Washington, DC) – Recently, U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced that their bipartisan bills to encourage, recruit, and support women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) passed the Senate and are headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Heller’s bills would authorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator to encourage women to study in STEM fields and pursue careers in aerospace. These bills also build on existing efforts by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase women’s participation in STEM education and research with expanded measures to help recruit and support women as they commercialize their research.

“Recently, the U.S. Senate took a step forward in recognizing the potential of tomorrow’s economy. These bills provide another avenue to encourage young women to seek a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as ensure women’s entrepreneurship and innovations succeed. These efforts will allow them to lead new advancements in technology and innovation, and make the world a better place. I’m proud to have partnered with Senator Klobuchar on these pieces of legislation and am thankful for her leadership on this issue,” said U.S. Senator Dean Heller.

“Women are the teachers, engineers, scientists, and inventors who will carry us into a brighter future,” said U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. “By encouraging women and tapping their talents and abilities, employers can better meet their hiring needs, and women can enjoy the benefits of well-paying jobs in STEM fields. Our bipartisan bills will help women contribute more to their families’ financial wellbeing – and the benefits help our whole economy.”

Background:

The Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act would further advance America’s space science exploration through support of initiatives such as NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS; Aspire-Inspire; and the Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering and Research. The legislation would also require a report to Congress on how NASA plans to achieve the goals laid out in the bill. Representative Barbara Comstock (R-VA) is the author of the legislation in the House.

The Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act amends the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act to authorize the NSF to encourage its entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women to extend their focus beyond the laboratory into the commercial world. Representative Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) is the author of the legislation in the House.

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