Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Introduce the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) along with Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the "Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act." This bill would expand research efforts to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment impacting individuals in the STEM workforce. The bill will also provide support to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impacts of such harassment. "The academic workplace, when compared to the … Continue Reading
April 19, 2021Chairwoman Johnson and Subcommittee Chairman Beyer Celebrate the Success of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Flight
(Washington, DC) - Early this morning, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter succeeded in the first powered, controlled flight on another planet and demonstrated that rotorcraft flight is possible in the thin Martian atmosphere. During Ingenuity's 39.1 seconds of flight, the Perseverance Rover assisted in communicating data from Ingenuity between Mars and Earth. The rover also captured several images of Ingenuity during its flight. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter landed on Mars in February, attached … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021Chairs Johnson and Beyer Applaud Nomination of Pam Melroy for NASA Deputy Administrator
(Washington, DC) - Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate former astronaut and U.S. Air Force officer, Pamela Melroy, to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "I am pleased that President Biden has nominated Pam Melroy, who will bring an extraordinary level of space experience, depth of technical expertise, and commitment to public service to the role of NASA's Deputy Administrator," said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System Award
(Washington, DC) - Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced it has selected SpaceX to continue development of the Human Landing System (HLS) that will transport astronauts to the lunar surface under the Artemis program. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. "I am disappointed that the Acting NASA leadership decided to make such a consequential award prior to the arrival of a new permanent NASA Administrator and Deputy … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Requests EPA Administrator Regan Review Rules on Chlorpyrifos
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to encourage the Agency to review rules on chlorpyrifos, a toxic chemical currently used widely in agriculture as a pesticide. The chemical has been found to have acute impacts on the nervous system, causing nausea and dizziness and, in extreme cases, vomiting, muscle tremors, convulsions, and … Continue Reading
April 12, 2021House Science and Armed Services Committee Chairs Look to Collaborate with President Biden to Address Risks to US Research Enterprise
(Washington, DC) - Last Friday, Members of both the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and House Armed Services Committee sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing their interest in collaborating with the Administration on taking a measured and balanced approach to strengthen the security and integrity of the country's academic research enterprise. The letter was signed by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA), Research and Technology … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on President Biden’s FY22 Discretionary Budget Request
(Dallas, TX) - Today, President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2022 discretionary budget request. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. "I am pleased to see strengthened investments in federal research and development in President Biden's budget request announced today. The Biden Administration has made it clear we are moving forward with science at the forefront of decision making-a vitally important move to bolster our innovation enterprise and provide a … Continue Reading
April 07, 2021Chairwomen Johnson and Sherrill Applaud EPA Administrator on Actions to Strengthen Environmental Justice
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan directed all EPA offices to immediately integrate environmental justice considerations into their plans and actions. Additionally, the Administrator is engaging environmental justice leaders and underserved communities directly to discuss the importance of EPA leadership as it relates to the burden of pollution on those communities. This announcement comes just one week after the White House formed … Continue Reading
March 31, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on Biden’s American Jobs Plan
(Dallas, TX) -Today, President Joe Biden unveiled his infrastructure proposal, the American Jobs Plan. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. "It is well past time that we make significant investments in the country's transportation infrastructure, but that alone is far from sufficient to meet the needs of this moment. We must also make broad investments to update our energy grid, clean up our environment, help make communities across the country more … Continue Reading
March 31, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Statement on Overhaul of Science Advisory Committees at EPA
(Dallas, TX) - Today, it was reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is overhauling the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Council (CASAC), two advisory committees that were seriously damaged by Trump-era appointments and management decisions. The decision to dismiss and reconstitute these committees serves as a corrective measure following the impacts of a prohibition on EPA grant recipients that was in place from 2017 until it was declared illegal … Continue Reading
March 29, 2021Chairwoman Johnson Lauds the Formation of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
(Dallas, TX) - Today, the White House announced the membership of the newly-formed White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. The Council will provide advice and recommendations to the President on strategies for providing clean air, land, and water for all communities regardless of race, culture, or economic status. "I commend the White House for convening such a distinguished group to inform its policy choices in support of environmental justice," said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice … Continue Reading
March 26, 2021Science Committee Leaders Introduce NSF for the Future Act
(Washington, DC) -Today, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) along with Subcommittee on Research and Technology Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Ranking Member Michael Waltz (R-FL) introduced the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. This legislation increases the funding for more excellent research; advances research and development to address persistent challenges in STEM education across all education levels; addresses challenges for … Continue Reading
March 26, 2021House Science Committee Leaders Release Joint Statement on AAPI Students
(Washington, DC) - Today, House Science Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) released a joint statement in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and researchers in the United States. "Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a valuable part of our research community. Their contributions to academia, federal research, and our STEM workforce have been, and will continue to be, a critical source … Continue Reading
March 19, 2021Chairwoman Johnson and Subcommittee Chairman Beyer Applaud Nomination of Senator Bill Nelson for NASA Administrator
(Washington, DC) - Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate former United States Senator and astronaut, Bill Nelson, to serve as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "I am pleased that the President has chosen Sen. Nelson to lead NASA, an agency that is one of the crown jewels of the nation's science and technology enterprise and a source of inspiration throughout the world," said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). "Through his … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021Chairs Johnson and Beyer Congratulate NASA and Its Industry Partners on Successful Final SLS Core Stage Test
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully completed a key test for what will become the world's most powerful rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS core stage test was a simulation of performance during launch. Today's "hot fire" is the final in a series of tests, known as the Green Run. Today was the second time NASA conducted this test for the SLS core stage. The agency … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021Chairwoman 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