American Astronomical Society Announces Posthumous Award to George Brown
The year 2000 Harold Masursky Meritorious Service Award of the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society will be posthumously awarded to former Congressman George E. Brown, Jr., who died July 15, 1999. The DPS, with more than 1000 members, is the nation's largest organization of professional scientists devoted to exploring the planets and other bodies of the solar system. The Masursky Award is bestowed annually by the DPS to recognize outstanding service to the … Continue Reading
September 10, 1999Science Committee Approves Major Information Technology Initiative - Appropriations Picture Bleak
By a unanimous vote (41-0), the Science Committee has approved bipartisan legislation providing for a five-year doubling of basic research needed to underpin future technological advances in information technology. The bill, H.R. 2086, embraces the recommendations of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) and is largely consistent with the President's Information Technology for the 21st Century (IT2) initiative as proposed in the Administration's fiscal year 2000 … Continue Reading
August 05, 1999Ralph Hall Named Ranking Democratic Member on House Science Committee
The Democratic Caucus of the House of Representatives has selected Ralph M. Hall of Texas to serve as Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee on Science. Hall replaces the late George E. Brown, Jr. "If there was ever a man born to be chairman of the Science Committee, it was George Brown," Hall said. "He was a good friend and great advocate of science. It is an honor to follow him as Ranking Democrat on the Science Committee, and I look forward to continuing the good work … Continue Reading
August 03, 1999NASA Budget Cuts Could Permanently Damage the Nation's Space Program
Representatives Ralph M. Hall (D-TX) and Bart Gordon (D-TN) today strongly condemned the billion-dollar cut made to the NASA budget by the House Appropriations Committee last Friday. Mr. Hall, Acting Ranking Member of the Science Committee, stated: "These cuts are irresponsible, ill-advised, and just plain wrong. We should be supporting the nation's space program, not tearing it apart to satisfy short-term political needs. The cuts made to the NASA budget send a terrible message to … Continue Reading
July 16, 1999Statement by Marta Macias Brown on the Passing of the Honorable George E. Brown, Jr.
Last night, at approximately 6:45 p.m. (EDT), Congressman George E. Brown, Jr. succumbed to the effects of a powerful post-operative infection contracted following routine heart valve replacement surgery at Bethesda Naval Hospital. While the initial infection was almost beaten down through aggressive antibiotics, and I was hopeful for a full recovery, in the last day or two a second infection took hold and doctors could not save him. In his peaceful way, George was a tenacious fighter for … Continue Reading
June 09, 1999House Passes Costello Amendment to Make DOE Lab Contractors Accountable for Security Violations
The U.S. House of Representatives, during consideration of H.R. 1401, the Defense Authorization Bill for FY2000, today approved an amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL) to make the contractors who manage and operate Department of Energy laboratories financially accountable for security breaches by their employees. The goal, Costello said, is to ensure that lab contractors have a monetary incentive to work hand in hand with the Department of Energy to prevent lapses in … Continue Reading
May 26, 1999Rep. Costello Takes Action on Security at Department of Energy Laboratories
The House Science Committee today approved an amendment offered by Congressman Jerry F. Costello (D-IL) to implement a moratorium on certain "sensitive" foreign visits to DOE labs until sufficient counterintelligence and safeguards and security measures are in place. Mr. Costello's second amendment, also approved by the Committee, called for civil fines of up to $100,000 for each violation of DOE rules relating to the safeguarding and security of classified or sensitive information … Continue Reading
May 14, 1999NASA Markup Results in Politicized Bill
Rep. Bart Gordon, Ranking Member of the Science Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, issued the following statement at the conclusion of yesterday's markup of H.R. 1654, the NASA Authorization Act of 1999: "I am deeply disappointed that the Republican Members of the Science Committee decided to turn what should have been a non-partisan markup of the NASA Authorization bill into a vehicle for a partisan attack on the Vice President. Moreover, I'm troubled that they would be … Continue Reading
April 29, 1999Gordon Says Science Program Charges Unfounded
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) rejected complaints that a major science project planned for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory may not meet its goals and needs to be delayed. "This is plain and simple an 11th hour attempt to kill a worthwhile science project for reasons that just don't bear up under close scrutiny," Gordon said. The Spallation Neutron Source is a $1.36 billion program to build a high-intensity, pulsed neutron beam facility that would not only … Continue Reading
April 14, 1999R&D Hit Hard as House Passes FY2000 Budget
The House today passed H. Con. Res. 68, the FY2000 Budget Resolution. Congressman George E. Brown, Jr., ranking Democrat on the Committee provided his comments on this budget. "The bad news for the science community is that the Majority's budget treats R&D very poorly. The good news is that this budget is almost entirely irrelevant to the funding decisions Congress will ultimately make in negotiation with the White House." "The budget offered by the Republican leadership … Continue Reading
