BHEF Urges Senate to Pass COMPETES Reauthorization

Calls on Senate leaders to move on legislation that strengthens STEM education

Washington, DC (July 9, 2010) — The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) today urged Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison in a letter to act in a bipartisan fashion to ensure swift passage of legislation to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act—a 2007 law enacted with BHEF’s support that produced several key programs to strengthen education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill in late May, authorizing a number of key programs to strengthen STEM education, including support for teachers and students. Since the passage of COMPETES in 2007, the United States has lost vital ground in both of these areas. The bill also authorizes funds to double the research budgets of several key agencies.

“Looking ahead, we are particularly concerned about the future of our STEM workforce. As the number of STEM workers eligible to retire has increased dramatically, the number of students pursuing and earning degrees in STEM majors and choosing careers in these fields has been stagnating,” says BHEF Executive Director Brian K. Fitzgerald.

“As your committee takes up reauthorization, we would encourage you to keep the research budgets of the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and National Institute of Standards and Technology on track for doubling. We also would encourage you to strengthen provisions to support students in K-12 education and throughout the entire education pipeline, including higher education,” he adds.

The National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2010 shows that while the number of STEM bachelor’s degrees awarded increased by 5.4 percent over the most recent five-year period, overall degree production rose by more than 13 percent during the same time. Consequently, BHEF encourages support for programs designed to increase the numbers of students who earn STEM degrees and choose STEM careers, and encourage stronger collaborations between business/industry and higher education. Such provisions in the reauthorization of COMPETES would encourage a systemic approach that leverages private and public resources to bolster STEM education, and ultimately ensure a highly skilled STEM workforce.