The Post Star
March 5, 2016

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, on Wednesday, co-sponsored legislation Rep. Grace Meng, D-Queens, introduced Feb. 12 to establishes a federal Department of Agriculture grant program Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) research programs for women and rural minorities at colleges and extension centers, according to the Library of Congress government information system.

Women account for 47 percent of the of the U.S. workforce, but only 39 percent of chemists, 28 percent of environmental scientists, 16 percent of chemical engineers, and 12 percent of civil engineers, according to text of the legislation.

The program would be named in honor of Jeanette Rankin, a Republican suffragist and pacifist from Montana elected Nov. 7, 1916 as the firm woman member of Congress.

The legislation — HR 4570 — had 19 co-sponsors, as of Friday — 11 Democrats and 8 Republicans.

Other co-sponsors from New York are:

Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Utica;
Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook;
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-Harlem;
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-Manhattan.

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