September 15, 2025
Ms. Rivas (for herself, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Carson, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Frost, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Mannion, Ms. Norton, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. Salazar, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Soto, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Torres of California, and Ms. Lofgren) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
Expressing support for increasing the number of Latino students and young professionals entering careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
Whereas the Latino population in the United States has grown significantly over the years on a national basis and Latinos accounted for more than 65,200,000 residents in 2023;
Whereas the number of Latinos enrolled at an institution of higher education has increased from 2,900,000 in 2010, to 3,900,000 in 2023;
Whereas Latinos are responsible for 78 percent of the growth of the United States labor force since the recession of 2007 to 2009;
Whereas the Latino population is growing more rapidly than the non-Latino population, and has a younger median age of 30.7 years, as compared to 41.1 years among non-Latinos in 2022;
Whereas the overall number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this resolution as STEM
) graduates increased, but Latino workers remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce, making up 18.2 percent of total employees across all occupations, but only 14.8 percent of all STEM workers;
Whereas Latino representation in the STEM workforce has increased over the past decade, rising from approximately 6 percent of STEM workers with bachelor’s degrees or higher in 2010 to 8 percent in 2019, and reaching 15 percent of all STEM workers by 2021, which highlights both the progress made and the opportunity to further expand Latino participation in STEM fields in the United States workforce;
Whereas STEM career paths provide greater opportunities for economic mobility than non-STEM careers, offering wages roughly 65 percent higher than the national average, responding to increasing labor demand, and allowing professionals to have broad contribution to society;
Whereas the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Latino Donor Collaborative report highlights that 76 percent of surveyed Latinos are motivated by their fascination with STEM, and 64 percent are motivated by the opportunity to solve real-world problems, emphasizing the influence of role models and mentors to inspire the next generation of Latino professionals in STEM;
Whereas many Latino students have a positive view about college education, they face gaps in college preparation, including limited access to advanced coursework, STEM classes, college counseling, and financial planning, making it more difficult for them to attend and succeed in institutions of higher education;
Whereas the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study reports that 85 percent of Latinos students applied for financial aid, yet only 71 percent received assistance, and those who did, received it at the lowest average award among all student groups;
Whereas the growth of well-paying STEM jobs is projected to grow by 10.4 percent through 2033, more than double the 3.6 percent projected for non-STEM jobs, emphasizing the rising appeal of STEM careers for Latino students and young adults and highlighting the urgent need for strategies to facilitate their entry into these fields; and
Whereas greater investment in the Latino community will generate more individuals eager to pursue STEM jobs and will greatly increase the domestic high-skilled workforce: Now, therefore, be it
Sec.
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
supports the goal of increasing Latino individuals in STEM as a way to promote economic empowerment and sustainability, not only in their community, but in the overall United States economy;
(2)
acknowledges that, while Latino individuals have been a foundation for the United States economy, they are underrepresented in STEM fields to the detriment of these industries and the broader United States economy;
(3)
acknowledges that a strong commitment toward diversity and inclusion, which has been shown to improve the performance of the STEM workforce, will require greater investment in the Latino community, and this emphasis will help develop talented and capable STEM workers, reduce the Nation’s dependence on foreign workers, and secure the Nation’s future as a leader in STEM;
(4)
encourages increased Federal support for initiatives aimed at boosting the number of Latino students who pursue STEM education and career paths, particularly engineering; and
(5)
recognizes the important role that Hispanic-serving institutions and all institutions of higher education must play in order to achieve this goal of increasing Latino individuals in STEM.