Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Vice Chair Kathy Dahlkemper's Remarks on H.R. 6016
Madam Speaker, What would happen to our national defense if we could no longer build a jet engine? Vehicle batteries? Advanced targeting systems? What are the chances that we become energy independent if we cannot produce hybrid cars, wind turbines and other alternative energy products? What would happen to our economy if the technologies we depend on to make businesses work are no longer available? These are questions we would have to answer if China cut off our supply of rare … Continue Reading
September 27, 2010Chairman Gordon Statement on House Consideration of NASA Reauthorization
(Washington, DC) - Today, Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) offered the following statement: “I anticipate that the House will consider the Senate version of the NASA reauthorization on Wednesday. I still believe that the bipartisan Compromise language we released is a better approach. I have a number of concerns with the Senate bill, including: · The Senate bill includes an … Continue Reading
September 24, 2010Wu: More Progress Needed to Improve Interoperability and Competition for Public Safety Radio Equipment
(Washington, DC) - The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation held a hearing to discuss the challenges of improving interoperability for public safety radios. The Subcommittee held this hearing as a follow-up to a May hearing on public safety communications where witnesses discussed the status of Project-25, the technical standard intended to enable seamless interoperability for land mobile radios. Though progress has been made, development of the … Continue Reading
September 23, 2010Committee Approves Bills To Advance Research on Nuclear Energy and Rare Earths
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology held a markup to approve legislation aimed at advancing technologies for nuclear energy and protecting our security through research on rare earths. “These bills will help America recapture a technological lead in a wide range of industries critical to our economy, our national defense, and a clean and secure energy future,” said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). First, … Continue Reading
September 23, 2010Committee Releases Compromise Language on NASA Reauthorization
(Washington, DC) - Today, Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) released compromise legislative language for the NASA Reauthorization Act. Chairman Gordon offered the following statement: "This is House compromise language, with bipartisan support. It reflects months of discussions and input from many Members. As a result, we believe we have a bill that both builds on and improves on H.R. 5781, the NASA Authorization Act that was marked up by the Science and … Continue Reading
September 23, 2010Science Policymakers Need Metrics to Make Informed Decisions, Subcommittee Hears
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hearing to examine the current state of science and technology policy research. The subcommittee evaluated how this research informs policymaking and the role of the federal government in fostering academic research and education in this emerging interdisciplinary field. "Science and engineering research and education have driven long-term economic growth and … Continue Reading
September 16, 2010Veterans and Families Continue to Fight for Facts, Help Years After Toxic Exposure on Base
(Washington, DC) - Today, The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing to examine the legacy of drinking water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Between the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune beginning operations in 1941 and the closing of contaminated wells in the mid-eighties, as many as one million individuals have been exposed through their drinking water to toxic chemicals, including solvents … Continue Reading
August 25, 2010Report Finds Investments in Innovation are Paying Off
(Washington, DC) - Vice President Joe Biden unveiled a new report, “The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation,” which finds that the Recovery Act’s investments in science, technology and innovation are creating new jobs and strengthening advances in science that will create cost cuts for consumers.Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) offered the following statement: “This report reiterates that investments in innovation have a direct and positive impact on our … Continue Reading
August 12, 2010Report Finds Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technology Viable
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage released a report on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) which lays out a plan to overcome the barriers to widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years. The report found that, although there are issues to resolve, carbon capture and storage technology is viable, without any insurmountable technical, legal, or institutional barriers to development and deployment. “Our nation generates over … Continue Reading
July 28, 2010Subcommittee Advances Bipartisan Nuclear Energy Research Bill
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Energy and Environment Subcommittee held a markup on a H.R. 5866, the Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 2010. The bill was authored by Full Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), and co-sponsored by Full Committee Ranking Member Ralph Hall (R-TX), Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird (D-WA), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Inglis (R-SC). "Whether we are concerned about climate change, energy … Continue Reading
