The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (NSGCFP) was established by Act of Congress in 1987 as a new NASA program. The National Space Grant (NSG) Act was patterned after the successful Land Grant and Sea Grant programs and sought to establish groupings of universities to promote the development of the space sciences and aerospace research, education and public awareness. Congress found that "development of space frontiers requires a broad commitment and partnerships between federal government, states, private industry and universities concerned with the utilization of Space." In introducing the NSG Act, Senator Bentsen (D - TX) initiated a bold, new commitment to maintaining America's lead in aeronautics, aerospace technology and research well into the foreseeable future. This new program, while based at and involving major participation by the nations colleges and universities, was to transcend the campus to involve all levels of government, business and industry.