Lofgren and Hall Endorse DOE's International Fusion Program
Yesterday, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced that the U.S. government would join negotiations for the construction and operation of a major international magnetic fusion research project, known as the International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER). Science Committee Member Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Ranking Minority Member Ralph Hall (D-TX) commended the Administration's decision yesterday to rejoin participation in the development of the ITER project. Ms. Lofgren … Continue Reading
January 29, 2003Lofgren Leads Committee Effort on ITER
Signaling a renewed commitment to fusion energy research, Members of the House Committee on Science urged the Secretary of Energy to take steps towards participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). "Investments in alternative energy sources are vital to the future economic and environmental interests of the United States. We must lead the effort to develop fusion as a source of energy," said Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "U.S. participation … Continue Reading
October 22, 2002Rep. Hall Releases O'Keefe's Responses on Crew Return Plans for the Space Station
Rep. Ralph M. Hall [D-TX] made the following comments today after releasing an exchange of correspondence with NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe regarding NASA's planned termination of the X-38/CRV (Crew Return Vehicle) project: "I am releasing these letters so that the space community will be better informed about NASA's plans and intentions. While many of the responses in the Administrator's letter are vague and cite ongoing reviews, there are several items of note in his letter: … Continue Reading
October 21, 2002Barcia and Rivers Release GAO Report on H-1B Skills Training Grants
Today, Representatives Jim Barcia (D-MI) and Lynn Rivers (D-MI), senior Members of the Science Committee, released a GAO report on the effectiveness of the Department of Labor's skill grant training program. This program, funded from H-1B visa fees paid by sponsoring employers, was created in 1998 and designed to improve the general technical skills of American workers. GAO found that the program has generally been effective in training both unemployed and currently employed workers to enhance … Continue Reading
September 14, 2002Reps. Hall and Gordon Comment on NASA's New Space Transportation Plan
NASA has informed Congress, in the waning hours of the 107th Congress, of an amendment to its FY 2003 budget that would significantly re-direct NASA's space transportation programs over the coming decade. Rep. Ralph M. Hall, Ranking Democratic Member on the House Science Committee, had the following reaction to NASA's proposed amendment: "The Administrator promised to bring stability to the Space Station program. But it seems to me that rather than spending $10 billion or more on an … Continue Reading
September 14, 2002Science Democrats Contribute Key Provisions to Homeland Security Legislation
House Science Committee Democrats played a major role in shaping the Homeland Security bill (H.R. 5710) that passed the House yesterday. Passage in the Senate is expected soon. Science Democrats drafted provisions in the legislation establishing a Homeland Security Institute, a technology clearinghouse, and a Science and Technology Advisory Committee, and led the effort to block transfer of the Computer Security Division of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST). Homeland … Continue Reading
September 12, 2002Energy Conferees Agree on Costello Clean Coal Language
House and Senate conferees working on a final version of a national energy policy (H.R. 4) today agreed on clean coal provisions. Primarily authored by Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL), a senior Member of the Science Committee, the legislation represents the most significant revision of the clean coal program in years. It authorizes $1.8 billion over nine years for research and demonstration projects in advanced clean coal technologies with the goal of reaching emission levels comparable … Continue Reading
July 11, 2002Science Democrats Active in Modifying Homeland Security Bill
Yesterday, during House Science Committee passage of the Homeland Security Bill (H.R. 5005), Committee Democrats offered several amendments that would strengthen and shape science and technology at the new Department. Rep. Ralph M. Hall (D-TX), Ranking Democrat on the Committee, co-sponsored with Chairman Boehlert the Manager's Amendment, which would establish an Undersecretary for Science and Technology in the new Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Hall said, "The most important idea … Continue Reading
July 10, 2002Rep. Hall: ReMaP Report Undercuts OMB's Space Station Plan
Rep. Ralph M. Hall (D-TX), Ranking Democratic Member of the House Science Committee, today issued the following statement on the just-released Space Station Research Maximization and Prioritization (ReMaP) Task Force report: "I first want to thank the members of the Task Force for their dedicated service to the Nation, and I am heartened by their finding that the International Space Station 'is unprecedented as a laboratory and is the only available vehicle for human tended research on … Continue Reading
June 06, 2002House of Representatives Rejects Woolsey "Sound Science" Amendment
Yesterday, the House of Representatives rejected an amendment, offered by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), to provide information about the impacts of plant biotechnology on the environment. The amendment was defeated 259-165, with Republican Members voting 216-1 in opposition to the amendment. Rep. Woolsey commented, "Republicans are very fond of invoking the need for 'sound science' as the basis for regulation. The National Academy of Sciences, many environmental groups, and enlightened … Continue Reading
