Ladies and gentlemen, its a you toleasure to welcome brookings. My name is john allen and im the codirector of the center for 21stcentury security and intelligence and with my codirector we welcome you very warmly. It has been a technologist that the underlying acknowledged that the underlying base for power and prosperity requires an Education System where young individuals can excel in science and technology and engineering and math, called stem. As voted by scholars here at brookings, stan intensive dam intensive industries stem producee industries about 17 of our gdp. Ins a principal driver patenting, productivity, growth, and exports from aerospace to renewables. Stem disciplines will only increase. Given the reality of increasing global connectivity, complexity, and economic competitiveness the promotion of stem related skills and knowledge must be recognized as a national priority. Of stement state education in the u. S. Clearly underscores the urgency of this issue. The United