Rep. Fattah Lauds Obama for New STEM Education Initiative, Inspires Summer Science Camp Students

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), the top Democratic appropriator for science agencies and a leading advocate of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education, declared that President Obama has taken "a major stride today to assure American scientific and technical superiority" by establishing the $100 million STEM Master Teacher Corps.

"These Master Teachers –10,000 strong within a few years – will be inspiring and shaping the next generation of young scientists and engineers," Fattah said. "President Obama's innovative plan will help our nation win the future in science, technology and innovation."

The White House announced the plan for a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Master Teacher Corps comprised of some of the nation's finest educators in STEM subjects. Obama said he will launch the Corps with $100 million immediately from the Teacher Incentive Fund and will request $1 billion from Congress to expand the program to develop 10,000 STEM educators over the next four years.
(See http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/17/president-obama-announces-plans-new-national-corps-recognize-and-reward- for details.)

Fattah's comments on STEM education came on a day that was filled with science and technology advocacy, in both the halls of Congress and in Pennsylvania.

This morning, Fattah offered inspiration for 50 cheering middle-school students from low-income backgrounds attending the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp in suburban Philadelphia:

"You are the future scientists, engineers, medical researchers and science teachers. You are the future leaders of this country," the Congressman said. "We are hoping many more of you will decide that this is what you want to do. What you're doing here at Science Camp is very important."

The two-week camp, now in its fifth year, is run by Temple University and uses the dorms and facilities at Gwynedd Mercy College in Gwynedd Valley, PA. The students are sixth, seventh and eighth graders from Philadelphia city schools.

Back in Washington, Fattah met with NASA Astronaut Dan Burbank and discussed Burbank's recent mission aboard the International Space Station. Burbank is a veteran of three spaceflights, including two U.S. Space Shuttle missions, and recently returned to Earth after spending 165 days in space aboard the ISS.

Fattah, as senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies, is the Democrats' leading appropriator for NASA and other science agencies.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah