FINDINGS.

SEC. 2. [42 U.S.C. 1862s-5 note] FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The National Science Foundation is a large investor in STEM education and plays a key role in setting research and policy agendas. (2) While studies have found that children who engage in scientific activities from an early age develop positive attitudes toward science and are more likely to pursue STEM expertise and careers later on, the majority of current research focuses on increasing STEM opportunities for middle school-aged children and older. (3) Women remain widely underrepresented in the STEM workforce, and this disparity extends down through all levels of education.