Ranking Member Johnson Responds to Chairman Smith’s Threat to Subpoena EPA Documents
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Chairman Smith in response to his recent letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy threatening to subpoena documents related to the Clean Air Act. Chairman Smith has now scheduled a business meeting for Thursday morning to authorize the issuance of subpoenas. You can find the text of Ms. Johnson’s letter below and the letter with attachments at the link. Ranking Member … Continue Reading
July 25, 2013Democrats Identify True Threats to Coal and Highlight Administration Support of Inclusive Energy Portfolio
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing titled, “The Future of Coal: Utilizing America’s Abundant Energy Resources” to examine coal-related technology challenges and opportunities, with an emphasis on assessing the effectiveness of Department of Energy research and development activities. By clarifying the impact of energy market competition on coal in recent years, and by highlighting the multi-billion dollar level … Continue Reading
July 24, 2013Slaughter, Johnson, and DeLauro Call On GAO to Study Gender Bias in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fields
Yale Study Finds Opportunities in the Sciences Limited for Women, Lawmakers Say Bias Undermines American Competitiveness WASHINGTON - Today, Congresswomen Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office calling for a study of the government’s effectiveness in combating gender bias in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The letter cited a recent study by Yale University researchers … Continue Reading
July 24, 2013Subcommittee Discusses Draft Technology Transfer Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a legislative hearing to examine a discussion draft of the Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer Act of 2013. The draft bill would allocate a portion of the set-aside from the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to create a program that provides funding for “innovative approaches to technology transfer at research institutions and federal … Continue Reading
July 24, 2013Democratic Members Advocate Comprehensive Approach to Hydraulic Fracturing Research
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Environment and Energy held a joint hearing titled, “Lessons Learned: EPA’s Investigations of Hydraulic Fracturing” to examine the conduct of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its investigation of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and groundwater contamination. The EPA has a critical role as a scientific organization to seek answers to the tough, complex questions related … Continue Reading
July 18, 2013Committee Republicans Set NASA up to Fail with Flawed Bill - Positive Democratic Alternative Defeated
(Washington, DC) - Today the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of H.R. 2687, the “National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2013.” H.R. 2687 was approved by the Committee on a party-line vote. Last week, the Space Subcommittee held a markup of a Committee print of the bill. Ranking Member of the Space Subcommittee Donna F. Edwards had recently introduced H.R. 2616, the NASA Authorization Act of 2013, as a Democratic alternative to the … Continue Reading
July 11, 2013Subcommittee Considers Recommendations to Improve Effectiveness of DOE National Laboratories Management
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing titled “Oversight and Management of Department of Energy National Laboratories and Science Activities.” The purpose of the hearing was to examine the Department of Energy’s (DOE) oversight and management of science and technology activities, particularly as they relate to the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Laboratory System. Members and witnesses considered … Continue Reading
July 10, 2013Republicans Approve Bill That Harms NASA - Democrats Offer Alternative to Republican NASA Bill That Would Put Agency on Sustainable Path with Resources Matched to Challenging Goals
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a markup of the Majority’s Committee Print of the NASA Authorization Act of 2013. The bill is a two-year authorization with funding and policy direction for NASA. The Majority released a “Discussion Draft” of their NASA Authorization Act of 2013 in June and held a Subcommittee legislative hearing on June 19th. During the hearing, the Majority’s own invited witnesses as well as both … Continue Reading
July 10, 2013Subcommittee Addresses Broad Potential of National Manufacturing Strategy
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing titled “Strategic Planning for National Manufacturing Competitiveness” to examine H.R. 2447, the “American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2013.” The bill, which was introduced by Subcommittee Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL), requires an interagency committee chaired by the Secretary of Commerce to develop a national manufacturing competitiveness … Continue Reading
July 09, 2013Subcommittee Marks Up Weather Forecasting Legislation, Democrats Continue to Push for Bipartisan Process
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a markup of H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013, which would reprioritize research initiatives at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) among other things. Subcommittee Democrats were disturbed by the lack of bipartisan work on the legislation. Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) … Continue Reading
July 08, 2013Ranking Member Edwards Introduces Legislation to Authorize NASA, Cites Need to Return Agency to Path of Greatness
