On behalf of the members of the Virginia Society of CPAs (VSCPA), we are writing to respectfully request that Representative Spanberger cosponsor H.R.3855, the Accounting STEM Pursuit Act, recently introduced by Reps. Haley Stevens and Victoria Spartz. The bill establishes the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway and supports long-standing efforts to create more diversity in the future accounting workforce. Specifically, it 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.
The VSCPA believes it is an important step to having accounting recognized as a STEM field under Technology. The accounting profession heavily relies on technology and CPAs and others that work in accounting utilize technology skills in areas that are both integral to the audit function and other services for American businesses, including IT auditing (which demands high-level technology knowledge and skills in order to evaluate IT infrastructure), artificial intelligence, blockchain, data analytics and forensic and predictive accounting and cybersecurity. We believe this bill, because it recognizes accounting as a STEM field, would increase student engagement with the accounting profession and, at the same time, promote diversity in the accounting workforce.
Again, on behalf of the more than 13,000 members of the VSCPA, and along with the AICPA, we ask that Representative Spanberger cosponsor this bill. To have Ms. Spanberger become a cosponsor, please reach out to Sammi Goldsmith in Rep. Stevens’ office at [email protected], or Erica Barker in Rep. Spartz’s office at [email protected].
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me. Thank you for your commitment to the future of the accounting profession.
Sincerely,
Emily Walker, CAE
Vice President, Advocacy
Virginia Society of CPAs
(804) 612-9428