Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 2034, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act, as amended.

Edith Nourse Rogers was a trailblazer for veteran benefits, and the program we are amending today that bears her name was created to support the next generation of veteran trailblazers. She was instrumental in the creation of the original GI Bill and advocated for a greater role for women in the Armed Forces.

Congress created the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship in 2017 as part of the Forever GI Bill. However, since creation, we have learned of cases where improvements to the program would encourage more veterans to pursue dual degrees, degrees in STEM education, and degrees in healthcare.

Representative Budzinski's legislation would improve the program to better fit student veteran needs by making two fundamental changes to the program to increase access.

First, the legislation allows veterans to apply for the scholarship while they are still finishing their undergraduate degrees. That means students won't have to delay their education for no reason or hit an arbitrary completed credit hour requirement if they are accepted into the program. Veterans can seamlessly progress to their next degree.

Second, the legislation removes the requirement that a student exhaust all credit hours on their GI Bill benefits, which makes enrollment easier for STEM-seeking students.

The scholarship is a wonderful tool, but these requirements, originally well-intended, have made the scholarship onerous to use and limited enrollment far below projections.

H.R. 2034 fixes those issues and clears the way for more trailblazers like Congresswoman Edith Nourse. I thank Representative Budzinski for introducing this important bill, and I urge my colleagues in the House and the Senate, as well, to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Budzinski), my good friend and the author of the bill, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization.

Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2034, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2034) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the requirements of the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2034, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2034, as amended, offered by my colleague, Representative Nikki Budzinski of Illinois.

This bill would make needed improvements to the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship education benefits program.

Currently, the program is underused because of bureaucratic red tape that limits who is eligible for the scholarship. This mistake made by previous Congresses has prevented the STEM scholarship from helping those who are most in need.

While I believe more information is necessary to fully improve the program, this bill is a step in the right direction. I thank our colleague, Nikki Budzinski, for her support of this legislation. Additionally, I thank my friend and fellow Representative, Abraham Hamadeh of Arizona, for cosponsoring this legislation.

Representative Hamadeh's advocacy on this bill has been pivotal to getting it on the House floor today to cut through the red tape and improve education benefit access.

Finally, I thank The American Legion and Paralyzed Veterans of America for their support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 2034, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers at this time. I am ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, once again I encourage all Members to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act.

With the start of the new school year, the time is now to pass this bipartisan legislation that will help student veterans who are training for high-demand STEM fields.

I thank my colleague on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman Hamadeh, for his collaboration and partnership on this bill. I also thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Madam Speaker, this bill removes barriers for student veterans seeking a STEM education by modifying eligibility requirements for the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship.

This scholarship has proven crucial to getting more veterans involved in STEM fields, but feedback from veterans in a 2022 GAO report has shown that current eligibility requirements are barriers for many of our student veterans.

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act would address these barriers by lowering the minimum number of credit hours required. It would also allow student veterans to apply for the scholarship before their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits run out.

This would allow for a smooth transition of funding for their education. They have so greatly served us. It is time for us to serve them.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.