The House on Jan. 28 approved by a vote of 385-8 the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. The bill was passed by the Senate in December 2019, and it’s next stop is the desk of President Trump.
The bill would promote veteran involvement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, computer science, and scientific research through better integration of veterans issues within existing National Science Foundation programs, and improved program coordination across Federal STEM agencies.
The measure would task the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy with creating an interagency working group to improve “veteran and military spouse equity and representation in STEM fields,” according to the language of the bill.
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairwoman of the committee, commented, “At a minimum, we must ensure veterans interested in pursuing STEM careers here at home have the support they need. Veterans are uniquely positioned to contribute to our STEM workforce – often having training in cybersecurity, avionics, nuclear physics, and medicine. However, significant obstacles often stand in their way when transitioning to a civilian STEM career.” The bill, she said, “establishes an interagency working group to identify these obstacles and develop a plan for addressing them.”
