Lamar Smith: “The STEM Education Act of 2014 is bipartisan legislation that ensures computer science is included in the definition of…”

“The STEM Education Act of 2014 is bipartisan legislation that ensures computer science is included in the definition of STEM education for programs and activities at our Federal science agencies. The bill also supports and strengthens ongoing STEM education efforts at the National Science Foundation. I thank Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson and Representatives Elizabeth Esty, Larry Bucshon, Chris Collins, Randy Hultgren, Robin Kelly, Joe Kennedy, Dan Lipinski, and Frederica Wilson for their initiative on this bill. Earlier this year, the Science Committee held a hearing on STEM education. The discussion that took place at that hearing helped to illustrate the importance of STEM education and why we should include computer science as a component of STEM education. Frankly, it is hard to believe it hasn't been done before. Today, a variety of jobs from banking to business to medicine require familiarity with computer science. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computing and mathematics will be one of the top 10 major occupational groups from 2010 to 2020; and by 2020, there will be over 4 million U.S. jobs in computing and information technology. Unfortunately, America lags behind many other nations when it comes to STEM education. American students rank 21st in science and 26th in math. That must change for the better.…”