Ranking Member Johnson Circulates America Competes Discussion Draft
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) began circulating a Democratic discussion draft of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2013. 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 are eroding at a … Continue Reading
October 15, 2013Ranking Member Johnson Congratulates 2013 Nobel Laureates
(Washington, DC) - Last week, researchers in the fields of chemistry, physics, medicine or physiology, and economics were honored with the 2013 Nobel Prizes for their contributions to the sciences. A list of Honored Laureates is below. Dr. François Englert, Physics Dr. Peter Higgs, Physics Dr. Martin Karplus, Chemistry Dr. Michael Levitt, Chemistry Dr. Arieh Warshel, Chemistry Dr. James E. Rothman, Physiology or Medicine Dr. Randy W. Schekman, Physiology or Medicine Dr. Thomas C. Südhof, … Continue Reading
October 11, 2013Ranking Member Johnson and Ranking Member Edwards Issue Statements on the Passing of Scott Carpenter
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven astronauts selected by NASA to fly into space as part of Project Mercury, died at the age of 88. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “I noted with sadness the passing of Scott Carpenter. As a member of Project Mercury, Scott Carpenter was a pioneer of the space program, one of the first seven Americans selected to enter space, and the second American to orbit the Earth. The missions … Continue Reading
October 09, 2013GAO Raises Questions about Adequate Supply of Lithium-7 for Nuclear Power Reactors
(Washington, DC) - In a new report the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raises serious concerns about the future U.S. supply of Lithium-7, a critical radioactive isotope required for the safe operation of more than half of the nation’s nuclear power plants. The report, “MANAGING CRITICAL ISOTOPES: Stewardship of Lithium-7 Is Needed to Ensure a Stable Supply,” was requested by Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Science, Space & … Continue Reading
October 04, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on National Manufacturing Day
(Washington, DC) - Today is the second annual National Manufacturing Day, a day designed for manufacturers to address their skilled labor shortage by connecting with future generations and taking charge of the public image of manufacturing in order to ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “Today, National Manufacturing Day, is an opportunity to highlight the importance of our manufacturing sector. Growth in … Continue Reading
October 01, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Government Shutdown
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “The GOP forced government shutdown is a disservice to the hard-working professionals in the Federal government and to the American people. Our federal agencies have a long history of working hard on research and education programs that return huge payoffs to the American people both in economic growth and societal benefits. Those agencies are basically closed for business today. As Ranking Member … Continue Reading
October 01, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on NIH’s Office of Science Education
(Washington, DC) - Recently, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced that the Office of Science Education will be closed and the agency will cease to conduct a range of activities designed to foster health science education among elementary and secondary school students and the general public. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “As the Ranking Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee with oversight for federal STEM education … Continue Reading
September 30, 2013Science Committee Democrats Congratulate Orbital Sciences Corp. and NASA on Successful Berthing to the ISS
(Washington, DC) - On Sunday, September 29, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) captured and attached the Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft to the station’s Harmony node. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Subcommittee on Space Ranking Member Donna Edwards (D-MD) today congratulated the Orbital Sciences Corporation and NASA teams following the successful capture and berthing of Cygnus. Ranking Member Johnson said, “I applaud the teams at NASA and at Orbital … Continue Reading
September 27, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on Former EPA Advisor John Beale
(Washington, DC) - Today, former EPA Advisor John Beale plead guilty to theft of government property. He stole almost $900,000 from the Federal government in pay and expenses. More information is available in the EPA press release here. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement. “Mr. Beale was hired during the first Bush Administration and Gina McCarthy is the tenth EPA Administrator since he was hired at the agency. His criminal actions occurred during the … Continue Reading
September 27, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Release of the IPCC Climate Change Report
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) issued the following statement on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. “This report confirms what the majority of scientists have been saying for some time - the climate is changing and human activities are a primary contributor to that change. I hope that this will serve as a wake-up call to some of my colleagues in Congress. Allowing partisan politics to skew the scientific understanding of … Continue Reading
