Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (VA-10) issued the following statement after H.R. 4755, the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act was passed today by a strong bipartisan vote of 380 to 3.

“I am pleased to have introduced and today passed the INSPIRE Women Act. American businesses are having a difficult time finding skilled workers in the traditional STEM fields. The INSPIRE Women Act calls on the NASA Administrator to use programs within NASA to put young women and girls on a course toward STEM careers that will further help the space program and American businesses. For the American economy to be successful in the 21st Century, we need to have a skilled labor force that understands innovation and emerging technologies. The INSPIRE Women Act will help create a climate for young girls and women to be successful in STEM and competitive on the world stage, and be great assets to growing the 21st Century economy.”

The INSPIRE Women Act authorizes the NASA Administrator to encourage women and girls 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 initiatives such as NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS; Aspire-Inspire; and the Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research.