Ranking Member Johnson Hosts Climate Change Panel in Dallas
(Dallas, TX) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a panel discussion on climate change at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. The event, titled “A Panel Discussion on Climate Change: How Climate Change Affects Texas and How Texas Can Adapt and Prosper”, included experts from industry, academia, and government. The panel included Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Associate Professor at Texas Tech University and Director of the … Continue Reading
March 27, 2014Subcommittee Reviews the NASA Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2015
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing to review the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2015 budget request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. testified before the Subcommittee. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her prepared statement, “I hope that my friends across the aisle will agree with me that NASA and its programs are worth a … Continue Reading
March 26, 2014Committee Examines the R&D Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2015
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing titled “A Review of the President’s FY2015 Budget Request for Science Agencies.” Testifying before the Committee was Dr. John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement, “The fiscal year 2015 budget request makes it clear that the … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014Subcommittee Holds Markup of Republican FIRST Act, Democrats Voice Opposition
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a markup of H.R. 4186, Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014 (FIRST). Congress passed bipartisan Competes legislation in 2007 and 2010 which laid out bold policy directions for U.S. scientific research and innovation. The FIRST Act, introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Bucshon and cosponsored by Chairman Smith, attempts to replace parts of … Continue Reading
March 12, 2014Democrats Support EPA Action to Address Climate Change at Joint Subcommittee Hearing
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittee on Environment and the Subcommittee on Energy held a joint hearing to discuss the performance standards proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for regulating carbon dioxide emitted from new power plants. Members highlighted the need for EPA to continue to regulate pollution from power plants and the impact those regulations have in promoting technology development in the marketplace, as well as protecting public health. In contrast … Continue Reading
March 11, 2014Ranking Members Johnson and Miller Comment on Competes Reauthorization and the Republican FIRST Act
(Washington, DC) - Today the Chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology joined the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology in introducing the FIRST Act of 2014, a bill to reauthorize research, innovation, and STEM education programs at the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. These agencies were last authorized in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, which … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014Subcommittees Discuss Cybercrime and the Threat to American Citizens
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a joint hearing to discuss the growing issue of cybercrime and the real threat it presents to American citizens’ privacy and security. This hearing follows a number of major cyber-crime incidents that have impacted American businesses and the financial security and personal privacy of U.S. citizens. Testifying before the Committee were … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014Ranking Member Johnson Introduces the America Competes Act of 2014
(Washington, DC) – Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 4159, the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014. In 2007, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed bipartisan, landmark legislation based on recommendations from the 2005 National Academies’ report Rising Above the Gathering Storm. The report found that the scientific and technological building blocks critical to our economic leadership were eroding at a time when … Continue Reading
March 04, 2014Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the President’s Budget
(Washington, DC) - Following the release of the President’s FY 2015 Budget, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement: “Overall, the President’s budget request is a realistic, yet bold plan for action. I look forward to further examining the proposals in the President’s budget that fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The future of American innovation and leadership rest on the investments we make today. In that … Continue Reading
February 28, 2014Committee Passes Bipartisan Reauthorization of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup to consider H.R. 1786, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2013 (NWIRP). The legislation directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support activities to improve the understanding of windstorms and … Continue Reading
February 27, 2014Committee Democrats Emphasize Need for Human Space Exploration Roadmap
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the need for a strategic human exploration roadmap and whether a potential manned Mars flyby mission might fit in such a roadmap. Although the hearing was also called to examine how NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle being developed might contribute to a potential Mars flyby mission in 2021, there were no witnesses from NASA to provide further details … Continue Reading
February 11, 2014House Passes Drought Research Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2431, the National Integrated Drought Information Systems Reauthorization Act. The bill passed 365-21 with 45 members not voting. H.R. 2431 reauthorized the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The NIDIS Act, signed into law in 2006, is a collaborative effort between numerous federal agencies and several state governments to provide a dynamic and accessible drought-risk information system. NIDIS was created … Continue Reading
February 11, 2014Subcommittee Discusses Republicans “Secret Science” Bill – Democrats Emphasize Its Substantial Harm to EPA
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing to discuss H.R. 4012, the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014. Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), said in her opening statement, "Improving transparency and public access to federally funded research at EPA, or at any federal agency, is an important objective and one that I fully support. Although there may be disagreements among the … Continue Reading
February 05, 2014Committee Majority Assault on EPA – Science Democrats Stress EPA’s Role in Protecting Public Health
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing titled, “Examining the Science of EPA Overreach: A Case Study in Texas.” Testifying for the Committee Majority were representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Texas Farm Bureau, and the Maguire Energy Institute. Testifying as the Minority witness was Dr. Elena Craft, a health scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund in Texas. … Continue Reading
February 04, 2014Subcommittee Discusses Updating the Commercial Space Launch Act
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing, “Necessary Updates to the Commercial Space Launch Act” to examine the various changes in the commercial space launch industry and what, if any, accompanying changes are necessary to the Commercial Space Launch Act. Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. George Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration … Continue Reading
January 31, 2014Ranking Members Johnson and Edwards Comment on NASA’s Day of Remembrance
(Washington, DC) - Today is NASA’s Day of Remembrance, a day designated to honor those NASA employees who lost their lives “while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery.” Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said “Today, we remember the brave pioneers who have lost their lives in the name of space exploration and scientific discovery. Their contributions to mankind and the indelible mark they left on this world will be forever remembered. This day is also an … Continue Reading
January 29, 2014Ranking Member Johnson Responds to the President's State of the Union Address
(Washington, DC) - In response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) issued the following statement: "As Ranking Member on the Committee with jurisdiction over almost all non-defense federal scientific research and development, I could not agree more with the President ‘that the nation that goes all-in on innovation today will own the global economy tomorrow. This is an edge America cannot surrender. Federally-funded research helped lead … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014Committee Holds another Politically Motivated Hearing on Healthcare.gov
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held its second hearing on alleged security issues of Healthcare.gov. Testifying before the Committee were four private IT security experts, including the Minority witness Mr. Waylon Krush, currently the CEO of Lunarline, a cyber-security consulting firm, where he works with federal and commercial clients. Mr. Krush is also a founding member of the Warrior to Cyber Warrior program, a free cybersecurity training … Continue Reading
January 15, 2014Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Passage of the FY 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act
(Washington, DC) -Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement after the passage of Fiscal Year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act. “I am pleased that we passed the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations bill. We have been moving from budget fight to budget fight for far too long. This bill gives our agencies much-needed funding stability for the next nine months. By partially repealing the devastating sequester cuts, this is a step in the right direction. … Continue Reading
January 14, 2014Subcommittee Examines Scientific Research at the Smithsonian Institution
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to examine the ongoing research, partnerships, and education efforts at the Smithsonian Institution. The witnesses for today’s hearing were Dr. Wayne G. Clough, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; Dr. Eva Pell, the Under Secretary for Science; and Dr. Kirk Johnson, Director of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). The Smithsonian is home to … Continue Reading