H.Res. 483 — Introduced in House

IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 483 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 11, 2014 Mr. Lipinski (for himself, Mr. Collins of New York, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Honda, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Esty, Mr. Holt, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Peters of California, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Rohrabacher, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Cárdenas, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Rangel, and Mr. Royce) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week. Whereas engineers employ their scientific knowledge and analytical skills for the betterment of the United States; Whereas the mission of DiscoverE (formerly the National Engineers Week Foundation) is to sustain and grow a dynamic engineering profession through outreach, education, celebration, and volunteerism as needed to keep the United States a global leader in engineering and engineering education; Whereas the sponsors of National Engineers Week are working together to transform the engineering workforce through greater inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities; Whereas by engaging young students, parents, and educators in hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math, engineers help them discover how they can make a meaningful difference in the world; Whereas the partnership between engineers and teachers inspires future generations of engineering and technology talent; Whereas tens of thousands of engineers and engineering students will serve their communities not only through their work but, at this time of year, by reaching into hundreds of local communities; Whereas engineers have helped meet the major global challenges of our time, including providing state-of-the-art transportation and information technology infrastructures, enhancing national security, and developing the clean energy technologies needed to power the people of the United States into the future; Whereas an overwhelming number of people in the United States (87 percent) find that engineering is the profession that most frequently contributes to positive innovations and inventions in society, according to a survey conducted by TE Connectivity of impressions of engineering; Whereas engineers are a crucial link in research, development, and the transformation of scientific discoveries into useful products and jobs, as the people of the United States look more than ever to engineers and their imagination, knowledge, and analytical skills to meet the challenges of the future; Whereas the National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2010 and 2012 shows that while the number of students obtaining engineering degrees in the United States has reached an all-time high, the rates for women and underrepresented minorities do not reflect our national demographics, with only 19 percent of Bachelor’s degrees in engineering being earned by women; Whereas a 2012 survey by the Intel Corporation indicates that United States teenagers are more likely to consider a degree in engineering after learning about what engineers do; Whereas only 4 percent of the Nation’s workforce is composed of scientists and engineers, this group disproportionately creates jobs for the other 96 percent; Whereas DiscoverE has grown into a formal coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations, and government agencies that are dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated engineering workforce, promoting literacy in science, technology, engineering, and math, and raising public awareness and appreciation of the contributions of engineers to society; Whereas National Engineers Week is celebrated during the week of George Washington’s birthday to honor the contributions that the first United States President, a military engineer and land surveyor, made to engineering; and Whereas February 16, 2014, to February 22, 2014, has been designated as National Engineers Week by DiscoverE and the theme is, Let’s Make A Difference, spotlighting all the amazing things engineers do every day to make the world a better place: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week to increase understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers and to promote technological literacy and engineering education; (2) recognizes that engineering education is a critical component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and essential to improving the United States educational system and economic prosperity; and (3) ensures that technological solutions designed by the engineering community can be advanced through research, development, standardization, and innovation.