Chairwoman Johnson Introduces MSI STEM Achievement Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) along with Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced the MSI STEM Achievement Act. This legislation directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to compile an inventory of competitive funding programs at Federal science agencies targeted to minority serving institutions (MSIs) and recommends steps for agencies to increase the participation and the rate of success of MSIs in these … Continue Reading
March 17, 2021Science Committee Releases Majority Staff Report on Scientific Brain Drain in the Federal Workforce
(Washington, DC) – Today, during the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee hearing, “Brain Drain: Rebuilding the Federal Scientific Workforce,” Subcommittee Chairman Bill Foster (D-IL) submitted a Majority staff report into the record on trends in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce within federal science agencies following the sequestration in the early 2010s that impacted staffing within federal agencies and … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Introduces Gun Violence Research Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced the National Gun Violence Research Act. This legislation authorizes a national gun violence research program overseen by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and carried out by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Justice. The national research program would examine the nature, causes, consequences, … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021Chairwoman Johnson and Chair Grijalva Laud Department of Interior for Revoking ‘Open Science’ Order
(Washington, DC) - Today, Department of Interior Acting Secretary Scott de la Vega eliminated Secretarial Order 3369, originally signed in 2018 by Deputy Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt. The order sought to limit the types of research the Department could support and to exclude certain types of scientific information and data from consideration in policymaking. Acting Secretary de la Vega issued a new Secretarial Order 3397 which directs the Department to review the effects of the … Continue Reading
March 01, 2021Environment Subcommittee Chairwoman Mikie Sherrill Introduces Flood Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Last Friday, Environment Subcommittee Chairwoman Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) introduced two bipartisan bills that address flood research, data collection, and communications, the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support (FLOODS) Act and the Providing Research and Estimates of Changes in Precipitation (PRECIP) Act. The FLOODS Act directs the National Weather Service to better predict, forecast, and communicate about flooding events, which will help communities … Continue Reading
February 18, 2021Chairs Johnson and Beyer Congratulate NASA on Successful Landing of Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover
(Washington, DC) - This afternoon, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover successfully landed in the Jezero Crater, completing a seven-month journey to the Martian surface. Perseverance's main objective while on Mars is to search for evidence of ancient life and collect geological samples that are expected to be transported to Earth in subsequent NASA missions. Attached to Perseverance is the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will be used to … Continue Reading
February 12, 2021House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Democratic Caucus Organizes for the 117th Congress
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Democratic Caucus of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held an organizational meeting to elect a Vice-Chair, Subcommittee Chairs, and to select subcommittee assignments. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, "It is an honor and a privilege to welcome our new and returning Members to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and to begin a second term as Chairwoman. I am proud of the many bipartisan accomplishments of this … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021Committee Members Celebrate Vacating of EPA Rule to Censor Science
(Washington, DC) - On Monday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Brian Morris for the District of Montana granted the Biden Administration's motion to vacate the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule for "Strengthening Transparency in Pivotal Science Underlying Significant Regulatory Actions and Influential Scientific Information." This decision follows Chief Judge Morris's ruling last week that the rule was illegally fast-tracked and inappropriately classified as a rule of internal … Continue Reading
January 28, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on NASA Day of Remembrance
(Dallas, TX) - Today, is NASA's Day of Remembrance, a day to honor NASA astronauts who lost their lives in the pursuit of advancing our nation's exploration of space. This year's Day of Remembrance falls on the 35th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. "Today, on NASA's annual Day of Remembrance, we pause to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of exploration and … Continue Reading
January 21, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Applauds President Biden’s First Day of Action
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, following the inaugural events, President Joe Biden signed 15 executive orders on a range of issues, including COVID-19 response, climate change and the environment, and economic relief. The Biden Administration also released their National Action Plan for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic earlier today. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. "I would like to congratulate President Biden and Vice-President Harris on their … Continue Reading
January 19, 2021House Science, Space, and Technology Chairwoman and Senate Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Call for Improvements to EPA’s Chemical Health Assessments
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) released a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report found that political obstruction within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the Trump Administration has significantly impeded the agency's ability to efficiently produce and publicly release Integrated Risk Information … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Congratulates President-elect on Assembly of Diverse and Distinguished Science Team
(Washington, DC) - Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced his selection of Dr. Eric Lander as Presidential Science Advisor-designate and as nominee for Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), a position the President-elect is elevating to Cabinet-level. Additionally, he announced the following individuals will join his science team: Dr. Alondra Nelson, OSTP Deputy Director for Science and Society Dr. Frances H. Arnold and Dr. Maria Zuber, Co-Chairs of the … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Requests an Investigation into “Climate Change Flyers”
(Washington, DC) - Last night, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Department of Commerce Inspector General Peggy Gustafson requesting an investigation on a series of papers entitled the 'Climate Change Flyers'. These flyers published last week, bore the seal of the Executive Office of the President and copyright notice of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) without permission or approval from OSTP leadership. The so-called 'Climate Change … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021NASA Announces 2020 Tied for Hottest Year on Record
(Washington, DC) - Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their annual assessment of global temperatures and climate conditions. NASA's analysis found that 2020 tied with 2016 as the hottest year on record, while NOAA's analysis identified 2020 as the second hottest year by .04 degrees Fahrenheit. This follows the release of new data from Copernicus Climate Change Service, a program of the European … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on the Publication of So-Called ‘Climate Change Flyers’
(Washington, DC) - Last week, a series of papers entitled the 'Climate Change Flyers' were published by senior administration officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on a non-governmental website. These flyers make a wide range of disputed claims to undermine widely accepted facts about climate science. The series of papers bore the copyright of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the official White House seal without permission or … Continue Reading
January 08, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Urges President-Elect Biden to Prioritize Rollback of EPA Rule to Undermine Federal Scientific Policymaking on Day One of Presidency
(Washington, DC)-Yesterday, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to President-Elect Biden urging his Administration to prioritize rolling back the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Strengthening Transparency in Pivotal Science Underlying Significant Regulatory Actions and Influential Scientific Information" rule, which was finalized this Wednesday. The rule would prohibit the Agency from properly considering scientific studies in its regulatory process that do not make … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021Lucas and Johnson Bill Will Improve STEM Education in Rural Communities
(Washington, DC) - House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released a bill today to improve science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science (STEM) education in rural communities. The Rural STEM Education Research Act addresses iniquities faced by rural students that make it harder to access quality STEM education. These are driven by a wide variety of challenges, including shortages of … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Introduce Legislation to Increase Diversity in the STEM Workforce
(Washington, DC) - Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the STEM Opportunities Act. This legislation will support policy reforms, research, and data collection to identify and lower barriers facing women, minorities, and other groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and research careers. Similar legislation has been introduced every … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Voices Objections to Final Rule Undermining Federal Scientific Policymaking
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the pre-publication version of the "Strengthening Transparency in Pivotal Science Underlying Significant Regulatory Actions and Influential Scientific Information" final rule, which was signed by EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on December 30. The final rule would prohibit the Agency from properly considering scientific studies in its regulatory process that do not make their underlying data publicly available for … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Introduce Legislation to Support Early-Career Researchers During and After Pandemic
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced H.R. 144, the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act. This legislation creates a new postdoctoral fellowship program at the National Science Foundation to help support career researchers whose employment opportunities have been impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis. The goal of this fellowship program would be to prevent the … Continue Reading