July 2005 Stem Education Coalition letter to Rep. Frank Wolf on proposed Innovation Summit

July 11, 2005

Honorable Frank Wolf
U.S. House of Representatives
Chairman of Science-State-Justice-Commerce Subcommittee on Appropriations
241 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Wolf:

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition would like to thank you for your efforts to bring national attention to the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and education research in ensuring future American economic prosperity and global competitiveness.

We agree with you that addressing the needs of our education system must be a critical component of any national strategy to ensure that America remains the world leader in science and innovation.

The STEM Education Coalition is comprised of nearly 50 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and education groups and was established prior to the No Child Left Behind Act. We have continually supported programs at the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies that offer STEM related programs for teachers and students.

Our coalition greatly appreciated the opportunity to testify at a recent hearing conducted by your Subcommittee. We applaud your ongoing efforts to recognize the importance of recruiting new teachers and students into STEM-related fields and thank you for the recent letter you sent to the President calling for a substantial increase in funding for the National Science Foundation in the Administration’s FY 07 budget request.

One of the integral missions of our coalition is to act as a resource for the Congress and the federal government on STEM education issues. We welcome your successful efforts to convene a summit this fall in Washington to focus the nation’s attention on innovation and education issues – and offer our coalition as a willing and active participant in the upcoming summit’s activities.

We look forward to working with you in the future to improve our nation’s educational system and to help secure the future of American prosperity.

Please contact James Brown at (202) 872-6229 if you require any additional information or if you have any questions.