Congress approved broad legislation to promote math and science skills

FIRST General Forum
#1

** Bill promotes math, science programs**

                             By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

                     WASHINGTON - Congress on Thursday approved broad legislation to promote math and science skills and develop the technology needed to compete in the global economy.

The House-Senate compromise combines elements of five bills already passed by the House creating programs to encourage people to study and teach math and science, support high-risk technology research and increase funds for the National Science Foundation and other science-based agencies.
The House vote was 367-57. The Senate approved the America Competes Act on a voice vote.
The bill now goes to the White House for President Bush’s signature.
The bill calls for spending $33.6 billion over the next three years for science, technology, engineering and mathematics research and education programs across four federal agencies.
“It’s going to help us regain and maintain leadership in research, innovation and technology,” said House Science Committee Chairman Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., noting that with half the people in the world earning less than $2 a day, Americans can compete only by performing at a higher level.
“America is in trouble” in science and in education, said Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., a research physicist. “China and India recognized 20 years ago that the future belonged to nations that educated their children in math and science.”
The bill aims to double research programs at the NSF, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Energy Department office of science over the seven years. It expands NSF programs to enhance undergraduate education for future scientists and engineers and approves new grant programs to combine college degrees in math and science with teacher certification.
NASA is brought in as a full participant in interagency efforts to promote competitiveness and innovation.
It also authorizes competitive grants to increase the number of teachers serving high-need schools and expand access to advanced placement and international baccalaureate classes.
The legislation supports programs at the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to fund or engage in high-risk, high-reward energy research and pre-competitive technology development with potential for public benefit.
“We’re going to get in there and we’re going to find those areas that are new technologies that are going to bump our ability to create renewable energy in this country,” Gordon said.

The bill is H.R. 2272

This could have huge effects on FIRST getting government grants. I know that FIRST doesn’t do much with renewable energy sources but that could easily change with the assistance of $ 1 million dollars or more.
Please discuss your thoughts about this.

#2

This is exactly where the government’s money should be going.

#3

That’s a very good majority vote there; enough to easily override a Presidential veto if it does come to that. But with a non-partisan vote that large, it would seem like an obvious bill to sign into law.

But either way, if you look at the House vote (and lack of an actual numerical Senate vote), it’s obvious that support of STEM initiatives crosses party lines. And in a day and age where extremism is at an all time high, and compromise and negotiation have seemingly been all but been forgotten, this is a good sign - for politics and programs such as FIRST.

The FRC robots powered by hydrogen fuel cells don’t count? :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

The FRC robots powered by hydrogen fuel cells don’t count? :stuck_out_tongue:

Thats why I said FIRST dose not do to much with it, yet I think that we will see more perks to using the hydrogen fuel cells added to each years games things like this make me excited to see the future of FIRST.

#5

If anyone is interested in reading the bill and seeing where that $33.6 billion is going to go http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search “H.R. 2272”. As Travis pointed out, when I linked directly to the search results it timed out.

#6

I believe your search results timed out. Here’s some light reading - http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2272enr.txt.pdf

#7

Where can I found out who voted for and against this bill?

#8

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/house/1/votes/802/

#9

When you look at see the people who voted against the bill remember that they might have voted against the bill for minor wording problems or because there was something else hidden inside the bill that they did not agree on, it might not be that they don’t support STEM.

#10

One of my area’s reps Ron Paul is against using the governments money on anything including education so he voted no (confirmed with the link above). The sad thing is he has the largest amount of support on the internet in the younger age group of voters…

#11