Committee Leaders Announce Series of Climate Hearings over Two Day Period Early Next Year
(Washington, D.C.) - As Democrats prepare to take the House Majority in January, three Democratic Committee leaders, whose committees have jurisdiction over climate change, announced today that their committees will hold a series of hearings over a two-day period early next year to assess the effects of climate change and the need for action. The announcement was made by Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Natural Resources Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) … Continue Reading
November 07, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Statement on Election Results and Seeking Chairmanship
(Dallas, TX) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson's (D-TX) statement is below. "I am heartened that Democrats will be in the Majority in the 116th Congress, and I cannot wait to get to work. If I am fortunate enough to be elected Chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, a Committee that I like to call the 'Committee of the Future,' I know that there is much that we can accomplish as Democrats and Republicans working together for the good of the nation. There is much to be … Continue Reading
October 30, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Statement on WHO Report on Children’s Exposure to Air Pollution
(Dallas, TX) - Last night, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on air pollution’s global effects on children’s health. A few key findings include: Air pollution is one of the leading threats to child health, accounting for almost 1 in 10 deaths in children under five years of age. Air pollution affects neurodevelopment, leading to lower cognitive test outcomes, negatively affecting mental and motor development. About 600,000 deaths in children under 15 years of age … Continue Reading
October 16, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Refutes Pres. Trump’s Denial of Climate Change
(Dallas, TX) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump disputed the veracity of climate change during an interview on 60 Minutes. “Feelings are not facts, and it’s past time the president comes to understand that. We have been dealing with the effects of human-induced climate change for many years, and we need to heighten our efforts to combat it. Instead, President Trump is pedaling in misinformation. His inherent … Continue Reading
October 09, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on IPCC Global Warming Special Report
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a Special Report on global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius. This report was prepared pursuant to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change adopted in 2015. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) statement is below. “The IPCC Special Report restates much of what we have known for years - climate change has already occurred and we are seeing the consequences through extreme weather such as … Continue Reading
October 05, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Introduces Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act
(Washington, DC) - Today Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 7031, the “Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2018.” H.R. 7031 would expand research efforts to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics workforce, including students and trainees, and to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impact of such harassment. Ranking Member Eddie … Continue Reading
September 27, 2018Science Committee Ranking Members Request EPA IG Review Flawed Tennessee Tech Glider Truck Study
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Environment Subcommittee, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Oversight Subcommittee, Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA) and Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA), wrote to the Inspector General (IG) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting that his office investigate a study on glider trucks conducted last year by Tennessee Technological University (TTU). … Continue Reading
September 13, 2018Ranking Member Johnson and Vice Chairman Lucas Introduce the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 6795, the "Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act." Vice Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) is an original cosponsor of the legislation. This bill awards the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress's highest civilian honor, to Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Christine Darden, and all the women computers, mathematicians, and engineers at NASA, and its precursor organization NACA, who devoted their … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on Trump’s Roll Back of the Clean Power Plan
(Dallas, TX) - Today, the Trump Administration released its proposal to reverse the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan giving states the power to create their own emissions standards for coal-fired power plants. According to an EPA impact analysis, by 2030, President Trump’s plan will reduce pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide by a negligible amount, while the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan would have cut emissions by approximately 19 percent. … Continue Reading
August 02, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the 28th Annual State of the Climate Report
(Dallas, TX) - Yesterday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its 28th annual State of the Climate report. The report’s most notable findings include: record high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, sea level rise, global land and ocean temperatures, coral reef bleaching, global area of drought, and total number of tropical cyclones, in addition record low sea ice coverage in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s … Continue Reading
August 01, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Nomination of Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier to be Director of OSTP
(Dallas, TX) - Yesterday, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) statement is below. “I am pleased that the President has finally nominated a Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier’s experience as a university Administrator in Oklahoma, as founder and director of NSF’s Science and Technology Center … Continue Reading
July 29, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of NASA
(Washington, DC) - Today is the 60th anniversary of the founding of NASA. On July 29, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX)statement is below. “Just 60 years ago, President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law. Today, and every day, we celebrate this turning point in our nation’s history. At a time when our place in space was unknown, Congress … Continue Reading
July 10, 2018Science Committee Ranking Members Request GAO Investigation of Cybersecurity Threats to the U.S. Electric Grid
(Washington, DC) - Today, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member, Committee on Science, Space & Technology, Congressman Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Oversight, Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Energy, and Congressman Dan Lipinski, Ranking Member (D-IL), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Research & Technology, wrote to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting they investigate cybersecurity … Continue Reading
July 05, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
(Dallas, TX) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement after President Trump announced that he had accepted the resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “As I said when he was appointed, Mr. Pruitt, a man who spent his career opposing EPA’s mission to protect public health and the environment, was unfit to be the Administrator of the EPA. Given the countless ethics issues he generated by his behavior while at EPA, I honestly cannot believe it … Continue Reading
June 28, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the Assessment of the James Webb Space Telescope
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement on the report by the Independent Review Board established by NASA to assess the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): “Mr. Young and the other members of the Independent Review Board have performed a great service for the nation, and I thank them for their efforts. As they noted, the James Webb Space Telescope will be an in-space observatory with ‘incredible capability and awesome … Continue Reading
June 23, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the 30th Anniversary of Dr. James Hansen’s Testimony before Congress
(Washington, DC) - Today marks the 30th anniversary of former NASA climate scientist, Dr. James Hansen’s, testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In his testimony, Dr. Hansen indicated that the effects of greenhouse gases are significant enough to increase the probability of future extreme weather events, as well as an increase in average warming. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement. “It is fitting that on this first … Continue Reading
June 20, 2018Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on President Trump’s Ocean Policy Executive Order
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order revising the U.S. ocean policy. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement. “I’m not surprised that once again the Trump Administration is doing its best to undermine climate science, data collection initiatives, and existing protections for our environment. President Trump’s latest executive order wholly revising U.S. ocean policy is simply his latest effort to support industry, … Continue Reading
June 11, 2018Science Committee Oversight Democrats Request Hearing on White House’s “Ignore” Science Memorandum
(Washington, DC) - Democratic Members of the Subcommittee on Oversight sent a letter last week to Oversight Chairman Ralph Abraham requesting that he hold a hearing on a White House memo that suggested ignoring climate science was one option the Trump Administration should consider. “Ignoring science and pushing political agendas that may be welcomed by industry, but harmful to the health, safety and security of all Americans should never be acceptable to the Science Committee or its … Continue Reading
May 27, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the Passing of Astronaut Alan Bean
(Dallas, TX) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement upon learning of Alan Bean’s passing: “Today we lost a true American hero, Navy test pilot, astronaut, and artist Alan Bean. Mr. Bean is one of only twelve men who have walked on the moon and the only artist to have done so. He was a native son of Texas, born in the Panhandle, graduated from high school in Fort Worth, attended the University of Texas, and served his NASA career in Houston. His … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018Ranking Member Johnson Submits Comment on EPA’s Proposed “Secret Science” Rule
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) submitted a comment on the proposed rulemaking entitled, "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science." This proposed rule would allow EPA in its rulemaking to only consider studies for which the underlying data are made available publicly. This rule is based on legislation introduced by Chairman Lamar Smith, but never adopted by Congress. Ranking Member Johnson said in the comment, "For the past five years, I have … Continue Reading