May 20th Designated 'National Women in Aerospace Day' to Boost Visibility and STEM Careers

This resolution establishes May 20th as “National Women in Aerospace Day.” Its purpose is straightforward: to formally recognize and celebrate the huge, often overlooked, contributions American women have made to aviation, space exploration, and related technical fields. It’s a purely ceremonial move, but one that aims to tackle a very real problem: the aerospace workforce is currently only about 20% female.

The Pioneers and the Purpose

The core of the bill is a list of 21 specific women and their pioneering achievements, essentially creating a curriculum of American history in one document. This isn't just about astronauts; it covers everyone from Harriet Quimby, the first American woman to earn a pilot’s license, to Pearl I. Young, the first female technical employee at the precursor to NASA, and Katherine Johnson, the mathematician who made early space missions possible. By formally listing these names—like Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, and Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a space shuttle—the bill ensures their stories are officially acknowledged and available for educational efforts (Bill Section 2).

Why Visibility Matters in the Real World

This resolution is designed to be a shot in the arm for STEM diversity. The bill directly states that increasing the number of women in aerospace is “critical” for maintaining a competitive workforce, arguing that diversity leads to more creative and pioneering solutions. For a parent of a middle schooler, this means May 20th is now a day specifically earmarked for schools, museums, and organizations to run programs that highlight female role models in fields like engineering and air traffic control. The goal is to make sure young women see a clear path into these high-tech, high-paying careers, which is crucial for filling the talent pipeline in the future.

What Happens Now?

Because this is a resolution, it doesn't create new regulations, taxes, or spending—it’s a formal declaration of recognition. The main action is urging the people of the United States to observe the day with “appropriate programs and activities.” This means the impact depends entirely on public and institutional participation. If schools, aviation companies, and science museums take this seriously, it could translate into increased mentorship programs, scholarships, and visibility campaigns aimed at closing that 80/20 gender gap in the aerospace sector. It’s a strong symbolic commitment to ensuring equal access and opportunity in a vital industry.