Political Quotes

“I rise today to introduce the STEM Education in Accounting Act, which would help address workforce shortages in the accounting profession by recognizing accounting as part of a STEM education and adding accounting education programs as an allowable use of K-12 Federal grant funding. I want to thank Senator Rosen for coleading this bill with me. Accountants play a key role in today's economy. They serve as trusted advisers for companies large and small, assist in measuring business performance, help individuals and businesses file their taxes in an accurate and timely manner, and even investigate instances of financial fraud. Yet, the United States is facing a shortage of accountants willing and able to fill this important economic role. In Maine, for example, municipalities have struggled to find public accountants to conduct their annual audits. Recent trends suggest this shortage will continue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings for accountants and auditors are expected to grow by 6 percent from 2021 to 2031--about 136,400 openings each year. At the same time, fewer students are pursuing accounting degrees than in prior years. The STEM Education in Accounting Act seeks to improve the accounting pipeline by expanding K-12 students' exposure to accounting programs. As with other areas of STEM education, this bill would qualify accounting instruction for Federal funds.…”