On the recordMay 20, 2015
Mr. Chairman, the America COMPETES Act is good legislation that will help build a better future for our country. The COMPETES Act expands the definition of STEM education to include computer science. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every computer science graduate between 2013 and 2023, there will be two jobs available. That is why programs in my district like Go IT, offered free of charge to middle and high school students, are so important to creating career awareness in computer science and other STEM fields. This legislation increases government accountability. It requires the National Science Foundation grants meet a national interest standard and to publicly justify why they should receive taxpayer dollars. Requiring government agencies to prioritize the national interest is common sense. It enhances accountability to the American people. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the America COMPETES Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
