[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3540-3543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    INSPIRING THE NEXT SPACE PIONEERS, INNOVATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND 
                     EXPLORERS (INSPIRE) WOMEN ACT

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4755) to inspire women to enter the aerospace field, 
including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, through 
mentorship and outreach.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4755

       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:

[[Page 3541]]

       (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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) and the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. 
Esty) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4755, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise again to offer another bill, H.R. 4755, the 
INSPIRE Act. I am pleased to lead this effort along with the chairman 
and ranking member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
Lamar Smith and Eddie Bernice Johnson, as well as Congresswoman Esty.
  This bill authorizes the NASA Administrator to encourage young women 
to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known as 
the STEM fields, and to pursue careers that will further advance 
America's space science and exploration efforts through support of NASA 
initiatives, such as NASA GIRLS, Aspire 2 Inspire, and the Summer 
Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research, SISTER.
  The goal of NASA GIRLS is to create a virtual mentoring project that 
offers a one-of-a-kind experience to middle school students using 
online capabilities. I should mention there also is a NASA BOYS.
  NASA's vision for Aspire 2 Inspire was to reach out to young girls 
and present some of the science, technology, engineering, and math 
career opportunities through the real lives and jobs of early career 
women at NASA.
  The SISTER program 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.
  According to NASA, 58 women have traveled in space. Forty-nine of 
those have flown with NASA. Most Americans are familiar with Sally 
Ride, the first American woman in space. We all remember that special 
moment when this true trailblazer literally raised the bar of 
achievement to new heights. She accomplished this milestone in 1983.
  In a lecture she gave at Berkeley later, Ride said she saw an ad for 
being an astronaut in the student newspaper. She said: ``The moment I 
saw that ad, I knew that's what I wanted to do.''
  Now, imagine how so many young girls can now see so many other women 
and be exposed to that kind of leadership.
  We cannot discuss female firsts in space without also discussing Mae 
Jemison, who was the first African American woman in space, also an 
inspired leader.
  She was inspired by Sally Ride's achievement; so, she applied to the 
astronaut program in 1983. It was 4 long years before she received the 
call from NASA, and she was selected as one of 15 candidates out of 
roughly 2,000 applicants.
  Her trip to space was aboard the Endeavor in 1992. She served as a 
mission specialist on STS-47, which was a cooperative mission between 
the U.S. and Japan, during which 44 life science and materials 
processing experiments were conducted. STS-47 also happened to be the 
50th shuttle mission for NASA.
  Later in 1995, it was Eileen Collins who became the first female to 
command and pilot a spacecraft, STS-63. She also commanded two more 
space missions, one in 1997 aboard STS-84, and one in 2005 aboard STS-
114.
  This mission, STS-114, was another first, as she became the first 
astronaut--male or female--to fly a space shuttle through a 360-degree 
pitch maneuver so that individuals inside the International Space 
Station could inspect the belly of the shuttle for damage.
  When asked to give advice for future astronauts, Collins stated: ``My 
advice to young people is go into the field you are most interested in. 
If you love your job, you'll do well in your job.''
  I know, Mr. Speaker, from my Young Women Leadership Program, where we 
are able to get young girls in junior high and high school to come and 
hear from young leaders, hearing from these young astronauts--which we 
have been privileged to hear from often about all their work and the 
many different areas that they work in--has been one of the most 
popular programs.
  There are many other women who have contributed to America's space-
related endeavors, and we want to continue to make sure that that path 
is widened for them.
  These women are physicists, chemists, pilots, astronauts, doctors, 
biologists. The list goes on. According to the women@nasa Web site 
today, there are more opportunities than ever before to join as we 
reach for the stars.
  I urge you to visit the Web site--it is women.nasa.gov--to learn 
more. It is in these areas in the sciences that we can help ensure 
America remains a world leader.
  These are the jobs for the 21st century that we very much want young 
American women to be engaged and involved in. I urge my colleagues to 
support the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 4755, the Inspiring the Next Space 
Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers Women Act.
  This bill calls on the NASA Administrator to support initiatives that 
encourage girls and young women to study STEM fields and pursue careers 
in aerospace.
  Unfortunately, women are still underrepresented in many STEM fields, 
including aerospace, but NASA is working hard to change that.
  They have developed a number of innovative programs that aim to 
inspire and encourage young girls and women to pursue STEM degrees and 
STEM careers.
  These include the NASA GIRLS program, the Aspire 2 Inspire program, 
and the Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Research, or SISTER, program.
  The NASA GIRLS program is a virtual mentoring program where middle 
school students are mentored by NASA employees online.
  The Aspire 2 Inspire program is another online program where girls 
and young women can watch films of women who have exciting careers at 
NASA. This program gives young girls a firsthand look at what a STEM 
career at NASA could actually entail.
  The Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Research, the so-called SISTER program, is an intensive 1-week program 
where middle school girls can explore careers in science, technology, 
engineering, and math fields with NASA women researchers.

