Subcommittee Examines NASA’s Aeronautics R&D Program
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to review NASA's current Aeronautics R&D program and discuss ways to make it more relevant to the nation's needs. This hearing is part of a series of oversight hearings to review the major programs and to provide input to the Committee's NASA reauthorization legislative activity. Among other topics, the hearing examined the R&D challenges related to the … Continue Reading
April 30, 2008Committee Reviews National Management of E-Waste and Ways to Make Recycling Easier
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology Committee held a hearing to review the current management and overall challenges of waste electronic equipment (E-waste) in the United States. Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Committee Members questioned witnesses on industry practices for recycling, refurbishment, re-sale and disposal of electronic products. "It’s important to bear in mind that a computer is not a soda can and a TV is not newspaper. These are products that contain … Continue Reading
April 29, 2008House Approves Natural Resources Legislation Containing S&T Energy Bills
(Washington, DC) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, S.2739, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008. S.2739 contains two bills (H.R.1126 and H.R.85) previously approved by the House Science and Technology Committee and the full House of Representatives. "These two bills mark the 19th and 20th Science and Technology Committee bills that will be enacted into law during 110th Congress," said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). "I'm proud that my colleagues have … Continue Reading
April 24, 2008Subcommittee Holds Joint Hearing with Armed Services Subcommittee to Examine the Role of Social Science in Enhancing National Security
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a joint hearing with the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities to examine the role social and behavioral sciences play in meeting our national security needs. Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird (D-WA) today joined Armed Forces Subcommittee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) in investigating the opportunities for collaboration between the … Continue Reading
April 24, 2008Subcommittee Examines the Status of the International Space Station
(Washington, DC) - Today, House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held an oversight hearing to examine the status of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) International Space Station (ISS) program. Committee Members discussed the challenges facing the program and questioned witnesses regarding how it should be operated, managed, and utilized. "While ISS has had a long, and at times controversial and frustrating development path, … Continue Reading
April 24, 2008Subcommittee Members Review Aviation Security R&D at the Department of Homeland Security
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation held a hearing to examine the aviation security-related research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) activities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Subcommittee Members stated the importance of basic and applied research to develop new security technologies that detect potential threats while reducing the prevalence of false alarms. Effective security … Continue Reading
April 23, 2008Committee Reviews Benefits and Challenges of Nuclear Energy
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology Committee held a hearing on the opportunities and challenges for expanded nuclear power production. "For the first time in decades, we are witnessing a renewed interest in nuclear power production in our country. Higher prices for fossil fuels, federal incentives for nuclear power authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the safe operating record of existing nuclear power plants, and the possibility of a national cap on … Continue Reading
April 23, 2008House Passes Legislation To Advance Small Business Innovation
"Innovation is crucial for maintaining America’s competitive lead in this global economy," said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). "SBIR and STTR are good economic stimulus programs that support research and innovation among our country’s leading job creators - small businesses." Together, SBIR and STTR comprise the largest source of federal support for private-sector technological innovation, providing over $2.3 billion annually to small, high-tech entrepreneurial companies that are creating … Continue Reading
April 22, 2008House Approves Legislation To Support The Goals Of Earth Day
(Washington, DC) - Today, on the 38th annual celebration of Earth Day, the U.S. House of Representatives passed three bills introduced by House Science and Technology Committee Members (H.Res.1112, H.Res.1117, H.Res.891) that recognize the contributions of scientific research and technological innovation in addressing environmental issues. "Throughout the years, Earth Day has been a successful way to raise awareness and encourage action on critical environmental issues such as air pollution, … Continue Reading
April 16, 2008Subcommittee Approves Bill To Support Innovative Technology Development
(Washington, DC) - Today, the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation passed legislation that supports the development of innovative technologies by small high-tech companies.Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5789, the Science and Technology Innovation Act of 2008, to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program. SBIR and STTR … Continue Reading
