This afternoon, the full U.S. House of Representatives passed a Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017 that, thanks to Rep. Henry Cuellar, included instructions for the military to seek STEM talent among Hispanic and other minority students.

He successfully allocated more than $35 million for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program. He also encouraged the military to improve the pipeline of minority Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) students into critical national security jobs, through existing programs and the awarding of competitive funding.

“Our military is strongest when it can recruit from a broad talent pool that reflects our whole diverse society,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “We need STEM talent to tackle 21st century security challenges, and students in largely Hispanic communities like my district are ready to fill those jobs – if given the chance to succeed. I fought to include this funding and language in the bill because it is in the best interest of both our national security and our local students.”

The Congressman also secured other major national security allocations in the final bill, including funding for National Guard programs to conduct surveillance over the southern border and fight international drug trafficking.