July 23, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 124 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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BUILDING BLOCKS OF STEM ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 124
(House of Representatives - July 23, 2019)
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[Pages H7166-H7168] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] BUILDING BLOCKS OF STEM ACT Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1665) to direct the National Science Foundation to support STEM education research focused on early childhood. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1665 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Building Blocks of STEM Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The National Science Foundation is a large investor in STEM education and plays a key role in setting research and policy agendas. (2) While studies have found that children who engage in scientific activities from an early age develop positive attitudes toward science and are more likely to pursue STEM expertise and careers later on, the majority of current research focuses on increasing STEM opportunities for middle school-aged children and older. (3) Women remain widely underrepresented in the STEM workforce, and this gender disparity extends down through all levels of education. SEC. 3. SUPPORTING EARLY CHILDHOOD STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH. In awarding grants under the Discovery Research PreK-12 program, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider the age distribution of a STEM education research and development project to [[Page H7167]] improve the focus of research and development on early childhood education. SEC. 4. SUPPORTING FEMALE STUDENTS IN PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN STEM EDUCATION. Section 305(d) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s-5(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(3) Research.--As a component of improving participation of women in STEM fields, research funded by a grant under this subsection may include research on-- ``(A) the role of teacher training and professional development, including effective incentive structures to encourage teachers to participate in such training and professional development, in encouraging or discouraging female students in prekindergarten through elementary school from participating in STEM activities; ``(B) the role of teachers in shaping perceptions of STEM in female students in prekindergarten through elementary school and discouraging such students from participating in STEM activities; ``(C) the role of other facets of the learning environment on the willingness of female students in prekindergarten through elementary school to participate in STEM activities, including learning materials and textbooks, classroom decorations, seating arrangements, use of media and technology, classroom culture, and gender composition of students during group work; ``(D) the role of parents and other caregivers in encouraging or discouraging female students in prekindergarten through elementary school from participating in STEM activities; ``(E) the types of STEM activities that encourage greater participation by female students in prekindergarten through elementary school; ``(F) the role of mentorship and best practices in finding and utilizing mentors; ``(G) the role of informal and out-of-school STEM learning opportunities on the perception of and participation in STEM activities of female students in prekindergarten through elementary school; and ``(H) any other area the Director determines will carry out the goal described in paragraph (1).''. SEC. 5. SUPPORTING FEMALE STUDENTS IN PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION. Section 310(b) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s-7(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(3) Uses of funds.--The tools and models described in paragraph (2)(C) may include-- ``(A) offering training and professional development programs, including summer or academic year institutes or workshops, designed to strengthen the capabilities of prekindergarten and elementary school teachers and to familiarize such teachers with the role of gender bias in the classroom; ``(B) offering innovative pre-service and in-service programs that instruct teachers on gender-inclusive practices for teaching computing concepts; ``(C) developing distance learning programs for teachers or students, including developing curricular materials, play- based computing activities, and other resources for the in- service professional development of teachers that are made available to teachers through the Internet; ``(D) developing or adapting prekindergarten and elementary school computer science curricular materials that incorporate contemporary research on the science of learning, particularly with respect to gender inclusion; ``(E) developing and offering gender-inclusive computer science enrichment programs for students, including after- school and summer programs; ``(F) providing mentors for female students in prekindergarten through elementary school in person and through the Internet to support such students in participating in computer science activities; ``(G) engaging female students in prekindergarten through elementary school and their guardians about the difficulties faced by such students to maintain an interest in participating in computer science activities; ``(H) acquainting female students in prekindergarten through elementary school with careers in computer science and encouraging such students to consider careers in such field; ``(I) developing tools to evaluate activities conducted under this subsection; and ``(J) any other tools or models the Director determines will accomplish the aim described in paragraph (2)(C).''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas. General Leave Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 1665, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Texas? There was no objection. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 1665, the Building Blocks of STEM Act. Employment in computer and information technology jobs is projected to grow faster than any other occupation between the years of 2016 and 2026. Despite the opportunity for good, high-paying jobs when they graduate, women earned only 19 percent of undergraduate computer science degrees in 2016. Disturbingly, the ratio of women to men earning computer science degrees actually declined between 2006 and 2016. H.R. 1665 devotes resources to ensure girls in prekindergarten and elementary school are exposed to STEM activities and encouraged to pursue STEM studies from a young age, before many are dissuaded or discouraged from doing so. The legislation includes a focus on computer science education to help ensure we will have the talent to fill the jobs of the future. We must act now to increase the participation of women in STEM, and it starts with the focus on early childhood education. