Chairwoman Johnson Congratulates Kenneth Graham on Selection to Serve as NWS Director
(Dallas, TX) – Today, Kenneth Graham has been selected as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and as the 17th Director of NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS). Mr. Graham was selected by the Administrator of NOAA and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Rick Spinrad, and approved by the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “I welcome and congratulate Mr. Kenneth Graham on his selection as … Continue Reading
May 23, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on Release of NOAA's Annual Greenhouse Gas Index
(Dallas, TX)—Today the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) for 2021. In the Index, NOAA found that pollution has caused a 49% increase in trapped heat in the atmosphere since 1990. Methane emissions in 2021 alone were estimated to be 15% greater than from 1984-2006. The AGGI is based on thousands of samples collected globally from NOAA’s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network, and tracks increases in the warming … Continue Reading
May 20, 2022Chairwoman Stevens Reflects on Michigan Field Hearing on the Future of the Electric Vehicle Workforce
(Pontiac, MI) - Today, Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) hosted a Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing at the Oakland County Commission Chambers in Pontiac, Michigan. The hearing, entitled, “Building a Workforce to Navigate the Electric Vehicle Workforce,” gave Members an opportunity to explore the workforce needs for the automotive mobility and electrification industry in order to position the United States at the center of growth for electric vehicles … Continue Reading
April 22, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on Earth Day
(Dallas, TX)— Every year on April 22, communities around the world celebrate Earth Day, a day dedicated to bringing attention to the health and protection of the environment. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “Since its founding, Earth Day has been a day of activism. Today, as we celebrate our remarkable planet, we also join together in the fight to protect our environment. After another year of severe storms, wildfires, and flooding, it is … Continue Reading
April 20, 2022Chairs Johnson and Beyer Statement on Release of Decadal Survey on Planetary Science and Astrobiology
(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Committee on Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey released a new consensus study, “Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032.” The report defines 12 priority science questions across three scientific themes – origins, worlds and processes, and life and habitability – to help identify … Continue Reading
April 19, 2022Chairs Johnson and Beyer Applaud Biden-Harris Administration’s Commitment to Setting Peaceful International Norms in Space
(Washington, DC)—Yesterday, Vice President and National Space Council Chair, Kamala Harris, visited Vandenberg Space Force Base in California where she announced the United States’ commitment “not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing.” Vice President Harris also announced that the United States is seeking to establish this commitment as a new international norm for responsible behavior in space, and called on other nations to … Continue Reading
April 14, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on EPA IRIS Release of Draft Formaldehyde Assessment
(Dallas, TX)— Today, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program issued its draft risk assessment on formaldehyde. The draft assessment concludes that there is a causal relationship between formaldehyde exposure and myeloid leukemia. The public comment period on the assessment is open until June 13, at which point the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will conduct a review. After a 2010 NASEM report on … Continue Reading
April 08, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Congratulates Locascio on Senate Confirmation to Lead NIST
(Washington, DC)—Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Laurie Locascio, Ph.D. as Under Secretary for Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce and Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dr. Locascio was nominated by President Biden in July 2021. “I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Laurie Locascio on her long-awaited confirmation to lead NIST, one of our nation’s premier science agencies,” … Continue Reading
April 07, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Congratulates Democratic Science Committee Members Named to the America COMPETES Conference Committee
(Washington, DC) – Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced names of the Democratic Members of the House who will go to conference with the Senate over the House’s America COMPETES Act of 2022. “Today we took the next critical step to advance our nation’s competitiveness with the naming of House Members of the Conference Committee,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “The COMPETES Act incorporates a series of important Science Committee … Continue Reading
April 06, 2022Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Urge President Biden to Rescind NTSB Proposal that would Exceed Agency Authority
(Washington, DC) – Today, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) sent a letter to President Biden expressing their concerns regarding the Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for commercial space accident investigation that was issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). “Responsibilities and authorities for space accident investigation are to be determined by congressional action, as reflected in Title … Continue Reading
