Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act, introduced by Senator Cochran and myself last week. Increasing geography literacy is essential to STEM education, and investing in our children's science education is essential to making America smarter and more innovative. This bill would authorize the Secretary of Education to meet that critical need by doling out competitive grants to proven nonprofits with a track record of promoting geography literacy in our schools through activities such as teacher professional development and research. As chairwoman of the appropriation subcommittee that funds National Science Foundation, NSF, I have directed National Science Foundation's education team to work with experts like National Geographic to strengthen geography education. NSF is now working with National Geographic Society to explore new ways to improve geography teaching, training, and research in our schools. This pilot program has proven successful and deserves national support. For a number of years, I have promoted geography locally in my home State of Maryland by working with geographic trailblazers like National Geographic Society's Chesapeake watershed education programs and Pat Noonan's Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoys--bringing real-time environmental information to Maryland schoolchildren in a meaningful and understandable way. I can tell that making geography education local is where to start.…”