Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act
Public Law 115-7 · H.R. 321 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Feb 28, 2017 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10)
Cosponsors (68): Rep. Eddie Johnson, Rep. Lamar Smith,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act
(Sec. 3) This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to encourage women and girls to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), pursue careers in aerospace, and further advance the nation's space science and exploration efforts through support of the following initiatives:
• NASA GIRLS and NASA BOYS;
• Aspire to Inspire; and
• Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research.
(Sec. 4) NASA shall submit to Congress a specified plan on 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 STEM fields and to pursue careers in aerospace.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 42Identical bill
Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Feb 28, 2017Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Feb 16, 2017FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Feb 15, 2017FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Feb 14, 2017FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Feb 1, 2017CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 6.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune without amendment. Without written report.
- Jan 24, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Jan 11, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Jan 10, 2017FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 321.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mrs. Comstock moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jan 5, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.