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Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, last week championed a bill that advances Arizona鈥檚 space priorities, in part by supporting the University of Arizona鈥檚 NEOCam mission and the, which will include Arizona State University鈥檚 鈥淢astcam-Z鈥� mounted camera system.

鈥淏y investing in America鈥檚 leadership in space, our bipartisan bill strengthens our national security and creates economic opportunities for Arizonans,鈥� Sinema said.

Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., also backed the bill.

Before finalizing the bill 鈥� the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2019 鈥� Sinema met with Arizona stakeholders, including leadership from and, to ensure the bill secures her state鈥檚 priorities.

Thursday, Sinema voiced her support for important partnerships between NASA and Arizona universities at a Senate Aviation and Space Subcommittee hearing. She is a ranking member of the subcommittee.

Sinema also emphasized a strong need for an effective science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education pipeline to continue advancing the nation鈥檚 space and national security interests.

鈥淣ASA and universities must work together to develop a 21st-century workforce to continue our leadership in space and ensure our economy remains innovative and strong,鈥� she said.

Sinema requested the hearing in order to highlight the value of NASA鈥檚 partnerships with ASU, UArizona and Northern Arizona University.

The senior senator invited Dr. Linda Tarbox Elkins-Tanton, an ASU professor who is leading the, to share her experiences as a principal investigator and the way her work advances NASA鈥檚 scientific and exploration goals, creating opportunities for students to develop skills that help them succeed in the space industry.

According to Sinema鈥檚 office, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2019 will do the following:

• Ensure NASA can establish University Affiliated Research Centers 鈥� long-term research partnerships with universities that lead NASA projects and missions,
• Give NASA contract authority to partner with universities on missions that help university space programs grow,
• Establish the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which will fund the construction of UArizona鈥檚 Near-Earth Object Camera (NEOCam),
• Require NASA to create an outreach program to encourage high school students to pursue STEM careers, building Arizona鈥檚 space workforce,
• Direct NASA to complete the James Webb Space Telescope 鈥� a follow-up to the Hubble Space Telescope that includes UArizona鈥檚 Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) 鈥� as soon as possible,
• Authorize NASA to complete its Mars 2020 mission 鈥� ASU鈥檚 Mastcam-Z is the main navigation camera on the Mars 2020 rover 鈥� and work on the Mars Sample Return Mission, and
• Require NASA to provide funding for small satellite launches conducting science missions, such as the ones developed by ASU, UArizona and NAU.