[[Page 3542]]

  It is almost impossible to overstate the value of exposing young 
students to STEM role models who look like them.
  I have seen the impact that a single encounter can have on a young 
person when I helped arrange a direct link between an astronaut and 
3,000 students in my district when he was in the International Space 
Station.
  It was electric and exciting and inspired everyone in that room to 
think about reaching beyond what they had seen and what they knew.
  Without these sorts of experiences, students, especially young girls, 
may think careers in STEM fields are not available to them.
  I am particularly supportive of this bill because it has a focus on 
middle school girls. Research has shown that this is a crucial time to 
engage girls in considering pursuing careers in science.
  I have to say I myself got inspired to pursue more about science 
when, as a middle schooler, I was at camp and joined my fellow campers 
staring up at the Moon for the first spacewalk and landing on the Moon. 
So I know the impact that this can have on a 12- or 13-year-old.
  H.R. 4755 instructs the NASA Administrator to support these programs 
and other programs that encourage women and girls to study science, 
technology, engineering, and math, as well as to pursue careers in 
aerospace.
  The bill also calls on NASA to submit a plan to Congress on how it 
can best facilitate and support current and retired astronauts, 
scientists, engineers, and innovators to engage girls studying STEM at 
the K-12 grade levels.
  Although retired astronauts, scientists, and engineers can help 
inspire the next generation of NASA scientists, early career women--
astronauts, scientists, engineers and innovators--are really 
instrumental to the success of this plan.
  It is really invaluable for young women to have experiences 
interacting with role models who are close to their age who are 
pursuing careers in the STEM fields.
  I really want to thank my Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
colleagues--the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) for her 
leadership on this bill; the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. 
Clark); the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the 
ranking member; and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the 
chairman--for joining together in bringing this bill to the floor 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill. Seeing as we 
have no other speakers on this side, I am prepared to close.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, while overall employment is only projected to grow by 10 
percent between 2008 and 2018, careers in STEM-related fields are 
expected to grow at a much faster rate of 17 percent over that same 
time period.
  Unfortunately, current statistics show that women are less likely to 
focus on STEM-related studies in college and, of the women who pursue 
these areas of study, only 26 percent will ultimately work in STEM-
related fields.
  Recognizing the need not only for more women in the workforce, but 
for women to be leaders in the workforce, particularly in the STEM 
fields, I established the Young Women Leadership Program, which I 
previously mentioned, where we have been so thrilled to be able to have 
astronauts come and speak and other people in the science and STEM-
related fields and aerospace.
  This has been an effective tool in guiding young women into STEM 
fields. I appreciate the opportunity today to join with my colleague, 
the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty), to support both of these 
bills.
  I ask you to support H.R. 4755, the Inspiring the Next Space 
Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers Women Act, or INSPIRE 
Act.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4755, 
the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and 
Explorers Women Act (INSPIRE Act).
  As a senior Member of the House of Representatives who has served on 
the House Committee on Science I am well aware of the excellent work 
that NASA has done to bring diversity to the space program.
  Houston, where my district is located, is proud that the Johnson 
Center calls our city home.
  Earlier this year, I offered two amendments that were adopted for 
inclusion in H.R. 2262, the SPACE Act, which improve diversity in 
future space programs.
  One Jackson Lee Amendment facilitates the participation of HBCUs, 
Hispanic Serving Institutions; National Indian institutions, in 
fellowships, work-study, and employment opportunities in the emerging 
commercial space industry.
  The second Jackson Lee Amendment requires work with small business 
