House Committee Chairman Frank Lucas Urges OSTP to Release Overdue STEM Education Strategic Plan
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) sent a letter expressing concerns over the delayed release of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) five-year Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Strategic Plan for 2023-2028. Despite the deadline being December 31, 2023, the strategic plan remains unpublished.
Lucas criticized OSTP for failing to deliver legally mandated resources critical to America’s economy. He referenced the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, which requires OSTP to develop and implement a five-year STEM education strategic plan every five years. This strategic plan is essential for establishing clear, timely, and uniform government-wide standards for agencies and researchers as the nation builds a strong STEM workforce.
With the increasing demand for high-wage, high-skill jobs and the widening STEM workforce gap, Lucas emphasized the importance of OSTP’s leadership in coordinating the over 200 programs across more than 20 agencies that rely on timely guidance for STEM education and workforce development. He highlighted that the country’s competitive edge depends on these significant federal investments in STEM education.
Additionally, Lucas underscored the importance of tapping into rural STEM talent, as outlined in the Rural STEM Education programs authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act. He noted that rural areas represent one of the greatest, yet underutilized, opportunities for STEM education to impact workforce development. Despite the 2023 progress report detailing the activities of the Interagency Working Group on Inclusion in STEM, it fails to address geographic diversity.
Lucas expressed hope that the forthcoming five-year STEM strategy will include plans to mobilize STEM talent within America’s rural communities and across the nation, ensuring a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce for the future.
By emphasizing the urgency of releasing the overdue strategic plan and addressing the needs of rural STEM talent, Chairman Lucas aims to ensure that the OSTP fulfills its mandate and supports the nation’s economic and competitive strength through robust STEM education and workforce development.
Read more on the Committee website.