Science Committee Democrats Request Inspector General Audit of Goddard Closures and Relocations
(Washington, DC) – Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Science Committee Democratic Members sent a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting a formal audit of the agency’s recent actions regarding widespread closures and relocations at the Goddard Space Flight Center including its main campus in Greenbelt, Maryland.
“What is happening right now at Goddard is not prudent, thoughtful, in good faith, or rational. Goddard’s challenges are real, but we are hard pressed to see any justification suggesting a sudden crisis that requires drastic and chaotic intervention on a timeline of months, weeks, or days. Yet that is what NASA claims in order to justify the actions of recent months, and the actions that apparently will continue for the foreseeable future,” the Members wrote in their letter.
“We believe an independent audit is necessary to determine the true impact of the recent – and ongoing – disruptions at Goddard,” the Members continued. “Such an audit would greatly assist the Committee as it considers the steps that will be necessary to ensure Goddard continues to serve as a pillar of NASA science, engineering, and space flight, and a world-class research and development facility.”
The letter was signed by Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Rep. Luz Rivas (D-CA), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA), Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA), Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY), and Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL).
The letter can be found here.
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