Congress Talks STEM Policy, Equity, and More at #HouseOfCode Kickoff
Last night, Congress kicked off #HouseOfCode 2021 with a memorable session honoring winners of the 2020 Congressional App Challenge and discussing pressing issues like funding for computer science and STEM education and promoting equity in tech.
The kickoff featured remarks from 13 Members of Congress including Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, Rep. Suzan DelBene, Rep. French Hill, Rep. Anna Eshoo, Rep. Bruce Westerman, Rep. Rodney Davis, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. John Katko, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Young Kim, Rep. Steve Womack, and Rep. Lauren Underwood. The session also included remarks from ACT | The App Association’s Morgan Reed and Lt Col Alex Lamkin of the United States Air Force.
Houlahan: Encouraging Women in STEM
“There’s still a huge imbalance in the STEM population. While women account for 52% of the college-educated workforce, we only account for 29% of the science and engineering workforce…and those numbers are even lower when you look at women of color…So it’s important that we continue to diversify our STEM community. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it’s also the smart thing to do, because different perspectives will drive different creativity and ingenuity.”
Huffman: STEM and School Funding Needed
“It’s through STEM education that students like you have the opportunity to gain skills in this key sector and I am committed to supporting more funding to ensure that our schools get the support we need. We just passed the American Rescue Plan and it was signed into law by President Biden… this law creates funding for more broadband access to keep students connected.”
Titus: Diverse STEM Students Will Make US Competitive
“I’m committed to making computer science education accessible for all. I’m proud to have supported the Building Blocks of STEM Act, which was recently signed into law to increase the participation of young women in computer science, but that’s just a start!”
Catch All the Keynotes Here
You can watch the entire #HouseOfCode Kickoff and Keynotes session below