Last week, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) announced that she will co-chair the bipartisan Congressional STEAM Caucus alongside Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01). Stefanik will be filling the leadership role that once was held by Aaron Schock, who resigned from Congress in late March after a disappointing ethics violation regarding misuse of federal funds.
“I’m excited to work with Congresswoman Bonamici and the STEAM Caucus,” said Representative Stefanik in her press release. “By incorporating the artist’s perspective into the important work being done in the STEM fields, we can challenge our students to think outside the box and create new solutions to complex problems.”
Stefanik was elected into Congress in 2014 and is serving her first term as a Member of Congress; at the age of 30, she is the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. Prior to Congress, the upstate New York native served as Director of Communications for the Foreign Policy Initiative and served as part of President George W. Bush’s Domestic Policy Council Staff from 2006 to 2009.
NAfME commends the Congresswoman for taking charge in this worthwhile cause. We look forward to working with the Congresswoman in developing STEAM initiatives to benefit students with a well-rounded education that incorporates music and the arts.
Ronny Lau, Special Assistant, Center for Advocacy and Constituency Engagement, May 28, 2015. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org).
