Bill renames street in front of NASA headquarters to honor hidden figures in America’s space program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) today introduced the Hidden Figures Way Designation Act. This bipartisan bill designates the street in front of NASA’s headquarters as “Hidden Figures Way,” in honor of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson who were featured in the movie Hidden Figures and all women who have dedicated their lives to honorably serving their country, advancing equality, and contributing to the space program of the United States.
The full text of the bill may be viewed here.
“The women who worked at NASA as computers played a pivotal role in advancing America’s leadership in space, and were trailblazers for the next generation of Americans,” Sen. Cruz said. “After graduating from Rice University in 1956 with a degree in math, my mother was a pioneer in our family, much like the women honored in Hidden Figures. She worked at the Smithsonian helping write programs to calculate the orbits of Sputnik, which is featured in the opening scene of that film. Women who worked as computers demonstrated incredible strength and resilience, and I’m grateful for the leadership of Sens. Markey, Thune, and Nelson in ensuring the legacy of hidden figures everywhere is not forgotten.”
“The number of contributions made the ‘hidden’ human computers is incalculable,” Sen. Markey said. “Without their input, we never would have reached the stars. They brought our dreams from the realm of the imaginary into reality. In total, our space program would have added up to nothing without them. It is time we recognized these hidden figures as public heroes.”
“At a time when we desperately need more women and minority individuals in science and engineering fields, the women from Hidden Figures serve as an inspiration to all,” said Nelson. “Designation of the road that runs right by the front of NASA will serve as a reminder of all that we owe to these women and of the vast amounts of talent in America that, disappointingly, remains untapped.”