This past week, Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.-11) introduced the bipartisan Accounting STEM Pursuit Act. This bill will help to establish the accounting profession as a valuable STEM career pathway and encourage diversity in the future of the accounting workforce.
Spartz
“As a CPA who worked in a variety of industries, taught accounting at college, and started my own businesses, I understand the importance of finance and accounting skills for our students – regardless of which endeavor they pursue in life,” Rep. Spartz said. “I am happy to join Rep. Stevens in leading this bipartisan legislation.”
“As a founding Chair of the House Women in STEM Caucus, there are few issues in Congress that are more important to me than working to promote and advance STEM education pathways for our diverse next generation of leaders and innovators,” Rep. Stevens said. “This bipartisan bill will work to increase access to high-quality accounting education for K-12 students to improve career awareness and workforce diversity in the field. Our financial institutions and their consumers will benefit tremendously from a strengthened pipeline of talented workers of all backgrounds who are ready to meet the needs of our rapidly changing world.”
“The accounting profession has always been a leader in using and developing technology to make informed decisions, solve complex problems and improve the delivery of audit, finance and tax services,” said Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, CEO of Public Accounting at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “As the profession continues to apply advanced technology and technology-enabled techniques, it’s never been a more exciting time to be an accounting professional.”
This bill adds “activities to promote the development, implementation, and strengthening of programs to teach accounting” to the list of allowable uses of grant funding under the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant program with a focus on increasing access to high-quality accounting courses for students through grade 12 who are members of groups underrepresented in accounting careers.