Subcommittee Examines Scientific Prize Competitions
(Washington, DC) – Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to examine the role of scientific competitions in furthering innovation and scientific discovery. Testifying before the subcommittee was Mr. Christopher Frangione, Vice President of Prize Development for XPRIZE; Mr. Donnie Wilson, Founder and CEO of Elastec American Marine; Mr. Narinder Singh, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Appirio and … Continue Reading
April 09, 2014Space Subcommittee Approves Bipartisan NASA Authorization Act
(Washington, D.C.) - The Space Subcommittee today approved the NASA Authorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4412) with unanimous bipartisan support. The bill updates the previously committee-approved bill to reflect the funding agreement reached in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. The Subcommittee also approved a bipartisan Palazzo-Edwards amendment that ensures sustainability of purpose and budget for high-priority NASA programs. The amendment reaffirms Congress’s commitment to space … Continue Reading
April 01, 2014House Passes the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2014
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2413, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2014. The bill passed under a suspension of the rules and had strong bipartisan support from members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H.R. 2413 helps restore American leadership in weather forecasting and prediction. The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to prioritize weather-related activities for the protection of lives … Continue Reading
April 01, 2014Bipartisan Call to Terminate Commerce Officials Who Retaliated Against Whistleblowers
(Washington, D.C.) - All of the Members on the Oversight Subcommittee sent a bi-partisan letter today to the Commerce Department Inspector General (IG) Todd Zinser demanding he immediately terminate two senior officials based on the results of a nearly year-long investigation by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). The OSC is the federal agency charged with investigating allegations of whistleblower retaliation and found that two whistleblowers from the Department of Commerce’s IG Office were … Continue Reading
March 31, 2014Ranking 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