On 22 June 2021, AGU sent a letter of endorsement to leadership in the House of Representatives and Senate for the STEM RESTART Act. 

 

On behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and our community of 130,000 worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, I am writing to thank you for crafting the STEM Restoring Employment Skills through Targeted Assistance, Re-entry, and Training (RESTART) Act and offering AGU’s official endorsement for this important bill.

 

High-quality internships and returnships can help mid-career American workers return or transition to the STEM workforce, and AGU shares your commitment to ensuring that the benefits of a career in STEM can be shared across the nation.

 

By creating a new national program that funds mid-career internships and returnships offered by small and medium-sized STEM businesses, the RESTART Act will help to address the difficulties Americans face returning or transitioning to the STEM workforce. In addition, by prioritizing entities with programs that benefit workers from underrepresented populations or from rural areas, this bill will broaden participation in the STEM workforce within communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in science.

 

Within the United States, AGU members are employed in careers across the Earth and space sciences. As such, AGU members can attest to the importance of mid-career opportunities that make the STEM workforce stronger.

 

Given our strong shared interests on the goals of this legislation, AGU appreciates your leadership and looks forward to working with you on this critical issue in the future.