Chairmen Push for Explanation of Controversy at National Hurricane Center
July 12, 2007 The Honorable Conrad C. Lautenbacher Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Dear Administrator Lautenbacher: In recent weeks, you and the Department of Commerce have taken several controversial steps at the Tropical Prediction Center (TPC), which appear to be in response to public statements by the Center's new director that the failure of your agency to plan for the … Continue Reading
June 14, 2007Miller, Sensenbrenner Call for Investigation of NASA General Counsel
June 14, 2007 Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear Mr. Gonzales: By this letter, we are referring to Michael Wholley, the general counsel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to the Department of Justice for investigation into and possible prosecution for obstruction of justice and destruction of goverment records under 18 U.S.C. § 1505, 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) and 18 § U.S.C. … Continue Reading
June 11, 2007Administration Responds to Chairmen's Concern for NASA Funding
June 11, 2007The Honorable Bart GordonUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515Dear Representative Gordon:We are writing in response to your letter to the President concerning our country’s civil space activities. There is certainly no question that a balanced, robust space program is in the nation’s interest and we appreciate your enthusiasm and support for this effort. The White House has devoted much attention in recent years to the future of America’s space program, and in … Continue Reading
May 31, 2007Miller Continues NASA IG Research, Requesting Interview Documents from PCIE
May 31, 2007 Mr. Clay Johnson III Chairman President's Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency Office of Management and Budget 725 17th St. NW, Room 113 Washington, DC 20503 Dear Mr. Johnson, As part of the Committee's continuing review of the investigation of the President's Executive Councils on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) of allegations against Robert Cobb, inspector general of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), I am requesting additional documents … Continue Reading
May 29, 2007Lampson, Miller Press for More Information in Keeping SREL Open
May 29, 2007 Secretary Samuel Bodman U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20585 Dear Secretary Bodman, On May 16 we wrote to you regarding the decision-making surrounding the reduction in support for the work of the Savannah River Ecology Lab-a reduction so severe it amounts to a decision to close the lab. We asked at that time that you provide direction that funding for the lab continue at a level that would provide minimal support for the lab, its … Continue Reading
May 23, 2007Department of Energy Officials Respond to Chairmen's Request Regarding SREL
The Honorable Brad Miller Chairman, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Committee on Science & Technology U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Your letter of May 16, 2007 requested advice from the Department of Energy (Department or DOE) by May 23, 2007, of the Department's funding plans for the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL or Laboratory), a facility at the Savannah River Site that has been made available for many years by the Department to the … Continue Reading
May 16, 2007Miller, Lampson Express Support for the Savannah River Ecology Lab to Energy Secretary
May 16, 2007 Secretary Samual Bodman U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20585 Dear Secretary Bodman, It has come to the attention of the Subcommittees that the Department intends to end its support for the work of the Savannah River Ecology Lab at the end of May, 2007. We are concerned about the implications this move will have on the research done by this institution. Savannah River Ecology Lab has a half-century of accomplishment and has long enjoyed … Continue Reading
May 11, 2007Lampson Expresses Concern over QuikSCAT Satellite to NASA Administrator, NOAA Undersecretary
May 8, 2007 Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. Undersecretary, National Oceanic Administration U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Dear Undersecretary Lautenbacher, In July 2004, Members of this Committee wrote to the President to ask that NASA be directed to maintain operation of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, which it had intended to shut down. We learned after NASA's announcement that data from that satellite … Continue Reading
April 27, 2007Miller Pushes for More Information from NASA on Disciplining IG Cobb
Follow this link to read Chairman Miller's letter to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin»Follow this link to read Miller's letter to NASA's Deputy Inspector General, Thomas … Continue Reading
April 26, 2007Gordon Writes to Energy Secretary Regarding Loan Program
April 26, 2007 The Honorable Samuel Bodman Secretary U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585 Dear Secretary Bodman, As Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee with jurisdiction over energy research, development and demonstration and commercial application of energy technologies, I am writing to urge the Department to promulgate regulations to implement the Loan Guarantee Program (LPG) authorized in Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 … Continue Reading
April 19, 2007Gordon, Udall Express Concern for NASA Funding to President
April 19, 2007 The President The White House Washington, DC Dear Mr. President, As chairmen of the House Science and Technology Committee and its Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, we have a strong interest in ensuring that the nation's space and aeronautics programs are healthy and robust. In that regard, we are deeply concerned about the mismatch between the resources being provided to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the tasks that it is being asked to undertake. … Continue Reading
