Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, announced that she will co-chair the Congressional STEAM (STEM+Arts and Design) Caucus alongside Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01). The caucus will host briefings and advocate for policy changes that will encourage educators to integrate arts, broadly defined, with traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum. The goal is to encourage the creativity needed to drive our innovation economy forward.
“I’m excited to work with Congresswoman Bonamici and the STEAM Caucus,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “By incorporating the artist’s perspective into the important work being done in the STEM fields, we can challenge our students to think outside the box and create new solutions to complex problems. The work being done by these students will be of critical importance to our 21st century economy, both in New York’s 21st district, and across the country.”
“Congresswoman Stefanik will be an excellent co-chair and advocate for STEAM education," Congresswoman Bonamici said. "We will be working with the caucus to highlight how STEAM can help students develop the skills needed in an economy that thrives on innovation. Students benefit from a well-rounded education, and incorporating arts and design into STEM subjects helps students gain a fuller understanding of the material and think creatively.”
Caucus members will work to increase awareness of the importance of STEAM education and explore new strategies to advocate for STEAM programs.
###