WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today approved the Building Blocks of STEM Act (H.R. 3397), sponsored by Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and cosponsored by Rep. Steve Knight (R-Calif.). The legislation directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support STEM education research focused on early childhood. H.R. 3397 includes Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Comstock’s (R-Va.) provisions that award grants to encourage young girls’ participation in computer science and update the NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship program to include informatics.
Chairman Smith: “The Building Blocks of STEM Act updates our research into early childhood STEM education—science, technology, engineering, math and computer science. The bill seeks to keep our nation’s workforce globally competitive in technology and innovation. I thank Science Committee members Rosen and Knight and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Comstock for working in a bipartisan fashion to draft this bill.”
Rep. Knight: “Careers in STEM fields often start with a childhood passion for learning. By encouraging more active engagement at younger ages, the Building Blocks of STEM Act will help ensure our future workforce is equipped with the tools and interest necessary to compete in a modern global economy.”
Background:
H.R. 3397 was introduced on November 13, 2017, and approved by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on November 15, 2017.
Text of the bill can be found here.