BY PETER FARNHAM 

Once more, the U.S. Congress heads into its traditional August recess with work unfinished on almost all regular appropriations bills – an event so commonplace for so many years that it has become the new norm, as predictable as the notorious Washington, D.C. humidity that Congress leaves each August to escape. 

KYLE M. BROWN AND GEOFFREY HUNT

There is growing concern that American education in science, technology, engineering and math— known as STEM— is coming up short. As a result, the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration have developed new programs to bolster STEM education. Previous efforts have lacked adequate momentum to get started; will new programs receive the support they need to succeed?