[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 42 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 42

   To inspire women to enter the aerospace field, including science, 
   technology, engineering, and mathematics, through mentorship and 
                               outreach.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 5, 2017

  Mr. Heller introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To inspire women to enter the aerospace field, including science, 
   technology, engineering, and mathematics, through mentorship and 
                               outreach.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, 
Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS are virtual mentoring programs 
        using commercially available video chat programs to pair 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration mentors with 
        young students anywhere in the country. NASA GIRLS and NASA 
        BOYS give young students the opportunity to interact and learn 
        from real engineers, scientists, and technologists.
            (2) The Aspire to Inspire (A2I) program engages young girls 
        to present science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
        (STEM) career opportunities through the real lives and jobs of 
        early career women at NASA.
            (3) The Summer Institute in Science, Technology, 
        Engineering, and Research (SISTER) program at the Goddard Space 
        Flight Center is designed to increase awareness of, and provide 
        an opportunity for, female middle school students to be exposed 
        to and explore nontraditional career fields with Goddard Space 
        Flight Center women engineers, mathematicians, scientists, 
        technicians, and researchers.

SEC. 3. SUPPORTING WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIELDS OF AEROSPACE AND 
              SPACE EXPLORATION.

    The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration shall encourage women and girls to study science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics, pursue careers in aerospace, 
and further advance the Nation's space science and exploration efforts 
through support of the following initiatives:
            (1) NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS.
            (2) Aspire to Inspire.
            (3) Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, 
        and Research.

SEC. 4. PLAN.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan for how NASA 
can best facilitate and support both current and retired astronauts, 
scientists, engineers, and innovators, including early career female 
astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators, to engage with K-12 
female STEM students and inspire the next generation of women to 
consider participating in the fields of science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics and to pursue careers in aerospace. This 
plan shall--
            (1) report on existing activities with current and retired 
        NASA astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators;
            (2) identify how NASA could best leverage existing 
        authorities to facilitate and support current and retired 
        astronaut, scientist, engineer, and innovator participation in 
        NASA outreach efforts;
            (3) propose and describe a program specific to retired 
        astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators; and
            (4) identify any additional authorities necessary to 
        institute such a program.
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