News
Letter to FCC Chairman Carr Demanding Revision of "Space Modernization" Proposal
Letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr Demanding Revision of "Space Modernization" Proposal… Continue Reading
February 20, 2026Letter to NIST Acting Under Secretary Burkhardt Expressing Concern Over Problematic Policy for Foreign Researchers
Letter to National Institute of Standards and Technology Acting Under Secretary Craig Burkhardt Expressing Concern Over Problematic Policy for Foreign Researchers… Continue Reading
February 12, 2026Letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick Calling for Resignation
Letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Demanding His Resignation … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Lofgren Raises Alarm Over Terms of Commerce Department Equity Stake in USA Rare Earth, Condemns Lutnick Conflict of Interest
Yesterday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Howard Lutnick condemning the Department’s proposed equity stake deal with USA Rare Earth, Inc. (USAR). The terms of the agreement raise serious concerns about the influence DOC will wield over USAR under the deal. These concerns are amplified by the involvement of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm controlled by Secretary Lutnick’s sons, in a parallel transaction that saw USAR raise pr… Continue Reading
March 18, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Applauds Committee Passage of NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act
Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed H.R. 7813, NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, during a full committee markup. This important legislation will direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to modernize and expand a nationwide Weather Radio network, provide emergency alerts, and remain resilient during emergencies. “When every second counts, it is essential for the U.S. to have a reliable Weather Radio network,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lo… Continue Reading
March 17, 2026House Committees on Science, Space, and Technology and Small Business Celebrate Passage of SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Bill on the House Floor
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, under suspension, favorably out of the chamber. The bill will now head to the President’s desk. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Technology Transfer (STTR) programs expired on September 30, 2025, following the Senate’s failure to pass the House’s clean, one-year extension. Legislation extending the SBIR/STTR programs was introduced by Small Business Committee Chai… Continue Reading
Federal investments in science are needed to reduce wildfire
It used to be that October marked the end of wildfire season, and the most destructive fires occurred in or around forested areas. But increasingly, more Americans experience the impacts of wildfires year-round. In 2021, nearly 50,000 wildfires were reported, which burned over seven million acres of land. And as we saw with the Marshall fire in Boulder County, sometimes the most devastating fires can happen in suburban areas in the dead of winter. As members of Congress representin… Continue Reading
February 22, 2022A federal coal ash strategy: putting health and safety first
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would crack down to protect public health and the environment from coal ash contamination. EPA will ramp up enforcement of its rules to prohibit companies from dumping coal ash into unlined storage pits, and to require those companies to speed up their efforts to close down the existing pits that have been shown to leak. As the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I want to see our federal age… Continue Reading
January 14, 2022Mapping a Strong Future for Ocean Science and Technology
Ranking Member Amo Opening Statement at Hearing on Deep-Sea Mining
Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) opening statement as prepared for the record: Thank you, Chairman Franklin, for convening today’s hearing to discuss the state of science and technology surrounding deep-sea mining. And thank you to our witnesses for appearing before us today. For Rhode Island, the ocean is our history, our economy, and our identity. It feeds our communities, supports our fishermen, drives tourism, and anchors a growing blue economy. But it also remin… Continue Reading
March 26, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Deep-Sea Mining
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Franklin and Ranking Member Amo for convening this timely discussion on deep-sea mining research and technology. And thank you to our distinguished witnesses for appearing before the Committee today. While we live on a blue planet, we have barely scratched the surface of understanding of our oceans. As of last summer, only about 27% of the global seafloor has been mapped according to t… Continue Reading
March 25, 2026Ranking Member Foushee Opening Statement at Hearing on Future of ISS
Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Valerie Foushee (D-NC) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Good morning and thank you Chairman Haridopolos for holding today’s hearing on the future of low Earth orbit, or LEO. I want to welcome our witnesses and thank you for being here. When John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, we could not have imagined that the United States would one day build an orbiting laboratory, or support continuous… Continue Reading