Subcommittee Discusses NOAA’s Use of Commercial Weather Data
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled, “Advancing Commercial Weather Data: Collaborative Efforts to Improve Forecasts, Part Two” to examine weather data policies and acquisition strategies of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Today’s hearing supplemented a prior hearing held on May 20, 2015. Testifying before the Committee was the Honorable Manson Brown, Deputy Administrator, … Continue Reading
July 10, 2015Hearing Reaffirms Congressional Commitment to the Success of the International Space Station
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Subcommittee on Space held a hearing to discuss operational challenges facing the International Space Station (ISS). In the past year the space community has experienced a number of challenges related to ISS operations, including three failed resupply launches. The subcommittee heard testimony from Mr. Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, NASA; Mr. John Elbon, Vice President and General Manager, Space … Continue Reading
July 10, 2015Ranking Member Johnson Statement on GAO Report on Commerce Office of Inspector General
(Washington, DC) – In a new report on the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the Commerce OIG augment its performance audits of the agency’s smaller bureaus and offices, monitor the internal control activities of its Hotline operations and develop an action plan to address the poor employee morale and employee concerns. See the full report here. See a Democratic Committee staff summary of the GAO … Continue Reading
July 09, 2015Ranking Member Johnson and Committee Democrats Recognize the Valuable Work of the EPA
(Washington, DC) - Today the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to receive testimony from the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Honorable Gina McCarthy, on the recent work of EPA on the Clean Power Plan, the Clean Water Rule, and National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “EPA’s job is as hard as it is important. For two generations, we have relied on EPA to be the one Federal … Continue Reading
July 08, 2015Joint Subcommittee Hearing Examines the OPM Data Breach
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Research and Technology and Oversight held a hearing to examine the recent data breaches at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), discuss the implications of this breach for employees, and discuss ongoing challenges for protecting information technology from future cyber-attacks. Ranking Member of the Research and Technology Subcommittee Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) said, “Cybercrime and … Continue Reading
June 28, 2015Ranking Members Johnson and Edwards Statements on SpaceX CRS-7 Launch Vehicle Failure
(Washington, D.C.) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Space Subcommittee Ranking Member Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) released the following statements after the failed launch of the SpaceX CRS-7 resupply mission to the International Space Station: Ranking Member Johnson said, “The loss of today’s SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station is a reminder that spaceflight is still not a routine undertaking. While the loss of the mission is disappointing, I am … Continue Reading
June 25, 2015Joint Subcommittee Hearing Examines NSF’s Utilization and Management of Rotating Staff
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittee on Oversight and the Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a joint hearing to review the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) rotating staff program. “Rotators” are temporary staff who rotate through NSF on assignments of up to four years, and they typically come from U.S. universities. The vast majority of rotators come to NSF through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 and are commonly referred to as IPAs. Currently, rotators make up … Continue Reading
June 24, 2015Subcommittee Democrats Highlight the Benefits of the Clean Power Plan
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittees on Environment and Energy held a joint hearing to review the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) recent report, Analysis of the Impacts of the Clean Power Plan. The report consists of several long-term projections of the CPP’s potential impacts on the energy sector through 2040. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement. “I suspect that some Members and witnesses will be making the same old argument that EPA … Continue Reading
June 17, 2015Energy Subcommittee Examines Research at DOE Energy Innovation Hubs
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Energy Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the research at the Department of Energy’s Energy Innovation Hubs. The Hubs program started five years ago and employs a unique model of multidisciplinary partnerships across national laboratories, universities, and businesses to address key barriers to clean energy technologies. The directors for each Hub testified before the Committee: Dr. Harry A. Atwater, Director of … Continue Reading
June 16, 2015Subcommittee Discusses Gene Editing Technologies
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to discuss gene editing technologies, the need to develop a framework for their use in humans, and the need for U.S. leadership. Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL) said, “I am pleased we convened this hearing to learn more about the science behind these technologies as well as how the United States can be a leader in addressing the safety and ethical concerns associated with them. The National Academies has … Continue Reading
June 12, 2015Subcommittee Discusses Transportation R&D
