U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act (H.R. 321) and the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 255):
“Inspiring young women to pursue careers in science, engineering, math and technology fields will help us build a stronger workforce, economy, and nation. If given the right tools and resources, there are no limits to what women in STEM fields can accomplish” said Rep. Royce. "Right now only 26 percent of women who attain degrees in STEM fields work in STEM jobs; that's a major problem that I'm committed to fixing."
The INSPIRE Women Act authorizes the NASA Administrator to encourage women and girls to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) 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 to Inspire; and the Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research.
The bipartisan Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to use its entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women to extend their focus beyond the laboratory and into the commercial world.
Due to his advocacy for greater STEM education in schools and universities, Rep. Royce was selected to be the national Co-Chair of the Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM education fields. It allows students to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app,” for mobile, tablet or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
