WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement applauding the U.S. House of Representative’s passage of S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act, bipartisan legislation she co-sponsored aimed at bolstering the participation of veterans in STEM fields.
“As a former computer programmer, I know firsthand the opportunities that are available to individuals who take part in STEM careers,” said Senator Rosen. “There are currently hundreds of thousands of veterans living in Nevada, many of whom possess technical skills and are passionate about science and technology. This bill would help our veterans become eligible for these important career paths by improving outreach to veterans about the educational and career opportunities that are available to them. I will continue working on forward-thinking ways to support those that have served us proudly.”
BACKGROUND: Last year, Senator Rosen co-sponsored the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. This bipartisan bill addresses the participation of veterans in STEM fields, by directing the National Science Foundation (NSF) to (1) encourage veterans to study and pursue careers in STEM and computer science in coordination with other federal agencies that serve veterans, and (2) submit a plan to Congress for enhancing veterans outreach. In addition, S. 153 requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President to establish an interagency working group to coordinate federal programs and policies for transitioning and training veterans and military spouses for STEM careers.
This past December, Rosen’s bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act – which creates and expands upon STEM education initiatives at NSF for young children, including new research grants to increase the participation of girls in computer science – was signed into law.
Last July, Senator Rosen introduced the bipartisan JROTC Cyber Training Act, legislation that would direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to enhance the preparation of high school students in JROTC for military and civilian careers in computer science and cybersecurity. This bill tasks the Secretary of Defense to create activities such as: targeted internships and cooperative research opportunities, as well as funding for training with emphasis on computer science and cybersecurity education.
The first bill Senator Rosen introduced as a Senator was the bipartisan Hire Student Veterans Act (S. 537) which would expand the existing Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to ensure that all student veterans using their GI benefits can take advantage of valuable paid internships or work opportunities while in school.
Over 225,000 veterans live in Nevada.
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