Ranking Member Johnson Statement on Deputy Director Dr. Cora Marrett’s Announcement of her Retirement from the National Science Foundation
(Washington, DC) - Deputy Director Dr. Cora Marrett recently announced that she will be retiring from the National Science Foundation. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement: “Dr. Marrett’s contributions to NSF are innumerable. Throughout her many years of service to the Agency, she helped advance the scientific interests of our country. As Acting Director, she helped lead NSF through an especially trying time, from the government shutdown to the … Continue Reading
July 24, 2014Ranking Member Johnson and Rep. Ralph Hall Introduce Bipartisan Energy-Water Nexus Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), Chairman Emeritus of the Committee, introduced H.R. 5189, the Energy and Water Research Integration Act. Ms. Johnson said in her floor statement, “I want to thank my friend and fellow Texan, Mr. Hall, 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 consideration of water issues … Continue Reading
July 24, 2014Committee Holds Live Downlink Event to Hear from Astronauts on the International Space Station
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hosted a live communications “downlink” with the two U.S. astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), current ISS Commander Dr. Steve Swanson and Commander (USN) Reid Wiseman. Watch the archived webcast of the event here. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement, “This past weekend marked the 45th anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon. It was a … Continue Reading
July 23, 2014Bipartisan Critical Materials Bill Fails Due to Unfounded Ideological Attacks
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, H.R. 1022, the Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2014 failed by a recorded vote under suspension of the rules. The purpose of the bill was to reinvigorate research and development on critical elements in order to use these elements more effectively and seek methods to substitute and recycle critical materials by promoting collaboration and research opportunities in the field of energy critical elements for researchers and students from DOE … Continue Reading
July 22, 2014House Passes NIST Reauthorization and DOE Labs Tech Transfer Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5035 and H.R. 5120. H.R. 5035 - The National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 2014 -reauthorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (Passed by voice vote under suspension of the rules) Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said of H.R. 5035, “NIST, one of our nation’s oldest science agencies, plays a very important role in U.S. innovation and competitiveness through advancing … Continue Reading
July 20, 2014Ranking Members Johnson and Edwards Comment on the 45th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
(Washington, DC) - Today, July 20th marks forty-five years since the Apollo lunar module, “Eagle” landed in the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon. About six hours after landing, Commander Neil A. Armstrong stepped off the lunar module, “Eagle,” and set foot on the lunar surface, making the first human foot print on another world, and uttering the immortal words, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” He was later joined by Lunar Module Pilot, “Buzz” Aldrin, while Command … Continue Reading
July 17, 2014Subcommittee Democrats Discuss Engineering Biology
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to examine public and private biomedical research and development as well as discuss engineering biology. Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. Harold Varmus, Director of the National Cancer Institute and Former Director of the National Institutes of Health; Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of The Rockefeller University; Dr. Jay Keasling, Director of … Continue Reading
July 17, 2014Bipartisan Investigation of Commerce IG Raises Troubling Questions About His Current and Past Actions Against Whistleblowers
(Washington, DC) - All Members of the Oversight Subcommittee, including the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space & Technology, sent a bipartisan letter yesterday to the Commerce Inspector General (IG) Todd Zinser. The letter details Mr. Zinser’s failure to act against his closest aides, Mr. Rick Beitel formerly head of “Whistleblower Protection” and his chief legal counsel, Mr. Wade Green, for their retaliation against whistleblowers in his own office, as detailed by … Continue Reading
July 16, 2014Ranking Member Johnson Comments on the Passing of Former Committee Chairman Robert Roe
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement after hearing of the passing of Rep. Robert Roe (D-NJ), former Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “I was sorry to hear of the passing of Chairman Roe. Though I did not have the pleasure of serving with him, I am grateful for his role in advancing our nation’s science enterprise and for the hard work he did in the aftermath of the Challenger tragedy. My thoughts and … Continue Reading
July 16, 2014Democrats Urge EPA to Accelerate Pace of IRIS Assessments