September 23, 20132013 Golden Goose Award Recipients Exemplify Value of Basic Scientific Research
(Washington, DC) - The second annual Golden Goose Awards were presented on Thursday, September 19th in recognition of those whose work demonstrated “the unpredictable nature of basic scientific research and the fact that some of the most important scientific discoveries come from federally funded research that may once have been viewed as unusual, odd or without practical application.” The 2013 Golden Goose Award Recipients were Dr. Alvin Roth, Dr. David Gale, Dr. Lloyd Shapley, Dr. Thomas … Continue Reading
September 20, 2013Subcommittee Explores Critical Infrastructure Challenges in Enabling NASA as 21st Century Space Agency
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing to review NASA’s efforts to manage its facilities and infrastructure, the agency’s current legislated authorities, and its proposed legislation to provide greater flexibility to the agency. Testifying before the Subcommittee were The Honorable Paul K. Martin, Inspector General of NASA and; Mr. Richard Keegan, Associate Administrator of NASA. NASA has developed significant … Continue Reading
September 19, 2013Subcommittees Discuss Remediation and Avoidance of Crucial Weather Forecasting Gaps
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment held a joint hearing to conduct on-going oversight of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather and climate satellite programs. The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite (GOES) are being developed to provide necessary relief for the nation’s aging weather satellite network. These … Continue Reading
September 18, 2013Subcommittee Examines Role Science Can Play to Reduce Impacts of Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to better understand the methamphetamine addiction problem, and how science can inform and provide possible solutions. Members discussed the interdisciplinary approach necessary to address the insidious nature of methamphetamine addiction, which crosses every strata of our society. The extent and duration of injury to the brain caused by methamphetamine … Continue Reading
September 10, 2013Critical Federal Investments in Advanced Manufacturing Necessary to Maintain U.S. Leadership and Economic Growth
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to examine federal advanced manufacturing programs with a focus on research and development activities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and to review H.R. 1421, the Advancing Innovative Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2013. The AIM Act, which was introduced by Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), proposes strategic investments … Continue Reading
September 09, 2013Ranking Member Johnson Introduces Forensic Science Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 3064, the Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2013. The bill is similar to legislation introduced by Ms. Johnson and Senator Jay Rockefeller last Congress. The legislation aims to help prevent wrongful convictions by bringing reliable, science-based standards to forensic evidence. There are concerns that many criminal justice proceedings use evidence developed through flawed forensic work. This bill … Continue Reading
August 06, 2013Ranking Member Johnson Expresses Serious Concerns over EPA Subpoena – Urges Chairman Smith to Reconsider
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Chairman Smith in response to the Committee’s recent authorization and issuance of a subpoena to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy for documents related to the Clean Air Act. You can find the text of Ms. Johnson’s letter below and the letter with attachments at the link. Ranking Member Johnson’s letter with attachments August 6, 2013 Dear Chairman Smith, On August 1, 2013, … Continue Reading
August 01, 2013Committee Republicans Continue Partisan Vendetta Against EPA—Authorize Issuing Subpoenas to EPA, American Cancer Society, and Other Unspecified Citizens Despite Democrats’ Strong Objections
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a business meeting to authorize the issuance of subpoenas and to mark up H.R. 2850, the “EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement Act of 2013.” The Majority’s stated purpose of authorizing these subpoenas is to obtain “all research data, information, documents, and other records” relating to the Harvard Six Cities Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II, and analyses and re-analyses of the data from either … Continue Reading
August 01, 2013Members Call on EPA to Save Bristol Bay
(Washington, DC) -- In a Subcommittee on Oversight hearing today Members of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology discussed the importance of protecting Bristol Bay, Alaska. Home to more than half of the world’s sockeye salmon, Bristol Bay lies next to what could become the world’s largest open pit copper mine. The Nushagak and Kvichak rivers flow into the unique and pristine Bristol Bay watershed and commercial fisherman harvest an estimated 30 million salmon each year from the … Continue Reading
July 31, 2013Subcommittee Examines Critical Neuroscience Research Initiative
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing titled, “The Frontiers of Human Brain Research” to learn about the challenges and potential of neuroscience research and to review of the Administration’s BRAIN initiative. The BRAIN Initiative was announced in April as a “grand challenge” effort by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Defense Advanced Research … Continue Reading