Udall Resolution Honoring NIST Wins Approval
The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a resolution by Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO) and Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD) honoring the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on its 100th anniversary. The City of Boulder, which is located in Udall's congressional district, is home to one of the nation's two NIST laboratories. "NIST has grown to become a vital arm of the Department of Commerce's Technology Administration. In its first one hundred years, NIST … Continue Reading
February 15, 2001House Passes Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act
Yesterday the House passed legislation designed to improve electronic commerce, especially for small businesses. The bill (H.R. 524) was sponsored by Rep. James Barcia (D-MI). The Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act will direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to use its Manufacturing Extension Program as an outreach platform for working with small manufacturers to assess their e-commerce needs and provide expert guidance on how best to use these emerging … Continue Reading
February 07, 2001Hall Objects to Tourists During Space Station Assembly
Today, the Honorable Ralph M. Hall (D-TX) sent a letter to NASA Administrator Dan Goldin indicating Hall's strong objection to the flight of a "space tourist" to the International Space Station during its assembly phase. Hall's letter was occasioned by reports that a private citizen might buy his way onto a Space Station mission with a cash payment of $20 million. Hall has asked that NASA provide information regarding whether a meeting of the ISS Board had considered this matter … Continue Reading
September 27, 2000House Passes H.R. 4429, the Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act
Yesterday the House passed legislation designed to improve electronic commerce, especially for our small businesses. H.R. 4429, the Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act, directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to use its Manufacturing Extension Program as an outreach platform to help small manufacturers in assessing their e-commerce needs and to provide expert guidance on how best to use these emerging technologies. H.R. 4429, as passed, also includes sections of … Continue Reading
September 14, 2000NASA Authorization Conference Report Passes the House
The House today approved the conference report for H.R. 1654, the NASA Authorization Act of 2000. The bill authorizes appropriations of $42.4 billion for the fiscal years 2000 through 2002. Rep. Ralph M. Hall (TX), Ranking Democratic Member on the Science Committee, reacted to the House passage of the conference report: "We hope that the Senate will expeditiously pass, and the President will then sign, this conference report. It has been too long since the authorizing committees in the … Continue Reading
June 23, 2000Hall Expresses Disappointment in NSF, NASA Funding Levels for 2001
On Wednesday, the House adopted H.R. 4635, the Veterans, Housing and Independent Agencies Appropriation. This bill is important to the science community because it provides funding for both the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration for FY2001. NSF was appropriated $508 million less than requested by the agency while NASA's appropriation fell short by $322 million. Ralph M. Hall (D-TX), ranking Democrat on the Science Committee, voted against the bill … Continue Reading
May 25, 2000House Approves Udall Legislation to Encourage Biomass as Energy Source
Congress today approved a measure that included provisions from a bill sponsored by Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO), a member of the House Science Committee, which establishes a coordinated interagency research and development program in the use of biomass for the production of energy, fuels and other products. The provisions were included in Title III of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act, a bill that lowers the cost to farmers of obtaining Federal crop insurance. "Last year, I … Continue Reading
May 04, 2000Rep. Mike Doyle's "Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act" Signed Into Law by President Clinton
President Clinton signed the "Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act" into law yesterday, establishing a new Federal commitment to developing this plentiful, clean-burning energy source. U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-18-PA) wrote and introduced the bill (H.R. 1753) which directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a Federal research and development program and authorizes $47.5 million over five years to fund this effort. "I commend Rep. Mike Doyle for his sponsorship … Continue Reading
March 08, 2000Rep. Gordon Welcomes NRC Triana Program Review
Representative Bart Gordon (D-TN), ranking Democratic Member on the Space Subcommittee, released the following statement this afternoon: "I am pleased that the National Research Council's review of the Triana program has validated my belief that Triana is an exciting and scientifically meritorious mission that is worthy of support. The NRC task force is to be commended for its thoughtful and objective assessment of the Triana project. With this positive report on Triana's merits and … Continue Reading
February 15, 2000Congressman Hoeffel Offers Amendment to Ensure Access to the Internet by Elderly and Disabled Americans
Congressman Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA) today offered an amendment to the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development bill (H.R. 2086) that directs the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study designed to identify barriers to the use of information technologies for elderly and disabled Americans. The amendment also provides that the Academy identify research needed to remove those barriers and provide guidance on changes in law, policy or regulation to speed the removal of … Continue Reading
January 21, 2000Congressman Hall Welcomes New S&T Initiative
In a speech at the California Institute of Technology, the President unveiled science and technology program highlights from the administration's FY2001 budget submission. Among the agencies slated for an increase are the National Institutes of Health, which would receive a $1 billion increase, and the National Science Foundation, which would receive a $675 million increase - 17% above the current funding level. These increases would expand investments in health research, … Continue Reading
November 08, 1999American 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