June 05, 2002Democrats Overwhelmingly Support NSF "Doubling" Legislation
The House of Representatives today passed a bill 397-25 that would authorize the first three years of a five-year doubling of the budget of the National Science Foundation. Democratic Members supported the bill by a margin of 201-3. H.R. 4664, the "Investing in America's Future Act," has its origins in legislation introduced 14 months ago by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). That bill, H.R. 1472, authorized the first four years of a five-year doubling of the NSF budget and was … Continue Reading
May 17, 2002Lampson Introduces Bill to Stimulate Human Space Exploration
U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation today to establish a series of goals to advance the nation's human space flight program over the next twenty years. Among the goals specified in the bill, the eight-year goal would require the development and flight demonstration of a reusable space vehicle capable of carrying humans from low Earth orbit to libration points in space, which could be used to assemble large-scale scientific observatories far beyond low Earth orbit. … Continue Reading
April 12, 2002Press Statement by the Honorable Ralph M. Hall on the April 12th Speech by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe
I am pleased that Administrator O'Keefe is settling in at NASA and is getting acquainted with its world-class capabilities. I want to reaffirm my commitment to work with him to build a strong space program. Having said that, we have to remember that there have been numerous NASA strategies and mission statements over the years. If goals are to be more than words, we have to provide the resources and commitment needed to realize them. The best way the Administrator could demonstrate his … Continue Reading
February 07, 2002Computer Security Bill Passes House Overwhelmingly
The House of Representatives today passed the Cyber Security Research and Development Act by a vote of 400-12. The bill (H.R. 3394) establishes new programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Science and Technology (NIST) to support research and education activities associated with increasing network and computer security. Between them, NSF and NIST are authorized to spend $880 million over five years on these activities. The NIST provisions originated in … Continue Reading
February 05, 2002Committee Staff Analysis of the FY03 R&D Budget: "Mostly Business-as-Usual but Watch Those Metrics!"
The House Science Committee Democratic staff today released its analysis of the President's FY2003 budget request for R&D programs. Defense R&D increases 8%, the National Institutes of Health increases 17%, and all other civilian R&D is collectively frozen. Beneath the incrementally changing allocations for civilian R&D, however, lurk many imminent programmatic changes - changes that will apparently be justified with as-yet sketchy and opaque management criteria. The analysis … Continue Reading
December 20, 2001Hall Rejects NASA Advisory Council Space Station Report
Rep. Ralph Hall (D-TX), the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Science Committee, issued the following statement concerning the NASA Advisory Council report on the International Space Station: "I am surprised and disappointed by the NASA Advisory Council's (NAC) December 19th letter to the NASA Administrator regarding the Space Station Task Force Report. I had hoped that the NAC's deliberations would provide some sorely needed direction on two of the main issues that were … Continue Reading
November 19, 2001Congressman Brian Baird Introduces Computer Security Bill (H.R. 3316)
U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (WA) of the Science Committee introduced legislation on Friday, November 16th, to secure the nation's information infrastructure. Original cosponsors of the legislation are all Science Committee Members: Jim Matheson (UT), Mark Udall (CO), and Mike Honda (CA). Baird's bill, the Computer Security Enhancement and Research Act of 2001 (H.R. 3316), will establish a new research and development program on computer and network security at the National Institute of Standards … Continue Reading
November 14, 2001Hall Comments on NASA Administrator's Departure and Nominee
Congressman Ralph M. Hall, Ranking Minority Member of the Science Committee and former Chairman of the Space Subcommittee, issued the following statement today on the President's nomination of Sean O'Keefe as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. "NASA can ill afford to be leaderless at this critical time in its history, so I am very pleased that the President has named a new NASA Administrator to replace Dan Goldin. I certainly appreciate Mr. Goldin's … Continue Reading
June 28, 2001Woolsey Reacts to Bush Energy Bill, Announces Her Own Initiative on Renewables and Efficiency
Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the Energy Subcommittee, reacted to the President's remarks sending his Energy bill to Congress: "The President and I agree that we have to be wiser about how we produce and conserve energy. However, his energy strategy reflects stale thinking that focuses on producing more energy the same old way. I don't believe we need to build up to 92 power plants a year for the next twenty years, as his strategy would claim. I am convinced … Continue Reading
June 13, 2001Committee Democrats Add Key Provisions to the NSF Science Education Bill
Today, the Science Committee adopted H.R. 1858, the National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act of 2001. Rep. Ralph Hall, ranking Democratic Member, commented, "The Committee has passed a very strong bill that includes many provisions designed to bring more support to our K-12 science and math teachers, their students, and their schools. Our aim is to help our children become much more proficient in science and math, and there are many programs authorized by this bill that will do … Continue Reading