July 23, 2010Subcommittee Examines Smithsonian Institution’s Unique Opportunity to Strengthen America’s role in Science
(Washington, DC) - The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hearing Wednesday to examine the Smithsonian Institution's research and education activities, scientific collections, and its ability to collaborate with federal agencies. While renowned for the world's largest museum complex, the Smithsonian Institution is also a prominent leader in scientific research. For instance, scientists at Smithsonian research centers are using … Continue Reading
July 22, 2010COMPETES Passes Senate Committee With Bipartisan Support
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed their version of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. The bill, S. 3605, passed with bipartisan support. Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) offered the following statement: “I applaud Senator Rockefeller for his work moving this important piece of legislation. The legislation that the Senators voted on moved the funding levels in line with what passed the House in … Continue Reading
July 22, 2010Committee Approves Three-Year Authorization That Sets Realistic, Sustainable Path for NASA
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology approved H.R. 5781, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010, by a voice vote with broad bipartisan support. “This bill makes the hard choices,” said Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). “We are in tough economic times, and we cannot do it all. While I believe it is important that NASA remain a multi-mission agency with challenging initiatives … Continue Reading
July 21, 2010Chairman Gordon's Remarks on H.R. 5716
Mr./Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.Advances in drilling technologies have allowed industry to venture into ever deeper waters in search of the enormous oil and gas reserves found there. Operating in such extreme environments entails immense engineering and technology challenges, the complexity of which is encountered in few other endeavors.But, in this high-stakes game, our addiction to oil has ensured that the payoff of pushing the technology envelope was worth the … Continue Reading
July 21, 2010Chairman Gordon's Remarks on H. Con. Res. 292
Mr./Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.No matter how many times you fly, however many hours a week you spend on airplanes, even as a Member of Congress, there is still something magical about the first moments of take-off, when acceleration gives way to a sudden lift, and you soar up into the clouds.Behind that moment of wonder lies over a century of hard work, long hours, and sacrifice spent uncovering the secrets of aerodynamics and mastering the engineering of … Continue Reading
July 21, 2010Chairman Gordon's Remarks on H.R. 2693
Mr./Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.On April 20, 2010, an explosion occurred aboard the BP Deepwater Horizon drill rig that claimed the lives of eleven men and resulted in the largest environmental disaster in our nation’s history. While the flow of oil from the well might have stopped for now, as long as our economy is dependent on oil we risk a similar tragedy happening again. We have a responsibility to ensure that the relevant federal agencies are equipped … Continue Reading
July 21, 2010Subcommitttee on Energy and Environment Chairman Brian Baird Statement on H.R. 2693 and H.R. 5716
Mr./Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill before us, H.R. 2693, the Oil Pollution Research and Development Program Reauthorization Act of 2010 and H.R. 5716, the Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and Development Act.These bills represent a timely and necessary measure to address the current gaps in federal research, development, and demonstration on oil spill prevention, response, and safety capabilities. Recently, I took a trip to the Gulf and saw … Continue Reading
July 21, 2010Oil Spill Prevention and Response Legislation Passes House
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House of Representatives passed two bills that will improve the ability of the United States to prevent and respond to oil spills. These two pieces of legislation will enhance research for oil spill prevention and cleanup and provide the necessary research to ensure safer, cleaner oil and gas drilling technologies. Together, these bills represent a comprehensive research agenda to enhance U.S. preparedness for future oil spills. “The BP disaster has … Continue Reading
July 20, 2010House Approves Bill to Improve Prioritization, Collaboration in Critical Security Research
(Washington, DC) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 4842, the Homeland Security Science and Technology Authorization Act of 2010. The bill reauthorizes the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, which is the primary research and development arm of DHS. “I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Subcommittee Chairwoman Clarke for their efforts and willingness to work with our Committee,” said Committee on Science and Technology Chairman … Continue Reading
July 20, 2010Variety of Economic Models Needed, Members Hear
(Washington, DC) - A hearing was held today before the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight to examine the promise and limits of modern macroeconomic theory in light of the current economic crisis. The hearing explored the failure of mainstream macroeconomists to foresee the recent financial and economic collapse and the role of macroeconomics in policy making generally. "Because our experts' way of looking at the economy left them blind … Continue Reading