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member of the Space Subcommittee, Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), introduced H.R. 2616, the NASA Authorization Act of 2013. H.R. 2616 reauthorizes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for three years, beginning FY 2014 with an authorization level of $18.10 billion and increases at about 2 percent a year to a level of $18.87 billion by FY 2016. Full Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) is an original cosponsor of the bill, along … Continue Reading
June 28, 2013Subcommittee Marks Up NWIRP Legislation - Democrats Emphasize the Need for Adequate Funding and a Multi-Hazards Approach
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a markup of H.R. 1786, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act, which reauthorizes the National Windstorm Reduction Program (NWIRP). NWIRP is an interagency effort created to reduce the losses of life and property from windstorms by studying wind hazards and their impacts, and developing and encouraging the implementation of cost effective mitigation measures to … Continue Reading
June 28, 2013Ranking Member Johnson Statement on the Retirement of Dr. Charles Vest from the Presidency of the National Academy of Engineering
(Washington, DC) - Today, Dr. Charles M. Vest’s term as President of the National Academy of Engineering ended. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement: “It is impossible to describe all of the contributions Dr. Vest has made to science and engineering and to U.S. innovation policy. He has served as a professor and a dean of engineering; became president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); served as director of DuPont and IBM; was vice … Continue Reading
June 27, 2013Subcommittee Examines the Financial and Environmental Benefits of Energy Savings Performance Contracts
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Oversight and Energy held a joint hearing titled, “Green Buildings - An Evaluation of Energy Savings Performance Contracts.” An Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) is a partnership between a Federal agency and an energy service company (ESCO) to “allow Federal agencies to accomplish energy savings projects without up-front capital costs and without special Congressional appropriations.” … Continue Reading
June 26, 2013Subcommittee Democrats Remain Concerned About Proposed Weather Forecasting Legislation
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled, “Restoring U.S. Leadership in Weather Forecasting, Part Two” to examine ways to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather forecasting, and to receive testimony on draft legislation to prioritize weather-related research. Today’s hearing supplemented a prior hearing held on May 23, 2013. Testifying before the Subcommittee were … Continue Reading
June 25, 2013Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on The President’s Climate Action Plan
(Washington, DC) - Today, President Obama announced his Climate Action Plan, an important next step to cut carbon pollution while advancing the new energy technologies that we will need for the future. The plan takes clear steps to address climate change by directing the Environmental Protection Agency to establish federal greenhouse gas emission standards for both existing and future power plants. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement on the President’s … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013Statement on the Introduction of the Sally K. Ride Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2013
Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago today, Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel into space. For that, she will be forever enshrined in history. But as impressive as that feat was, she made many other contributions to our country that were just as important. In recognition of all of her achievements, today I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of the Sally K. Ride Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2013, which was introduced by my colleague Representative Scott Peters. Sally Ride was a … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013Subcommittee Democrats Concerned About Draft NASA Reauthorization Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing on the Majority’s recently released discussion draft of the NASA Authorization Act of 2013. Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. Steven Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University, and Mr. A. Thomas Young, former Executive Vice President at Lockheed Martin Corporation and former Director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Ranking Member of … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013Committee Democrats Promote Clean Energy Future
(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. Testifying before the Committee was Dr. Ernest Moniz, the recently confirmed Secretary of Energy. Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement, “It’s no secret that Congress’s inability to come to an agreement on a sensible budget plan has led to some devastating cuts with serious impacts to … Continue Reading
June 12, 2013Subcommittee Discusses Ozone Standards, Democrats Emphasize the Importance of Protecting Public Health
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground level ozone, which is a main contributor to smog. Ozone is a pollutant regulated by the Clean Air Act because it is considered harmful to public health and the environment. The EPA is in the process of reviewing the ozone NAAQS, as required every five years by the … Continue Reading