April 03, 2007Gordon, Miller, Nelson Request Unredacted Copies of NASA IG Investigation Report
April 3, 2007Mr. Clay Johnson, IIIChairman, President's & Executive Councils on Integrity and Efficiencyc/o Office of Managment and Budget725 17th St. NW Rm. 113Washington, DC 20503Subject: Investigation of the Inspector General of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)Dear Mr. Johnson,Yesterday we received the Integrity Committee’s report on the investigation of the NASA Inspector Robert Cobb. The IC determined that Mr. Cobb had abused his authority and created a hostile … Continue Reading
April 02, 2007Gordon Releases Letter to the President Calling for Removal of NASA's Inspector General
April 2, 2007President George W. BushThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NWWashington, DC 20500Dear President Bush,Late last week, the undersigned were provided with the report of the Integrity Committee (IC) of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) relating to this investigation of Robert Cobb, the inspector general of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Integrity Committee found that Mr. Cobb had abused his authority by creating a hostile and … Continue Reading
March 30, 2007PCIE Releases Investigative Report on NASA Inspector General to Committee
March 30, 2007The Honorable Brad MillerChairmanSubcommittee on Investigations and OversightCommittee on Science and TechnologyUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515Dear Mr. Chairman,I am writing in response to your request for information concerning the investigation by the Integrity Committee (IC) of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) of allegations concerning Robert Cobb, Inspector General (IG), National Aeronautics and Space Administration … Continue Reading
March 30, 2007Chairmen Gordon, Miller, Lampson Send Letter to Commerce Secretary Regarding New Media Policy
March 30, 2007 Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez U.S. Department of Commerce Mailstop 61 14th and Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC 20230 Dear Secretary Gutierrez, As you are aware, the House Committee on Science and Technology has been particularly conerned about efforts by media officials to censor or interfere with federal scientists communicating with the press, the public and their peers. On March 28, the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing on how media … Continue Reading
March 15, 2007Letters to Agency Administrators Regarding Media Policies
March 15, 2007 Administrator Stephen L. Johnson Environmental Protection Agency Room 3000 Ariel Rio Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20460 Dear Administrator Johnson, In March of 2006, after several allegations of agency interference with conclusions and statements made by federal scientists in their reports, particularly in the area of climate change, Dr. John H. Marburger, III, head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, met with all of the principal science … Continue Reading
March 09, 2007Gordon Requests Science & Technology Policy Director Restore Key Ozone Layer Climate Sensor
March 9, 2007 Dr. John Marburger III Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President Eisenhower Executive Office Building Washington, DC 20502 Dear Dr. Marburger, In the decision to restructure the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) developed in response to the Nunn-McCurdy process, a number of sensors were de-manifested from the NPOESS satellites. One of these was the part of the Ozone Measuring and Profiler … Continue Reading
March 09, 2007Letter to Secretary of Interior Regarding Continued Censoring of Federal Climate Scientists
March, 9, 2007 Mr. Dick Kempthorne Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Secretary Kempthorne Yesterday, I was surprised to learn that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) was attempting to muzzle one of its scientists from participating in a full discussion of conserving Arctic animals and plants at an international conference to be held in Norway. In February 26 and 27 memoranda entitled "Foreign Travel … Continue Reading
March 06, 2007Response from Clay Johnson, Chairman of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Regarding the HUD Inspector General's Investigation of the NASA Inspector General
The Honorable Brad Miller Chairman Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Committee on Science and Technology House of Representatives Washington, DC Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter is to confirm our agreement regarding information to be provided to the Subcommittee with regard to the investigation of allegations against Robert Cobb, NASA's Inspector General, that was undertaken pursuant to Executive Order 12993 (1996). Our agreement relates to all the relevant agencies, including … Continue Reading
December 07, 2006Responses from Chairman Dale Klein and Commissioner Gregory Jaczko, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, on Safety Planning in Next-Generation Reactor Design Standards
December 7, 2006 The Honorable Bart Gordon Ranking Member, Committee on Science United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Gordon: On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of October 27, 2006, in which you inquired about the actions that the NRC has taken to incorporate lessons learned from prior studies into its regulatory framework for new reactors. Specifically, your letter requests that the NRC … Continue Reading