March 23, 1998GAO Casts Doubt on Extent of IT Worker Shortage
Today, George E. Brown, Jr., ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee, released a General Accounting Office (GAO) report that calls into doubt the claims that there is a shortage of information technology workers. Brown, joined by ranking Commerce Democrat John Dingell, asked GAO to review a report released last September by the Department of Commerce titled, America's New Deficit: The Shortage of Information Technology Workers. The Department of Commerce report claimed that there was … Continue Reading
May 21, 1997Brown Garners House Support for Investment Budget
All day yesterday, and late into the night, the House of Representatives debated the Federal budget. Ten days ago, Congressional Republican leaders cut a deal with the President on a five-year budget plan to balance the budget. Ultimately, this agreement passed the House by a wide margin. However, several substitute plans were debated and defeated last night, including the Investment Budget offered by George E. Brown (D-CA), ranking member of the House Science Committee. Upon defeat of his … Continue Reading
May 19, 1997GAO Finds Federal Investments Declining
Today, Congressman George E. Brown released a General Accounting Office report on the steady decline of Federal investments. This report, produced at the request of Mr. Brown and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), shows that Federal investments have declined as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product from 2.6% in 1981 to 1.9% in 1996. The report also charts the President's budget request leading to further decline in these accounts. According to GAO, Federal investments will be equal to just … Continue Reading
April 09, 1997Brown Introduces Investment Budget
On Tuesday, April 8, Congressman George E. Brown, Jr. introduced his Investment Budget, H. Con. Res. 58. This proposal enhances investments in research and development, capital infrastructure and education and job training while leading to a balanced budget in 2002. Overall, it allocates over $70 billion more to these accounts than does the President's budget. A recent Wall Street Journal poll found 50% of economists felt that expanded investment in R&D, education and infrastructure was … Continue Reading
March 26, 1997Brown to Introduce Investment Budget Plan
Congressman George E. Brown, Jr., has developed a comprehensive Federal balanced budget proposal that provides for significant growth in education, training, research and capital infrastructure programs. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reviewed the Brown budget plan and acknowledged, based on CBO assumptions, that it does lead to a balanced budget by 2002. Brown intends to introduce a budget resolution when Congress returns from the Easter recess. "The budget process is … Continue Reading
March 20, 1997Brown Lauds Sensenbrenner Budget, Calls for Stronger National Investment
Today, the Science Committee submitted its budget recommendations ("Views and Estimates") to the House Budget Committee. Supported by a majority of both Democrats and Republicans on the Committee, this plan called for a 3% increase in the civilian science programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. George E. Brown, Jr., ranking Democrat on the Science Committee, stated, "I want to congratulate Chairman Sensenbrenner on the Committee's budget recommendation. I was happy to … Continue Reading
January 22, 1997Brown Announces Investment Budget
Today, George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA), ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Science, announced plans to introduce legislation to promote Federal investments. This plan is designed to balance the Federal budget by 2002 while establishing sustained investments in research and development, capital infrastructure, and education and training. In announcing this plan, Brown said, "Everyone in Washington agrees on the easy question: Do we balance the budget by 2002 or not? The obvious … Continue Reading
October 23, 1996Brown Releases Report on Fringe Science
Rep. George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA), the Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee on Science, today released a report which reviews hearings held last year by the Energy and Environment Subcommittee. Those hearings, organized by the Republican subcommittee chairman, showcased allegations that the science relating to stratospheric ozone depletion, global climate change, and the human health risks of dioxin exposure had all been systematically exaggerated to promote a preconceived regulatory … Continue Reading
September 25, 1996Brown Releases National Investment Plan
Yesterday, September 25, 1996, Congressman George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA), ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee, released a proposal for a six-year National Investment Plan. This plan would both increase funding in domestic national investments and balance the budget by FY2002. The Brown proposal was developed to demonstrate the feasibility of reorienting national priorities towards investment rather than consumption. It also stands as a clear alternative to the competing budget … Continue Reading
September 29, 1995OTA, Congress's Defense Against the Dumb, Closes Down
George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA), ranking Member on the House Science Committee, made the following statement today regarding the closure of the Office of Technology Assessment: "Mr. Speaker, today marks the last day of existence for the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). For 23 years OTA has served the American public by giving invaluable guidance and analysis on the dizzying array of technological advances we face in modern society. In its ignorance, Congress has voted … Continue Reading