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleagues, Representatives Stevens and Baird, for their leadership in this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, research shows that early exposure to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science has positive impacts on a broad spectrum of student outcomes. For example, early math knowledge not only predicts later math success; it also predicts later reading achievement. Studies have also found that children who engage in scientific activities from an early age develop positive attitudes towards science and are more likely to pursue STEM expertise and careers. H.R. 1665, the Building Blocks of STEM Act, directs the National Science Foundation to support STEM education research focused on early childhood and to award grants to encourage young girls to pursue computer science learning. Across the country, the share of STEM jobs has expanded significantly, with STEM employment increasing from 9.7 million to 17.3 million from 1990 to 2018. Data suggests that this trend will continue, and the U.S. is struggling to meet that demand. To meet it, we must engage children-- particularly young girls--in STEM in early childhood and sustain that interest as they grow. More graduates with STEM degrees means more advanced American technologies and a more robust economy. But it is not just about the economy. STEM graduates have the potential to develop technologies that could save thousands of lives, jump-start a new industry, or even discover new worlds. By supporting more hands-on STEM engagement for younger ages, we are supporting and investing in America's future. In the 115th Congress, the House passed this legislation unanimously, and I hope it will do so again today. I want to thank Representative Baird and Representative Stevens for reintroducing this bipartisan bill and moving it forward. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens). Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1665, the Building Blocks of STEM Act, which supports STEM education research focused on early childhood education. There is a lot of discussion about the gender disparity in the STEM workforce and the leaky pipeline that widens the gap as women and girls continue through school. Although women make up half of the U.S. workforce, they make up less than a quarter of those employed in STEM occupations. The Building Blocks of STEM Act addresses these disparities by ensuring an equitable distribution of STEM education research funding for projects focused on young children and helping us [[Page H7168]] understand why girls are encouraged or discouraged from participating in STEM activities. It also ensures that the National Science Foundation grants are awarded to entities that are working in partnership, such as research universities with local education agencies, to increase participation in computer science education. Computer science is particularly struggling to recruit and retain women, who make up less than 18 percent of the computer science workforce. The number is trending down, not up. {time} 1415 This has a ripple effect on our country's ability to fill the high- skilled jobs of today and tomorrow. We need the next generation of young women to pursue STEM degrees, and we are not seeing the numbers we need. It is critical that we continue to work on STEM opportunities for middle-school-aged children and older, but we also need to ensure our Federal resources start at the beginning and support research on STEM education of younger students, starting at the beginning of their educational career. We know this all too well in Michigan. We know the structural and cultural barriers that exist for women interested in STEM from a very young age. Lack of support, unconscious or conscious gender bias, and stereotype threats are just a few. In several studies, when children were asked to draw a mathematician or a scientist, girls were twice as likely to draw a man as they were a woman, while boys almost universally drew men, often in a lab coat. The science is clear that children who engage in scientific activities from an early age, before middle school, develop positive attitudes toward science and are more likely to pursue STEM experiences and career opportunities later on. We need to be working toward interventions to increase the number of girls and women in these fields, and that is why I am so proud to sponsor this bill. I thank Chairwoman Johnson for her leadership on the House Science Committee toward increasing STEM opportunities for women, particularly for women of color. I introduced this bipartisan legislation with my colleague, Congressman Jim Baird, along with our counterparts in the Senate, Senators Jacky Rosen and Shelley Moore Capito. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers of Congress to support this bill and send this important legislation swiftly to the President's desk. Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird). Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1665, the Building Blocks of STEM Act. I was proud to join my colleague, the chair of the Research and Technology Subcommittee, Representative Haley Stevens, in introducing this legislation. As one of only two Members of Congress with a Ph.D. in science, I understand how important it is to start children off on the right foot by teaching STEM concepts and principles at an early age. Research shows that kids as young as 1, 2, or 3 are capable of absorbing STEM concepts. Children have a natural curiosity that can be fostered into an interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science. Equally important is ensuring that we get more girls involved in the STEM fields so that we can have as many people as possible contributing to the knowledge base of our society. H.R. 1665 directs the NSF to fund research and studies that focus on early childhood and young women in STEM at the K-12 level. Investing in children early ensures that we are laying the groundwork to develop young innovators in STEM. Hoosiers know that to grow our Nation, we need everyone involved. This bill helps ensure that we are preparing students to fill the jobs of the future, continuing America's global leadership in science and technology. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no more requests for time. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. The love of learning starts young, and the Building Blocks of STEM bill promotes this by prioritizing a focus on early childhood STEM education. It gives us the opportunity to encourage girls to get and stay engaged in STEM, helping us to improve our educational programs and diversify the STEM workforce. I, again, thank Representative Baird and Representative Stevens for reintroducing this bipartisan bill. As the House did in 2015, I encourage this body to support and pass this legislation unanimously. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the Members on both sides of the aisle for their support of this bill. I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1665. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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