Subcommittees Review Weather Satellite Systems Progress
(Washington, DC) - Today the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Environment and Oversight held a joint hearing to discuss problems and concerns associated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather satellite systems, the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite (GOES). JPSS and GOES acquisitions have been marked by schedule delays, significant cost growth, the repeated down-sizing of … Continue Reading
February 10, 2015Democrats Announce Subcommittee Assignments and Ranking Members
(Washington, DC) - The Democratic Caucus of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology elected Subcommittee Ranking Members and selected subcommittee assignments today. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “I am proud to be working with such a strong group of Ranking Members and caucus. There is much work to be done this Congress and I look forward to working with them and our colleagues across the aisle to advance our nation’s scientific research, innovation, and education … Continue Reading
February 10, 2015House Passes Bipartisan NASA Reauthorization Act
(Washington, DC) - The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 810, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2015 under suspension of the rules. H.R. 810 authorizes programs and projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for one year and updates NASA funding to be consistent with FY 2015 enacted funding numbers. The bill is essentially identical to H.R. 4412 that passed the House overwhelmingly last year by a vote of 401-2 under suspension of … Continue Reading
February 06, 2015Committee Leaders Announce Bipartisan NASA Bill
(Washington, DC) - Members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee today announced details of the NASA Authorization Act of 2015, legislation intended to reaffirm Congress’s commitment to NASA as a multi mission agency with programs in science, aeronautics, exploration, and human spaceflight, and make clear that Mars should be NASA’s primary goal. The bill will be introduced in the House the week of February 9th. Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) was joined by Ranking … Continue Reading
February 02, 2015Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the President’s FY2016 Budget
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) offered the following statement after the release of the President’s FY2016 Budget. “The President’s Budget would help ensure that the U.S. can compete in a 21st Century global economy and solidify America’s place as a scientific and technological leader. The commitment to STEM education, advanced manufacturing, and energy efficiency and the development of clean energy alternatives is encouraging. I am most pleased by the 6 percent … Continue Reading
January 29, 2015Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Passing of Charles Townes
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement regarding the passing of heralded inventor and scientist, Dr. Charles Townes. In addition to a long list of accolades, Dr. Townes won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964 for his fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics. “I join the entire scientific community in expressing my sadness on the passing of Dr. Charles Townes. As the inventor of the laser, his breakthrough work is utilized in … Continue Reading
January 29, 2015Ranking Member Johnson's Remarks on EPA Proposal to Update National Air Quality Standards
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson's remarks on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Proposal to Update National Air Quality Standards for Ground-level Ozone are below: "We are here today to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to lower the standard for ozone, the pollutant that causes smog, from the current standard of 75 parts per billion to a standard in the range of 65 to 70 parts per billion. "As someone who worked in the public health field before I entered … Continue Reading
January 29, 2015Ranking Member Johnson and Rep. Sensenbrenner Introduce Bipartisan Engineering Biology Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced H.R. 591, the Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2015. The Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2015 would establish a National Engineering Biology Research and Development Program to support and coordinate Federal R&D in engineering biology. Engineering biology research is at the intersection of biological, physical, and information sciences and … Continue Reading
January 28, 2015Ranking Member Emphasizes Need for Robust R&D Funding at Subcommittee Hearing
(Washington, DC) - Today the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held an Energy Subcommittee hearing to discuss the benefits of and challenges to developing the next generation of supercomputers and, more broadly, the need for greater federal investments in research and development. The witness panel testifying before the subcommittee included longtime advisor to the Committee and friend of the Ranking Member, Mr. Norman Augustine. He is the former Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin, … Continue Reading
January 28, 2015Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement 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.” Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “We remember the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia with great sadness. I am humbled by their heroism, which truly did help further the cause of exploration and discovery. I am so grateful for the contributions of all of our astronauts and … Continue Reading
January 27, 2015Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Cyber Threats
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing on the threat of cybercrime, the Federal government’s role in preventing cyber-attacks, and the research necessary to properly prepare businesses and governments alike. The witnesses testifying before the subcommittee were Ms. Cheri McGuire, Vice President of Global Government Affairs & Cybersecurity Policy at Symantec Corporation; Dr. James Kurose, Assistant … Continue Reading
January 27, 2015Committee Approves Rules Package that Undercuts Minority Rights
(Washington, DC) - Today the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held an organizational meeting to approve the Committee rules for the 114th Congress. Democratic Members of the Committee were strongly opposed to a number of changes to the rules that departed from longstanding Committee practice, and which would severely undermine the Minority rights. Democratic Members offered several amendments to improve the rules package. All of the amendments were defeated. The rules were approved … Continue Reading
January 22, 2015Ranking Member Johnson Introduces STEM Opportunities Act
(Washington, DC) - Today Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 467, the STEM Opportunities Act of 2015. The legislation is similar to legislation she has introduced several Congresses in a row, including H.R. 1358 in the 113th Congress. Ms. Johnson said, “The evidence keeps mounting that it is critical to our Nation’s economic leadership and global competitiveness that we educate and train more scientists and engineers. A wave of retirements is about to hit many of our … Continue Reading
January 21, 2015Committee Examines Status of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Regulations, and Research
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the research and development (R&D) related to integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) and how that research is informing the regulatory process needed to ensure safe UAS operations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) carry out research on UAS integration into the NAS. Ranking Member … Continue Reading
January 21, 2015Ranking Member Johnson’s Response to the President’s State of the Union Address
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address: “While our nation pushes forward with renewed optimism behind our growing economy, I hope this Congress can, as the President stated, come together to ‘recapture the sense of common purpose that has always propelled America forward’ and find bipartisan solutions to the challenges that lay before us. “Our nation’s research and development … Continue Reading
January 14, 2015Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Administration’s Announcement on Cutting Methane Emissions
(Washington, DC) - Today, as part of the Climate Action Plan, the Administration announced a new goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 - 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025, and a set of actions to help achieve this goal. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said the following. “Thanks in part to federal investments in climate science research, we know that although carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas we hear about most, methane is about 25 times more potent … Continue Reading
January 07, 2015House Passes Legislation on Tsunamis, Windstorms, and Radiation Research
(Washington, DC) - Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 35, the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act; H.R. 23, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization; and H.R. 34, the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act. These are all bills that passed the House with strong bipartisan support last Congress. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said, “Though last Congress was a challenging environment for bipartisanship, we were able to work across the aisle and pass … Continue Reading
December 12, 2014Congress Passes Cybersecurity Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the House and Senate each passed S. 1353, the Cybersecurity Act of 2013 with bipartisan support. The bill now heads to the President’s desk for signature. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent with an amendment and then passed the House without objection. S. 1353 incorporates a number of provisions from H.R. 756, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2013 that moved on a bipartisan basis through the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and then was … Continue Reading
December 11, 2014Subcommittee Discusses the Future of U.S. Nuclear Energy
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to examine the future of civilian nuclear energy in the U.S., including the potential path forward to greater utilization of nuclear energy within the country’s energy portfolio. The subcommittee heard from two panels. Testifying on the first panel was the Honorable Peter Lyons, Assistant Secretary in the Office of Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of … Continue Reading
December 10, 2014Space Subcommittee Discusses Progress of SLS-Orion Development and Successful EFT-1 Mission
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing to discuss the progress of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion crew vehicle. The hearing came in the wake of a successful test flight of Orion aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket last week. Space Subcommittee Ranking Member Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) said, “The flight subjected Orion and its systems to the rigors of outer space beyond low Earth orbit to test key systems, verify … Continue Reading