Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Full Committee Markup
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is holding a Full Committee Markup of H.R. 2988, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act; H.R. 2980, the DOE and NSF Interagency Research Act; H.R. 3559, the FAA Research and Development Act of 2023.
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below.
Thank you, Chairman Lucas. Today the Science Committee will markup three good bipartisan bills. Two of these bills will codify already fruitful interagency partnerships and provide additional authorities to strengthen collaborative research and development between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy and between the National Science Foundation and DOE. The third bill, which the committee has been working very diligently on over the last several weeks, will direct our federal research enterprise toward improving civil aviation in myriad ways.
First on the roster is H.R. 2988, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act. From earth science modeling to advances in space propulsion, the Department of Energy and NASA are well suited to enhance each other’s missions and support significant technological advances. This bill will ensure a productive collaboration by matching the needs with the capacities of each respective partnering agency.
Next we will consider H.R. 2980, the DOE and NSF Interagency Research Act. Both agencies are hard at work implementing the Chips and Science Act, from their investments in fundamental and discovery research that is foundational to our nation’s innovation, to their support for emerging technologies and place-based innovation. Across the innovation spectrum, from astronomy to quantum to battery technologies, there is a long list of R&D areas in which these two agencies successfully collaborate. This bill will secure this relationship so that we can continue to benefit from their partnership.
H.R. 3559, the FAA Research and Development Act of 2023, addresses the research needs of today’s aviation community and will support advancements in safety, communication, materials science, manufacturing, fuel efficiency, and environmental justice. As you all know, this bill was supposed to be considered at our markup in May. Due to serious concerns raised by one of our stakeholders the bill was pulled from the roster. These concerns have since been addressed to everyone’s satisfaction. I want to extend to the Chairman and his staff my earnest appreciation for their willingness to work with my staff to accommodate these changes.
I plan to support this bill and the amendments that my colleagues have offered to perfect it. I look forward to joining the Chairman in advocating for our priorities to be included in the overall authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration currently being considered by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
And with that I look forward to getting started, I thank the Chairman again, and I yield back.
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