Ranking Member Johnson Releases Staff Report on Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay
(Washington, DC) - Today, during a hearing titled, “Examining EPA’s Predetermined Efforts to Block the Pebble Mine - Part II,” Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), released a staff report, The Pebble Promise in Bristol Bay: Assessing Potential Environmental Harm and Evaluating the Tactics of Pebble Limited Partnership’s Plans to Build One of the World’s Largest Open-Pit Copper and Gold Mines in Bristol Bay, Alaska. This is the third hearing the Committee has held on this topic. Pebble … Continue Reading
April 27, 2016Committee Marks Up NSF Facilities Management Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of H.R. 5049, the “NSF Research Facility Reform Act of 2016”. The bill passed out of Committee by voice vote. The bill establishes certain cost management procedures for NSF’s major facilities projects. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) statement is below. “Thank you Chairman Smith for holding today’s markup of the NSF Major Research Facility Reform Act of 2016. I also want to … Continue Reading
April 25, 2016Ranking Member Daniel Lipinski’s Statement on GAO Vehicle Cyber Security Report
(Washington, DC) –In a new report on vehicle cybersecurity, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the Department of Transportation (DOT) clarify and document its roles and responsibilities in response to a vehicle cyberattack involving safety-critical systems, including how it would coordinate with other federal agencies and stakeholders in the response. See the full report here. See a summary here. The report, “DOT and Industry Have Efforts … Continue Reading
April 22, 2016Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s Statement on the Formal Signing of Paris Climate Agreement on Earth Day
(Washington, DC) - The historic Paris climate agreement is expected to be signed by over 160 countries today in a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The signing ceremony, which coincides with the celebration of Earth Day, will be attended by over 50 world leaders. It is notable that Secretary of State John Kerry, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of China, and Environmental Minister Prakash Javadekar of India will participate in the ceremony, representing the world’s three … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016Subcommittee Explores the Future of Fusion Energy
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing titled, “An Overview of Fusion Energy Science.” The purpose of this hearing was to examine the status of fusion energy research, including the ITER international fusion project. ITER is a collaboration of 35 nations working to build the world’s largest tokamak, a magnetic fusion device, in southern France. This device has been designed to prove the potential for fusion to serve as … Continue Reading
April 19, 2016Subcommittee Discusses Small Satellites
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “The Commercial Launch Industry: Small Satellite Opportunities and Challenges.” Testifying before the Subcommittee were Mr. Elliot Pulham, Chief Executive Officer of the Space Foundation, and Mr. Eric Stallmer, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Advances in miniaturization, coupled with greater use of off-the-shelf hardware components, have contributed to … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016Subcommittee Discusses Cybersecurity at the IRS
(Washington, DC) – Today, the Research and Technology Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, “Can the IRS Protect Taxpayers’ Personal Information?” The purpose of the hearing was to review the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) efforts to electronically authenticate the identity of taxpayers filing a tax return or accessing tax account services. During the 2015 filing season, criminals gained fraudulent access to the personal identifying information (PII) of more than … Continue Reading
March 23, 2016Subcommittee Democrats Emphasize Benefits of Combating Regional Haze
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing to examine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to combat regional haze. Manmade sources of air pollution that contribute to regional haze include motor vehicles, electric utilities and industrial fuel burning, manufacturing operations, and wood fires. This air pollution causes decreased visibility and poorer air quality, and can have a noticeable impact … Continue Reading
March 22, 2016House Passes Bipartisan Bills to Promote Women in Science
(Washington, D.C.) - The House of Representatives today voted in strong support of two bipartisan bills encouraging more women to pursue careers in science: the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act (H.R. 4755), introduced by Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) and the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 4742), introduced by Committee Member Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.). Rep. Comstock: “I am … Continue Reading
March 22, 2016Subcommittee Examines FY 2017 Budget for NSF
Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing to examine the FY 2017 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. France Co?rdova, the Director of NSF and Dr. Dan E. Arvizu, Chairman of the National Science Board. In a hearing notable for its bipartisanship, Members on both sides of the aisle commended NSF for the forward-looking initiatives being led by … Continue Reading
March 22, 2016Committee Discusses DOE Science and Technology Priorities with the Secretary of Energy
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the Department of Energy’s (DOE) science and technology priorities and discuss the Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request for the Department of Energy’s research and development portfolio. Testifying before the Committee was the Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said in her opening statement, “I think we … Continue Reading
March 17, 2016Subcommittee Reviews the NASA Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2017
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2017”. Testifying before the Subcommittee was the Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Ranking Member Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) said in her opening statement, “Our space program is a shining … Continue Reading
March 16, 2016Subcommittee Discusses NOAA FY 2017 Budget
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing to review the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Testifying before the Committee was the Administrator of NOAA, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan. Ranking Member of the Environment Subcommittee, Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), said in her opening statement, “NOAA is a critically important agency tasked with helping … Continue Reading
March 16, 2016Subcommittee Examines FY 2017 Budget for NIST
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing to examine the FY 2017 budget request for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Testifying before the Subcommittee was Dr. Willie E. May, the Director of NIST and Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) said in her opening statement, “For more than 100 years, NIST has supported the … Continue Reading
March 14, 2016Republicans Demonize EPA Over Longstanding Interpretation of the Clean Air Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Subcommittee on Oversight, held a hearing to attack a clarifying provision in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium-and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles proposed rule initially released in July 2015. The provision at the heart of the hearing clarifies EPA’s longstanding (over four decades) held interpretation of the Clean Air Act provisions … Continue Reading
March 03, 2016Subcommittees Examine the DOE Loan Programs’ Record of Success
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Energy and Oversight held a hearing to review the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) and in particular the loan guarantee program. The mission of LPO is to “accelerate the domestic commercial deployment of innovative and advanced clean energy technologies at a scale sufficient to contribute meaningfully to the achievement of our national clean energy objectives.” The program was … Continue Reading
March 03, 2016Subcommittee Discusses Mobile Health Apps
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to examine the development of mobile applications and wearable technologies for monitoring, diagnosing, and tracking disease and medical conditions. Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL) said in his opening statement, “With well over 100,000 health-related apps available through the Google and Apple app stores, and hundreds of millions of downloads, mobile … Continue Reading
March 02, 2016Ranking Members Johnson and Edwards Congratulate NASA Astronaut after Successful Year in Space
(Washington, DC) – Yesterday at 11:26pm EST, NASA Astronaut, Commander Scott Kelly successfully returned to Earth from his 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He completed the journey with crewmates Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. Kelly now holds the U.S. record from cumulative time spent in space at 520 days over six space flights. He is scheduled to travel to Houston’s Ellington Field on March 2nd to reunite … Continue Reading
March 01, 2016House Passes Nuclear Energy Innovation Bill
(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4084, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act with Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) as the lead Democratic sponsor. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber (R-TX) and also cosponsored by Full Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX). The legislation would support federal research and development in nuclear energy and stimulate private investment in advanced nuclear … Continue Reading
February 25, 2016Committee Holds Hearing on Space Leadership Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to receive testimony on H.R. 2093, the Space Leadership Preservation Act, and to consider the issue of maintaining a “constancy of purpose” for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Committee also held a hearing on the Space Leadership Preservation Act last Congress. H.R. 2093 would amend existing statutes on NASA by providing specific direction to the President with regards to how … Continue Reading