Obama And Honda To Introduce STEM Legislation

In an effort to raise the profile of education for the presidential campaign, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) are jointly introducing companion education bills in the Senate and House. The measures seek to improve coordination at the federal level for a sprawling collection of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.

"In 2006, the federal government sponsored 105 STEM education programs through 15 different federal agencies at a cost of $3.12 billion," reads a statement from Honda's office. Despite the effort, "American production of homegrown scientists, engineers and other related fields continued to lose ground to both developed and emerging economies."