April 05, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Announces Hearing in Response to IPCC Reports to Discuss Solutions for the Climate Crisis
(Dallas, TX) - Yesterday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report titled, “Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change.” This report, assembled by IPCC’s Working Group III, focuses on climate change mitigation, assessing methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The Working Group III report, coupled with the Working Group I report on the physical science basis, and the … Continue Reading
April 01, 2022Chairwomen Johnson and Sherrill Congratulate NOAA Research Director Craig McLean on Retirement
(Washington, DC) – On April 1, 2022, Mr. Craig McLean, the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and Acting Chief Scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will retire after over 40 years in public service. Mr. McLean also served in the NOAA Commissioned Corps for nearly 25 years and retired at the rank of Captain. “I’d like to congratulate Mr. McLean on his retirement from NOAA,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice … Continue Reading
March 30, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on the President’s Budget Request
(Dallas, TX) - On Monday, the Biden Administration released the President's Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2023. "Strong investments in federal research and development are critical to achieving the progress we hope to see for our nation," said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). "I'm pleased to see the President propose increasing vital funding for NSF, including support for international collaborations and climate change research. The President's request for NSF and NIST aligns with … Continue Reading
March 16, 2022Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Welcome NSF Director Panchanathan’s Announcement of New Directorate Aligned with Bipartisan Committee Proposal
(Washington, DC) – Today, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced the launch of NSF’s new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships at South by Southwest. This new directorate — NSF's first in more than 30 years — builds upon the agency's commitment over seven decades to serve as a beacon of U.S. innovation, advancing the frontiers of research and … Continue Reading
March 02, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on President Biden’s First State of the Union Address
(Dallas, TX)—Yesterday evening, President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union Address to a Joint Session of Congress. “Last night, President Biden spoke to each and every American on what we have and what we can achieve as we work together to build a better America,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “As Chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I was especially glad to hear the President reaffirm his strong … Continue Reading
March 01, 2022Science Committee Chairs Celebrate Successful Launch of GOES-T Satellite
(Washington, DC) - Today the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite mission GOES-T, a collaborative acquisition, development, and launch partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), was successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. GOES-T is the latest in the Geostationary Operational Environmental (GOES) -R series of satellites, a cutting-edge weather observing and environmental monitoring system for the … Continue Reading
February 28, 2022Chairwomen Johnson and Sherrill Call for Action After IPCC Report Release
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its report titled, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. The report details the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities on both a global and regional scale. It also reviews vulnerabilities and the limits of the natural world and humans to adapt to climate change. The IPCC is currently in its Sixth Assessment cycle, and this report is the second of … Continue Reading
February 24, 2022Chairwoman Johnson Statement on Justice Department Decision to End the China Initiative
(Washington, DC) — Yesterday, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen announced that the Justice Department is ending the China Initiative. The China Initiative, which began in 2018, has been criticized for engaging in racial profiling against researchers of Asian descent, and recent high-profile cases have resulted in dismissals and acquittals. Assistant AG Olsen announced that the DOJ will move forward with a more holistic approach to confront the greatest threats to research … Continue Reading
February 15, 2022Chairs Johnson and Sherrill Statement on Interagency Sea Level Rise Report
(Washington, DC) --Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with several federal agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released the 2022 Interagency Sea Level Rise Technical Report. The report provides an update on sea level rise projections across the U.S. and its territories; the last sea level rise report was released in 2017. Among other key findings in the report, the … Continue Reading
February 07, 2022Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Request Details of White House Investigation of OSTP Director Lander’s Misconduct
(Washington, DC) – Today, Politico published an article outlining allegations of inappropriate behavior by Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Eric Lander. The article references an internal investigation conducted by the White House and disciplinary measures taken in response to the finding that Dr. Lander violated the Executive Office of the President’s Safe and Respectful Workplace Policy. In response, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking … Continue Reading