Today Congress took the first step in a long process to provide targeted funding for K-12 computer science. A key committee in the US Senate passed its funding proposal for education, which mentioned computer science as a priority. It’s a disappointment but not a surprise the proposal didn’t include specific funding for computer science. Getting this funding won’t be easy. Congress needs to hear from you that they should make computer science more than a priority, and put targeted money behind it. Next week the House of Representatives will begin work on their draft budget. More than ever, we need your help to succeed. Act now: write your Senator and Representative http://www.csecoalition.org/congressional_letter_0608 Why is there momentum behind this issue if they didn’t specifically fund Computer Science? In addition to the mention of computer science in the funding proposal, a bipartisan group of five Senators -- Daines (R-MT), Hoeven (R-ND), Murray (D-WA), Merkley (D-OR) and Murkowski (R-AK) -- mentioned the need to address computer science as the Congressional process moves forward. Computer science dominated the committee’s discussion on education. When champions like this emerge publicly it's a big deal, and we thank them for their public support. This is a winning issue with bipartisan support. America can’t wait. We have a one-time chance to create opportunity for millions of American children. When computing occupations are the #1 source of all new wages in the U.S., why aren’t our schools offering it as an option? This field has 500,000 unfilled jobs, growing at double the nation’s average. What better way is there to invest in our future? And with a growing cyber threat to our national security, we can’t afford the risk of waiting on this. Please write Congress today. http://www.csecoalition.org/congressional_letter_0608