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Swalwell introduces the STEM K to Career Act

April 29, 2015

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today introduced H.R. 2082, the STEM K to Career Act to create a ladder to success for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) students and professionals across the country. The legislation would offer federal student loan relief to STEM teachers, provide tax credits to certain employers that provide internships or apprenticeships in the STEM field, and amend the federal Work Study program to offer more STEM opportunities.

"Even in my Northern Silicon Valley district, too many children and adults are not getting a real shot to participate in the innovation economy," said Swalwell. "The STEM K to Career Act tackles the digital divide and improves our global competitiveness by making sure our youth and their parents have the freedom to dream and have access to the STEM fields that are driving the 21st century economy."

This is Congressman Swalwell's first bill of the 114th Congress. It reaffirms his commitment to expand STEM education and the innovation economy to a larger population.

Specifically, the legislation makes five important changes to federal STEM policy:

  1. Provides federal loan forgiveness to STEM elementary and secondary education teachers. To qualify, the teacher must work in a not-for-profit low-income school as defined by the Department of Education.
  2. Permanently extends the $250 tax credit for teachers' school supplies and adds an additional tax credit for STEM education supplies for teachers of up to $250.
  3. Provides employers with less than 500 employees a tax credit of up to $2,000 for each paid STEM intern employed.
  4. Provides employers with less than 500 employees a tax credit of up to $2,000 for each new STEM apprentice, $3,000 for a STEM mid-career or unemployed apprentice, and $5,000 in the case that a STEM apprentice is hired by the company for at least a year following the Department of Labor approved apprenticeship.
  5. Requires schools participating in the Federal Work Study program to use at least 7 percent of work study funds to compensate students working in STEM jobs.

Bill text