concerns owned and controlled by women and minorities.
  One of the most enduring difficulties faced by underrepresented 
populations in the STEM field is a lack of awareness and understanding 
of the connection between STEM and employment opportunities.
  In 2012, a survey found that despite the nation's growing demand for 
more workers in science, technology, engineering, and math grows, the 
skills gap among the largest ethnic and racial minorities groups remain 
stubbornly wide.
  Blacks and Latinos account for only 7 percent, of the STEM workforce 
despite representing 28 percent of the U.S. population.
  I have worked hard to help small business owners to fully realize 
their potential.
  That is why I support entrepreneurial development programs, including 
the Small Business Development Center and Women's Business Center 
programs.
  Statistics show that women remain underrepresented in the science and 
engineering workforce, although to a lesser degree than in the past, 
with the greatest disparities occurring in engineering, computer 
science, and the physical sciences (NSF, Science & Engineering 
Indicators, 2014).
  Female scientists and engineers are concentrated in different 
occupations than are men, with relatively high shares of women in the 
social sciences (58 percent); biological and medical sciences (48 
percent); relatively low shares in engineering (13 percent); computer 
and mathematical sciences (25 percent) (NSF, Science & Engineering 
Indicators, 2014).
  According to the U.S. Labor Department, although women make up nearly 
50% of the total U.S. workforce their representation in science and 
engineering occupations is much less. 39 percent of chemists and 
material scientists are women; 27.9 percent of environmental scientists 
and geoscientists are women; 15.6 percent of chemical engineers are 
women; 12.1 percent of civil engineers are women; 8.3 percent of 
electrical and electronics engineers are women; 17.2 percent of 
industrial engineers are women; and 7.2 percent of mechanical engineers 
are women.
  These statistics show that measures need to be taken in order to 
promote women participation in the fields of science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics and to pursue careers in aerospace.
  H.R. 4755 is intended to establish paths for success at NASA for 
girls and boys, such as establishing the following programs: NASA GIRLS 
and NASA BOYS, virtual mentoring programs, that give young students the 
opportunity to interact and learn from real engineers, scientists, and 
technologists; Aspire to Inspire (A2I) program, which 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; and Summer Institute in Science, Technology, 
Engineering, and Research (SISTER) program at the Goddard Space Flight 
Center, which 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.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass H.R. 4755.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, science, technology, engineering and 
math are critical to America's future prosperity.
  Women are unfortunately underrepresented in STEM careers. Despite 
representing nearly half of the college-educated and total U.S. 
workforce, women account for less than 25 percent of America's STEM 
workforce.
  Supporting women's involvement in the fields of aerospace and space 
exploration should be an important part of NASA's mission.
  Current NASA programs such as NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS are important 
and

[[Page 3543]]

give young students the opportunity to interact and learn from real 
NASA engineers, scientists, and technologists.
  They provide virtual mentoring that use commercially available video 
chat programs to pair NASA innovators with young students across the 
country.
  H.R. 4755 builds upon this success. It leverages NASA's talent pool 
of current and retired astronauts, and early career female scientists, 
engineers, and innovators to inform and inspire young women to pursue 
their dreams in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. One 
day, these young people will push the boundaries of space.
  Space can be a catalyst for inspiring young girls to enter the STEM 
fields. By doing our part to support their engagement in space with 
this legislation, we are investing in the futures of our daughters, 
nieces, and grandchildren.
  I again want to thank the bill sponsor, Research and Technology 
Subcommittee Chairwoman Comstock for her leadership on this topic. I 
encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4755.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________