Lamar Smith: “I support H.R. 255, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act. I thank my Science Committee colleagues Ms. Esty, who…”

“I support H.R. 255, the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act. I thank my Science Committee colleagues Ms. Esty, who authored the bill, and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Comstock for their initiative on this issue. H.R. 255 authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to use its existing entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women and help them develop their research and technology ideas for the marketplace. STEM education is critical to our country's economy and global competitiveness. A well-educated and trained STEM workforce promotes our future economic prosperity. These STEM workers have the potential to develop technologies that could save thousands of lives, jump-start new industries, or even discover new worlds. That's why I authored with Ms. Esty the STEM Education Act, a new law that strengthens science, technology, engineering and mathematics education efforts at federal science agencies. It also, for the first time, expands the definition of STEM to include computer science. The bill was signed by the President in October 2015. Unfortunately, studies show that only 26 percent of women who attain degrees in STEM fields work in STEM jobs. H.R. 255 encourages NSF to tackle this problem. It enhances women's ability to translate their enthusiasm, scientific expertise and research ideas into tangible products and businesses.…”