Rural Stem Education Research Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. 210, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 210, the Rural STEM Education Research Act. I thank Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this important bill.

Every State in the country is filled with students who have an incredible curiosity for STEM and the potential to make important contributions in these fields. But too often, students are left behind and are unable to fulfill their vast potential simply because of where they live.

Students in rural areas have long faced obstacles to receiving a high-quality STEM education. Lack of broadband access, for example, has long been a barrier.

Schools in rural communities often struggle to access the equipment and facilities needed to provide students with hands-on STEM experiences. Research shows that hands-on experiences help inspire scientific curiosity and a love of STEM in students.

Teachers are trying their best, but they have limited resources and support. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning have further exacerbated these inequalities.

Students and teachers in rural communities have worked hard to adapt, but they need help. We have an opportunity not just to recover from what was lost during the pandemic but to ensure a better STEM education future for rural students.

The Rural STEM Education Act provides for research and development to increase access to STEM education opportunities in rural schools and to provide teachers with the resources they need to teach more effectively.

The bill also directs NIST to develop a prize competition to advance research and development in support of expanded broadband access.

This bill further provides for assessments of Federal investments in rural STEM education to be conducted by the National Academies and the Government Accountability Office.

This bill is an important step toward improving STEM education in rural communities across America and will help build a 21st century STEM workforce that will help the U.S. remain a global leader in science and technology.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 210, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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