Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the Passing of John Glenn
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) statement on the passing of John Glenn is below. “I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of John Glenn - war hero, first U.S. astronaut to orbit the earth and beloved Senator from Ohio. He was the recipient of countless military honors, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. His achievements were only matched by his grace and humility. My deepest sympathy goes to his wife, … Continue Reading
December 07, 2016House Passes Astronaut Healthcare Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House unanimously passed H.R. 6076, the TREAT Astronauts Act, under suspension of the rules. The legislation provides NASA with statutory authority to perform monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment for former astronauts for medical or psychological conditions that the NASA Administrator deems to be associated or potentially associated with human spaceflight. In addition, under the program established in the bill, NASA would be able to acquire data from a larger set … Continue Reading
December 07, 2016Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Nomination of Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator
(Washington, DC) - Today, Scott Pruitt, the Attorney General of Oklahoma, was nominated to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President-elect Trump. Pruitt has come under fire for questioning the impact of climate change and being a strong opponent of the Clean Power Plan. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson made the following statement. “The EPA under the Obama Administration has been a force for good, working to protect human health and the environment … Continue Reading
November 20, 2016Ranking Member Johnson Statement on Successful Launch of GOES-R Satellite
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - R Series (GOES-R) satellite launched successfully from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Once in geostationary orbit, GOES-R will be known as GOES-16. The GOES-R program represents the nation’s next generation of geostationary weather satellites. Its development has been managed by NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS) in partnership with the National Aeronautics and … Continue Reading
November 07, 2016Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Passing of Renowned Scientist Ralph Cicerone
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement after hearing of the passing of Dr. Ralph Cicerone. “I was deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Dr. Cicerone, renowned atmospheric scientist, former Chancellor of the University of California at Irvine, and former president of the National Academy of Sciences. His work that showed that CFCs were damaging the ozone layer changed the way the world used these chemicals and helped protect the … Continue Reading
October 27, 2016Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the "Nation's Report Card: 2015 Science"
(Washington, DC) - Today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Center for Education Statistics released the 2015 national and state-level science results for 4th and 8th graders and national results for high school seniors, known as the Nation’s Report Card. Over the course of three months, students were assessed on their understanding of subjects including physical science, life sciences, and Earth and space sciences, and were measured on how well they … Continue Reading
October 12, 2016Ranking Member Johnson Applauds 2016 Nobel Laureates
(Washington, DC) - Over the past week, the 2016 Nobel Prizes were awarded to researchers in the fields of physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, and economics for their valuable contributions to the sciences. A list of Honored Laureates is below. Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi, Physiology or Medicine Dr. F. Duncan M. Haldane, Physics Dr. J. Michael Kosterlitz, Physics Dr. David J. Thouless, Physics Dr. Bernard L. Feringa, Chemistry Dr. Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Chemistry Dr. Sir J. Fraser … Continue Reading
October 06, 2016Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the Ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday a gathering of European nations voted and formally signed the Paris Climate Agreement. This addition brought the count to 74 countries that have ratified the accord--accounting for 58.82% of global emissions; officially exceeding the number of countries and percentage of emissions required for the pact to take effect. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) offered the following statement. “I am excited and proud that the Paris climate agreement has received … Continue Reading
September 29, 2016Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Research Regulations
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to raise concerns about the patchwork of federal laws, regulations, and reporting requirements that have led to greater time and resources being spent on complying with federal requirements, and to review recent recommendations made by the National Academies and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) for streamlining federal regulations on academic … Continue Reading
September 27, 2016Subcommittee Examines China’s Space Exploration Capabilities and Achievements
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing entitled, “Are We Losing the Space Race to China?” The purpose of this hearing was to discuss China’s technological advancements and increasing capabilities in space. Ranking Member of the Space Subcommittee, Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) said in her opening statement, “President John F. Kennedy stood before Congress on May 25, 1961 proposing that ‘this nation should commit itself … Continue Reading
