Subcommittee Reviews the NASA Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2016
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2016.” Testifying before the Subcommittee was the Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Administration’s FY 2016 request proposes to fund NASA at a level of $18.53 billion, about a 2.8 percent increase over the FY 2015 enacted appropriation. … Continue Reading
April 15, 2015Republicans Hold yet another Hearing Attempting to Dismiss the Scientific Evidence behind Climate Change
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing ostensibly to discuss the President’s recent announcement of the U.S. commitment to the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the face of the growing threat of climate change. The intended target of the U.S. is to reduce GHG emissions 26 to 28% by 2025, through cost-effective measures achievable under current laws. However, the Republican Majority failed to invite a witness from the … Continue Reading
April 13, 2015GAO Study: Federal Agencies Split on Collecting Demographic Data for Recipients of Federal Research Grants
(Washington, DC) - Preliminary results from a new GAO study released today show that half of the federal agencies reviewed fail to collect demographic data for recipients of federal research grants that is necessary to determine whether gender discrimination is a factor in the distribution of federal research grants. The GAO study, requested by Congresswomen Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) shows that three of the six federal grant-making … Continue Reading
April 01, 2015Ranking Member Johnson Calls on President to Immediately Remove Commerce Inspector General Todd Zinser
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), sent a letter to the President calling on him to immediately remove the Department of Commerce Inspector General (IG) Todd Zinser from office. In the letter, Congresswoman Johnson wrote: “I am convinced that in order to establish an effective and ethically sound office a wholesale change in the top leadership of the Commerce Office of Inspector General is critically needed. I call on you to remove Mr. Zinser from … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015Ranking Member Johnson's Floor Statement on Troubled IG
Ranking Member Johnson calls for removal of Todd Zinser as Commerce IG. View her remarks here. View the Washington Post story … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015Committee Holds Hearing to Unjustly Attack EPA
(Washington, DC) - Today the Subcommittees on Oversight and Environment held a joint hearing titled, Destruction of Records at EPA - When Records Must Be Kept. The Republicans have been conducting a lengthy search for information regarding the alleged unlawful destruction of records at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Over the past three years, letters sent by Committee Chairman Smith, Congressman Darrell Issa, and Senator David Vitter, characterize the Agency as being intentionally … Continue Reading
March 25, 2015Committee Passes Bipartisan Weather Research Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015. The bill passed out of Committee on a bipartisan voice vote. H.R. 1561 improves weather research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by advancing programs and activities that will make critical investments in the nation’s observational, computing, and modeling capabilities in support of more accurate, timely, … Continue Reading
March 24, 2015Energy Subcommittee Discusses the Value of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Investments at DOE
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Energy Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the Department of Energy’s (DOE) work in energy efficiency and renewable energy. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) conducts a wide range of research to accelerate the development of new clean energy technologies, and also plays a major role in setting efficiency standards for buildings and appliances. The Assistant Secretary for EERE, Dr. David … Continue Reading
March 24, 2015Subcommittee Gets Update on the James Webb Space Telescope
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing to receive an update on the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Ranking Member Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) said in her opening statement, “JWST is the next generation astrophysics observatory following Hubble. More capable and sensitive than Hubble, JWST is optimized to study infrared light from the Universe, which will allow JWST to observe the first galaxies formed in the Universe. … Continue Reading
March 23, 2015Ranking Member Johnson Attends White House Science Fair
(Washington, DC) - Today, President Obama hosted the fifth annual White House Science Fair to celebrate the achievements of students in a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) endeavors. This year’s Science Fair focused on diversity and included students from underrepresented backgrounds who are excelling in STEM and inspiring the next generation with their work. President Obama announced $240 million in private-sector commitments to inspire and prepare more students … Continue Reading
March 19, 2015Ranking Member Johnson and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner Reintroduce Public Access Bill
Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) today reintroduced the Public Access to Public Science (PAPS) Act. This legislation would ensure public access to published materials concerning scientific research and development activities funded by federal science agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of … Continue Reading
March 18, 2015House Passes another Bill to Undermine EPA
(Washington, DC) - Today the House passed H.R. 1030, the Secret Science Reform Act, by a vote of 241-175. Republicans claim that H.R. 1030 increases EPA's transparency and accountability by ensuring that its regulations are based on public data that can be verified and reproduced. In reality, H.R. 1030 prevents EPA from functioning effectively and using the most relevant scientific data-including confidential medical information that is legally protected from public disclosure. If this bill … Continue Reading
March 17, 2015Amidst Strong Democratic Opposition, House Passes Bill Limiting Scientific Advice to EPA, Risking Public Health
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1029, the Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015. Numerous scientific, public health, and environmental organizations expressed strong opposition to this bill, characterizing the legislation as “harmful”, “unnecessary”, and aimed at “undermining important health, safety, and environmental protections.” A nearly identical bill passed the House last Congress along mostly party lines. On the House floor, Ranking Member Suzanne … Continue Reading
March 17, 2015Committee Democrats Support Strengthening the Ozone Standard to Protect Public Health
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to “examine the scientific and technological achievability” of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone.” Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to set the primary standard for ozone at a level requisite to protect public health within an adequate margin of safety. EPA is prohibited from considering cost or technical feasibility … Continue Reading
March 04, 2015Bipartisan Bills Pass Out of Committee
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of H.R. 1119, H.R. 1156, H.R. 1162, H.R. 1158, and H.R. 874. All of the bills passed out of Committee on bipartisan voice votes. Though the markup was bipartisan, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), expressed concern that the bills did not go through regular order on the Committee. She also said, “I am concerned that we are spending our time marking up a number of individual small bills that … Continue Reading
February 27, 2015Subcommittee Emphasizes Need for Safety and Transparency in Commercial Crew Program
(Washington, DC) - Today the Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “The Commercial Crew Program: Challenges and Opportunities,” to review the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) efforts to develop and acquire safe, reliable, and affordable crew transfer services to the International Space Station (ISS). Last September, NASA established contracts with Space Exploration Technologies and The Boeing Corporation to finalize designs, … Continue Reading
February 26, 2015Subcommittee Examines FY 2016 Budgets for NSF and NIST
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing to examine the FY 2016 budget requests for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. France Co?rdova, the Director of NSF, Dr. Daniel Arvizu, the Chairman of the National Science Board (NSB), and Dr. Willie E. May, the Acting Director of NIST. On the budget request … Continue Reading
February 26, 2015Republicans Hold Committee Markup to Pass Two Destructive EPA Bills
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a Full Committee markup of two bills aimed at preventing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from utilizing the best research to create effective regulations. The two bills before the Committee were H.R. 1030, the Secret Science Reform Act of 2015 and H.R. 1029, the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015. The markup was noticed only two days in advance while Members were still out of town. Minority … Continue Reading
February 25, 2015House Passes STEM Education Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1020, the STEM Education Act of 2015. The bill incorporated provisions previously proposed by Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) and Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL). The bill authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants and support activities, including teaching fellowships, to improve STEM learning outcomes. Rep. Esty said, “We must support educational and economic foundations that encourage the innovation and … Continue Reading
February 25, 2015Committee 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) 2016 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. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) stressed the importance of … Continue Reading