April 16, 2008Committee Moves Forward On Nanotechnology Reauthorization
(Washington, DC) - As a step towards the reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), the House Science and Technology Committee held a hearing today to review the program and proposed draft legislation. As the Committee of jurisdiction, the body has held many hearings throughout this and past Congresses to improve the program in an effort to maintain the U.S.'s competitive lead in nanotechnology. As an advocate for advancement in nanotechnology, Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) … Continue Reading
April 15, 2008Subcommittee Reviews DOE’s Plans for FutureGen
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing to review the Department of Energy's (DOE) decision to restructure its signature climate change initiative, FutureGen. Subcommittee Members questioned witnesses regarding the process by which DOE made the decision to undertake a major revision of FutureGen and whether this is the best path forward to develop and demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) … Continue Reading
April 11, 2008Subcommittee Investigates CDC’s Handling of Beryllium Exposure Investigation
(Washington, DC) In a letter sent this week, the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology asked Dr. Julie Gerberding, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for documents related to the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) handling of an investigation into potential off-site beryllium exposure to the public from the Brush Wellman beryllium manufacturing facility in Elmore, Ohio. … Continue Reading
April 09, 2008Gordon Marks 50 Years of Defense Innovation, Calls for Similar Dedication to Energy Advancement
(Washington, DC) This year marks the 50th Anniversary of a small federal research program with a long list of blockbuster technologies to its credit. This week that golden anniversary is being marked in ceremonies in Washington, DC. The results of research conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, better known as DARPA, can be seen in everything from stealth technology for warplanes to Global Positioning Systems in vehicles, body armor for soldiers to semiconductors and … Continue Reading
April 08, 2008Udall Hosts Congressional Field Hearing Highlighting Space Technologies That Help Colorado With Bark Beetle, Forest Fires, and National Security
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee held a congressional field hearing in Colorado Springs to explore the opportunities and challenges of using remote sensing data to benefit public and private sector including urban planning, natural resource management, national defense, and homeland security. Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO) and Ranking Member Tom Feeney (R-FL) examined the role that the federal government … Continue Reading
April 08, 2008Gordon Joins National Leaders for Science Education Summit in New York City
(Washington, DC) Today, U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) joined national leaders and thinkers in science, education, business, philanthropy, and government from across the country in a forward thinking discussion on the urgent need to improve science education in the U.S. and the means for making it happen. Chairman Gordon was invited to deliver remarks during the inaugural session of "Science Generation: A National Imperative" hosted by the … Continue Reading
April 08, 2008Remarks by Rep. Mark Udall before the National Space Symposium
(From L to R): Rep. Tom Feeney, Sen. Wayne Allard, and Chairman Mark Udall at the Symposium Good morning. It's a real pleasure for me to be here at the National Space Symposium. And I'm very pleased to be able to welcome all of you to Colorado. It's highly appropriate that you are holding your meeting here in Colorado. It may be a surprise to some of you-as it is to a number of my constituents-but Colorado plays a vital role in the nation's space activities. … Continue Reading
April 03, 2008House Approves Bill to Reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration
(Washington, DC) The U.S. House of Representatives today unanimously passed the U.S. Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008, a bill introduced by Committee on Science and Technology Research and Science Education Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), continuing the federal government's support for the nation's fire service. H.R. 4847 - a bill to Reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration extends the USFA reauthorization by four years and authorizes the agency to … Continue Reading
April 03, 2008Subcommittee Examines Progress and Plans of NASA’s Exploration Initiative
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to review the status of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) exploration initiative. Members of the subcommittee examined NASA's current implementation issues, focusing both on near-term development challenges and the longer-term plans for the lunar exploration phase of the initiative. In 2004, the Administration's announced Vision for Space … Continue Reading
April 02, 2008Subcommittee Supports a Coordinated Effort to Advance International S&T Programs Among Agencies
(Washington, DC) - Today, the House Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hearing to examine how federal agencies currently prioritize and coordinate international science and technology programs. As an advocate for international cooperation in science and technology, Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird hosted this second in a series of hearings aimed at exploring science diplomacy. "There is a tremendous amount of international science and technology … Continue Reading