September 23, 2016Ranking Member Johnson Introduces Apollo I Memorial Act
(Washington, DC) - Last night, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 6147, the “Apollo I Memorial Act.” This bill establishes a memorial in Arlington Cemetery to honor the astronauts who died in the 1967 Apollo I spacecraft fire. In addition to Ranking Member Johnson, original cosponsors of the bill include Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) of the Committee on Veterans Affairs; Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL); Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) of the Committee on Veterans Affairs; … Continue Reading
September 21, 2016Bipartisan Astronaut Health Bill Passes Out of Committee
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of several bills, one of those bills was H.R. 6076, the “To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and Treat Astronauts Act” (TREAT Astronauts Act). The legislation would provide NASA with statutory authority to perform monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment for former astronauts for medical or psychological conditions that the NASA Administrator deems to be associated or potentially associated with human … Continue Reading
September 20, 2016PCAST Report Calls for Strengthening Forensic Science Legislation Addressing the Issue Introduced in the House and Senate
(Washington, DC) - Today, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a report explaining that expert evidence based on a number of forensic tools, such as bite-mark analysis and firearm analysis, lacks adequate scientific underpinnings. PCAST offers recommendations on Federal actions that could be taken to strengthen forensic science and promote its more rigorous use in the courtroom. In July, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 5795, … Continue Reading
September 15, 2016Subcommittee Democrats: EPA’s Methane Rule is a Solution to a Recognized Problem
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled, “A Solution in Search of a Problem: EPA’s Methane Regulations.” The purpose of this hearing was to examine the EPA’s final methane rule that aims to reduce methane emissions from new, reconstructed, and modified oil and gas sources. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide during the first 20 years … Continue Reading
September 14, 2016Democratic Members of the Committee Push Back Against Majority's "Investigation" in Defense of ExxonMobil
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the Committee’s investigative authority with respect to the Majority’s “investigation” into state Attorneys General and environmental groups. Following a series of recent investigations by non-profit organizations and media outlets that raised questions about what the oil and gas industry internally knew about the impact fossil fuel production was having on global warming, when they … Continue Reading
September 09, 2016Ranking Member Johnson and Rep. Matt Cartwright Introduce Energy-Water Nexus Legislation
(Washington, DC) – Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA) introduced H.R. 5979, the “Energy and Water Research Integration Act of 2016.” Ranking Member Johnson’s statement on the bill is below. “I first want to thank my friend, Mr. Cartwright, for joining me in introducing this legislation, which calls attention to the critical link between energy and water and instructs the Department of Energy to ensure due … Continue Reading
September 07, 2016Subcommittee Discusses Future of Commercial Remote Sensing
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the House Science, Space, and Technology's Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, "Commercial Remote Sensing: Facilitating Innovation and Leadership." The purpose of this hearing was to examine new technologies and operational approaches of the commercial remote sensing industry and whether changes in current policies and regulations need to be considered to support the industry's developments. In 1992, the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act (P.L. 102-555) … Continue Reading
August 22, 2016Ranking Member Johnson's Response to Issuance of Subpoenas in Investigation into Clinton Email Server
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement in response to Chairman Smith issuing subpoenas as part of his “investigation” into Secretary Clinton’s email server. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) statement is below. “I am outraged that the Chairman is recklessly abusing the Committee’s investigatory powers to brazenly do the bidding of the Trump campaign. I am certain that the Science Committee will not uncover any ‘smoking … Continue Reading
August 02, 2016Ranking Member Johnson Statement on White House Commitments to Accelerate the Safe Integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
(Washington, DC) - Safe integration of unmanned aircraft is challenging. It requires careful incorporation with the highly-complex network that comprises the National Airspace System which is made up of air navigation and air traffic control facilities, airports, technology, and the appropriate rules and regulations. Today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced steps to promote the safe integration and innovative adoption of unmanned aircraft systems across … Continue Reading
July 14, 2016Committee Holds Hearing on FDIC Cybersecurity
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the cybersecurity posture of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the agency’s prior Congressional testimony, and the agency’s responses to Committee requests for information. This is a follow-on hearing to the May 12, 2016, Oversight Subcommittee hearing entitled “FDIC Data Breaches: Can Americans Trust that Their Private Banking Information Is Secure?” Ranking Member Eddie … Continue Reading