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to review surface transportation research, development, and technology programs within the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the relationship between the Department and non-federal entities that also conduct transportation research. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology shares jurisdiction over transportation R&D with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The Committees typically … Continue Reading
June 11, 2015Subcommittee Discusses NASA’s and FAA’s Work to Foster Technologically Advanced, Environmentally Responsible, and Safe Air Travel
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “Transforming America’s Air Travel” to examine the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to maintain a safe national airspace, while integrating new technologies and capabilities into the National Airspace System (NAS) that are central to preserving U.S. leadership and global competitiveness in civil aviation. Ranking Member Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) … Continue Reading
June 04, 2015Commerce Inspector General Todd Zinser Abruptly Retires After Prolonged Committee Investigation
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, June 3rd, the Department of Commerce Inspector General, Todd Zinser, abruptly announced his retirement effective that same day. This followed a prolonged Committee investigation into Mr. Zinser’s conduct and management of the Commerce OIG. Nine weeks ago, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) delivered extensive remarks on the House floor that detailed evidence of Mr. Zinser’s alleged mismanagement and misconduct. To view her floor statement, click here. … Continue Reading
June 04, 2015Republican Environmental Policy Puts Industry Profits Above Public Health Concerns
(Washington, DC) - Today the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations and their impact on the American economy. The Majority called the hearing to provide industry another opportunity to exaggerate the costs of regulations despite the record of significant economic growth that has occurred while those regulations have been in effect. The Democratic witness was Dr. Jerome Paulson of the American Academy of … Continue Reading
May 21, 2015ICYMI – SpaceNews: Congress Can Help the Commercial Launch Industry This Week if We’re All Willing to Work Together
On May 12 the Republican majority in the U.S. House introduced the SPACE (Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship) Act of 2015, H.R. 2262, to amend the Commercial Space Launch Act (CSLA). The original CSLA is and should be considered one of the seminal achievements of Congress. That legislative achievement opened the doors to the establishment of the now flourishing U.S. commercial space launch industry. I think members on both sides of the aisle strongly support this … Continue Reading
May 21, 2015House Passes Commercial Space Industry Wish List
(Washington, DC) - Today the House passed H.R. 2262, the SPACE Act of 2015. The bill takes a fundamentally unbalanced approach to the issues facing the commercial space launch industry. Moving far beyond addressing the legitimate needs of the industry, the bill is heavily skewed towards industry’s desires. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “I want to be clear that I am a strong supporter of the commercial space industry. I think Members on both sides of the aisle want this … Continue Reading
May 20, 2015Republicans Pass Anti-Science Bill Undermining the American Research Enterprise and Abandoning the Legacy of COMPETES
(Washington, DC) - Today the House passed H.R. 1806, the Republicans’ America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, a COMPETES Act in name only. The COMPETES Act of 2007 and its 2010 reauthorization, provided important tools, policy direction, and sufficient resources to keep our nation competitive well into the future. H.R. 1806 abandoned the goals of the first two COMPETES bills and instead embraced a partisan, anti-science agenda. The bill passed out of Committee along party lines and also passed … Continue Reading
May 20, 2015Subcommittee Discusses Expanding Role of Commercial Weather Data
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing to discuss the benefits and challenges of purchasing and incorporating commercial weather data at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA currently procures and maintains the Nation’s geostationary and polar satellites which provide critical observational data for U.S. weather forecasting. These observations are supplemented with a variety of … Continue Reading
May 20, 2015House Passes Several Science Committee Bills
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 874, H.R. 1162, H.R. 1119, H.R. 1156, H.R. 1561, and H.R. 1158 by voice vote under suspension of the rules. The bills had strong bipartisan support from members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Most of these bills passed the House last Congress and were not taken up by the Senate. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “The passage of these bills shows what can be accomplished when we work … Continue Reading
May 14, 2015Republicans Pass More Partisan Space Legislation and Forego Opportunity to Work towards a Bipartisan Consensus on a Commercial Space Launch Bill
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of four bills related to the commercial space industry. H.R. 2262, the “Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015” - amends the Commercial Space Launch Act. Democratic Members of the Committee opposed this bill because it took a fundamentally unbalanced approach to the issues facing the commercial space launch industry. Moving far beyond addressing the legitimate … Continue Reading