CHAPTER 409-MISCELLANEOUS
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Cybersecurity in STEM Programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Internship and Fellowship Opportunities
Education and Outreach
"(a)
"(1) United States competitiveness in the 21st century requires engaging the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this section as 'STEM') talent in all States;
"(2) the [National Aeronautics and Space] Administration is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire students and the broader public on STEM subjects and careers;
"(3) the Administration's Education and Communication Offices, Mission Directorates, and Centers have been effective in delivering educational content because of the strong engagement of Administration scientists and engineers in the Administration's education and outreach activities;
"(4) the Administration's education and outreach programs, including the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, reflect the Administration's successful commitment to growing and diversifying the national science and engineering workforce; and
"(5) in order to grow and diversify the Nation's engineering workforce, it is vital for the Administration to bolster programs, such as High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, that conduct outreach activities to underserved rural communities, vocational schools, and tribal colleges and universities and encourage new participation in the STEM workforce.
"(b)
"(1)
"(2)
Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women
"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:
"(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 [Feb. 28, 2017], 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."
NASA's Contribution to Education
"(a)
"(b)
"(1) to carry out and support research based programs and activities designed to increase student interest and participation in STEM, including students from minority and underrepresented groups;
"(2) to improve public literacy in STEM;
"(3) that employ proven strategies and methods for improving student learning and teaching in STEM;
"(4) to provide curriculum support materials and other resources that-
"(A) are designed to be integrated with comprehensive STEM education;
"(B) are aligned with national science education standards;
"(C) promote the adoption and implementation of high-quality education practices that build toward college and career-readiness; and
"(5) to create and support opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development for teachers using best practices that improve the STEM content and knowledge of the teachers, including through programs linking STEM teachers with STEM educators at the higher education level."
[For definition of "STEM" as used in section 202 of
Reports
"(a)
"(1)
"(2)
"(B) Not later than three years after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 30, 2005], the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an assessment of the impact of the national awareness campaign.
"(b)
"(1) the expected cost of the Crew Exploration Vehicle through fiscal year 2020, based on the public specifications for that development contract; and
"(2) the expected budgets for each fiscal year through 2020 for human spaceflight, aeronautics, space science, and earth science-
"(A) first assuming inflationary growth for the budget of NASA as a whole and including costs for the Crew Exploration Vehicle as projected under paragraph (1); and
"(B) then assuming inflationary growth for the budget of NASA as a whole and including at least two cost estimates for the Crew Exploration Vehicle that are higher than those projected under paragraph (1), based on NASA's past experience with cost increases for similar programs, along with a description of the reasons for selecting the cost estimates used for the calculations under this subparagraph and the confidence level for each of the cost estimates used in this section.
"(c)
"(1)
"(A) Projected Deep Space Network requirements for the next 20 years, including those in support of human space exploration missions.
"(B) Upgrades needed to support Deep Space Network requirements.
"(C) Cost estimates for the maintenance of existing Deep Space Network capabilities.
"(D) Cost estimates and schedules for the upgrades described in subparagraph (B).
"(E) Projected Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System requirements for the next 20 years, including those in support of other relevant Federal agencies.
"(F) Cost and schedule estimates to maintain and upgrade the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System to meet projected requirements.
"(2)
"(3)
"(d)
"(e)
"(1)
"(A) if any research and development programs of NASA are unnecessarily duplicating aspects of programs of other Federal agencies; and
"(B) if any research and development programs of NASA are neglecting any topics of national interest that are related to the mission of NASA.
"(2)
"(A) describes the results of the study under paragraph (1);
"(B) lists the research and development programs of Federal agencies other than NASA that were reviewed as part of the study, which shall include any program supporting research and development in an area related to the programs of NASA, and the most recent budget figures for those programs of other agencies;
"(C) recommends any changes to the research and development programs of NASA that should be made in response to the findings of the study required by paragraph (1); and
"(D) describes mechanisms the Office of Science and Technology Policy will use to ensure adequate coordination between NASA and Federal agencies that operate related programs.
"(3)
Review of MUST Program
Denial of Financial Assistance to Campus Disrupters
1 Section catchline amended by