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment held a joint subcommittee hearing to review the findings of a National Academies’ May 2014 report on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The IRIS program develops assessments for potential human health effects that may result from chemical exposures. The report praised the “substantial improvements” made … Continue Reading
July 14, 2014House Passes Several Science Committee Bills
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5031, H.R. 1786, H.R. 5056, and H.R. 5029. The bills had strong bipartisan support from members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said of the legislation, “It has been a tough Congress when it comes to working across the aisle and I am so pleased that we were able to work in a bipartisan manner to pass these bills. H.R. 1786, the NWIRP reauthorization, was developed … Continue Reading
July 11, 2014Subcommittee Discusses International Fusion Energy Project
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to discuss the progress and future of the ITER international fusion project. The U.S. joined the European Union (EU), India, Japan, China, Korea, and Russia to form the ITER Organization (IO), with each country providing resources, personnel, and expertise to move the project forward. Ranking Member Eric Swalwell (D-CA) of the Energy Subcommittee said in his opening … Continue Reading
July 09, 2014EPA Clarifies Proposed Water Rule for Committee
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to define the term the “waters of the United States” as it relates to the Clean Water Act (CWA). Testifying before the Committee was Mr. Robert Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator of the EPA. In March 2014, due to confusion after Supreme Court rulings in 2001 and 2006 on the scope of the CWA and at … Continue Reading
June 26, 2014Ranking Member Johnson Comments on New Report on Economic Costs of Climate Change
(Washington, DC) - Following the release of the report titled, Risky Business - The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States this week, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology released the following statement: “This sobering report from a non-partisan and well-respected group of leaders highlights the significant costs climate change has exacted and will continue to exact on our economy if we don’t act now. The report … Continue Reading
June 26, 2014Subcommittees Discuss Hospital Acquired Infections
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s Subcommittees on Research and Technology and Oversight held a hearing titled, “Technology for Patient Safety at Veterans Hospitals.” Though the stated purpose of the hearing was to assess the potential benefits of new technologies, such as ultraviolet light technology, to prevent hospital acquired infections (HAIs) with a focus on the Veterans Administration (VA), the discussion at the hearing was wide ranging and … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014Committee Considers the Path Forward in Human Spaceflight
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the future of human space exploration following the release of a report by the National Research Council’s (NRC) Committee on Human Space Flight titled, Pathways to Exploration: A Review of the Future of Human Space Exploration. The report provided several key recommendations and findings on the future of the U.S. human space exploration. The Committee heard testimony from the co-chairs of … Continue Reading
June 24, 2014Committee Republicans Advance Anti-Science Legislation to Undermine EPA
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of H.R. 4012, the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement, “This bill is an insidious attack on the EPA’s ability to use the best science to protect public health, and this markup is the culmination of one of the most anti-science and anti-health campaigns in the history of this esteemed Committee.” She continued, “The genesis of … Continue Reading
June 20, 2014Democrats Call for Consistency and Balance in Implementation of NASA’s Security Practices
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space and Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing to examine recent reports issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). The reports are critical of NASA’s handling of sensitive information and present separate recommendations that NASA … Continue Reading
June 18, 2014Subcommittee Discusses Surface Transportation R&D
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to discuss the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) surface transportation research and development (R&D) portfolio and the role of technology in in the development of future transportation capabilities. Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL) said in his opening statement, “We all have multiple places we need to get ourselves and our families to and from in a day … Continue Reading
June 12, 2014Energy Subcommittee Democrats Send Letter to Chairwoman Lummis – Urge Committee to Hold Legislative Hearings
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member of the Energy Subcommittee, Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and the other Democratic Members of the Energy Subcommittee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), sent a letter to Chairwoman Lummis expressing their desire to work together in a bipartisan manner on the Department of Energy Research and Development Act of 2014. Yesterday, a … Continue Reading