[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 22, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    H.R. 4742 PROMOTING WOMEN IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACT AND H.R. 4755 
    INSPIRING THE NEXT SPACE PIONEERS, INNOVATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND 
                          EXPLORERS WOMEN ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 22, 2016

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong 
support of H.R. 4742, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act and 
H.R. 4755, the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, 
Researchers, and Explorers Women Act.
  These two bills would support entrepreneurship programs for women and 
encourage young girls and women to pursue STEM degrees and careers.
  Throughout my career in Congress and my time as the Ranking Member of 
the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have been 
passionate about ensuring opportunities for women in STEM fields.
  More women are pursuing STEM degrees and careers overall, but they 
are still underrepresented in many STEM fields. This is especially true 
in STEM fields with high entrepreneurship rates, such as engineering 
and computer science.
  Along with STEM training, women face other barriers to 
entrepreneurship, including access to credit.
  Due to such barriers, it is important to support entrepreneurship 
programs focused on women. H.R. 4742 does that by supporting programs 
at the National Science Foundation that recruit and promote women who 
are looking to move beyond the laboratory and enter the commercial 
world.
  I want to thank my colleague, Representative Esty, for her work on 
this bill.
  H.R. 4755 would support existing programs at NASA that encourage 
young girls and women to study STEM fields and pursue careers in 
aerospace. These programs include NASA GIRLS, a virtual mentoring 
program; Aspire to Inspire, a program connecting young girls with women 
with STEM careers at NASA; and a summer institute program that 
increases awareness and exposes middle school girls to the STEM careers 
at NASA.
  Additionally, H.R. 4755 calls on NASA to submit a plan to Congress on 
how to best use their current and retired workforce to mentor female K-
12 students. Utilizing our retired STEM workforce can multiply the 
opportunities for mentorship, but I appreciate Mrs. Comstock's 
agreement to include current NASA employees, especially early career 
women at NASA. Seeing a young female scientist or engineer might be the 
best way to show young girls that STEM careers are possible for them.
  I would to thank my colleague, Representative Comstock, for her work 
on this bill and for working with me to broaden the scope of the plan.
  I strongly support both H.R. 4742 and H.R. 4755 and I encourage my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

                          ____________________