidly evolving and increasingly reliant on big data automation and advanced technologies, the workforce is struggling to keep up. Although STEM careers offer good pay and job security, companies across all sectors report having difficulty recruiting workers with the skills that they need. The good news is veterans and transitioning servicemembers represent a group of highly trained individuals with STEM knowledge base and skill sets employers need. The question is how to get more veterans to produce STEM degrees and join the STEM workforce. H.R. 425 addresses this question by supporting research to identify and lower barriers for veterans transitioning from military to civilian work environments. The bill directs the National Science Foundation to develop a comprehensive plan for outreach to veterans with the goal of increasing veteran participation in the agency STEM education and research programs. It also requires NSF, in its biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report, to publish available data on veterans in STEM studies and careers.…”