Committee Members Urge NASA to Speed Release of Air Safety Survey Data
(Washington, DC) Several leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology today urged NASA to speed the release of data on the safety of the nation's air travel system. Full Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), along with Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO), Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC) and Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL) penned a letter to NASA Administrator Dr. Michael Griffin asking for further explanation as … Continue Reading
November 15, 2007Committee Considers Border and Maritime Security Research Technologies, Legislation
(Washington, DC) The Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation today held a legislative hearing on H.R. 3916, a bill to provide for the next generation of border and maritime security technologies. The bill's goal is to improve long term planning for research and development at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), especially in the area of border and maritime security technology. The bill also authorizes specific border security technology programs, … Continue Reading
November 08, 2007Subcommittee Questions NASA’s Plan for Detecting Hazardous Asteroids
(Washington, DC) The U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today examined the status of NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) survey program, reviewed the findings and recommendations of NASA's report to Congress, and sought to assess NASA's plans for complying with the NASA Authorization Act of 2005 regarding NEOs. "NASA's NEO survey program is our 'insurance policy' against getting taken by surprise by an incoming asteroid. Much progress has been … Continue Reading
November 07, 2007Committee Concludes Series on Offshoring With Look at the Affect of Globalization on the U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce
(Washington, DC) Late yesterday, the Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Technology & Innovation completed the Committee's series of hearings addressing the offshoring of U.S. science and technical jobs. "This can sometimes be a heated issue," said Chairman Wu. "No one wants to think about losing their job, but today's science and engineering graduates could face an uncertain future. I'm sure we all agree that we must find a way to help our current and future science and … Continue Reading
October 31, 2007Committee Members to NASA: Public Has a Right to See U.S. Air Safety Survey Data
(Washington, DC) The Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Committee Members today heard from NASA Administrator Dr. Michael Griffin on his agency's management of the National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service (NAOMS). "It was important that this Committee meet as soon as possible to get to the bottom of what has been going on here, and what NASA intends to do from this point forward," said Chairman Gordon at today's hearing. "The American … Continue Reading
October 31, 2007Subcommittee Examines Relationship Between Environmental and Health Policy and Nanotechnology
(Washington, DC) - Competition in the 21st century global marketplace and development of new technologies to support that economy has been a topic of investigation and study in recent years by the House Committee on Science and Technology's Research and Science Education Subcommittee. That assessment continued today with a look into the potential risks to the environment and human health associated with the developing field of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of … Continue Reading
October 30, 2007Water-Use Efficiency Technologies Focus of Subcommittee Work
(Washington, DC) Today, the U.S. House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a legislative hearing on H.R. 3957, The Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act of 2007. The hearing evaluated the need for research and development of technologies and processes to enhance water-use efficiency and water conservation. The dwindling supply of water in the U.S. has made headlines across the country in recent weeks and has served to echo increasing … Continue Reading
October 29, 2007House Endorses Bill to Improve Communication Technologies for Mines and Miners
(Washington, DC) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation to improve communication and tracking capabilities within our nation's mines Over the past few years, several mine tragedies resulting in multiple deaths have brought nationwide attention to the significance of mine and miner safety. The Sago mine explosion in West Virginia in 2006, followed by the 2007 disaster at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah, has underscored the need for such improvements. … Continue Reading
October 25, 2007Subcommittee Examines U.S. Laboratory Capacity to Effectively Respond to a Radiological Attack
Today, members of the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations heard testimony about the United States' current environmental and clinical radiochemistry laboratory capacity to respond to a detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD). Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), Chairman of the Subcommittee, led today's hearing. Witnesses testified that the U.S. only has the capacity to test 6 of the 13 highest priority radioisotopes. They also noted that … Continue Reading
October 25, 2007Gordon, Miller Criticize Censoring of Federal Climate Science
The Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Brad Miller (D-NC) are calling on the White House to turn over all documents and records relating to their editing of Congressional testimony on the health impacts of climate change and global warming. In a letter to White House Science Advisor Dr. John Marburger, the Chairmen demanded an explanation and all documentation surrounding the … Continue Reading
October 24, 2007Committee Clears Vital Legislation on Health IT
(Washington, DC) Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology advanced three bills for consideration by the House.Coordinating information technology (IT) in healthcare (H.R. 2406), improving miner tracking and communication systems (H.R. 3877), and establishing a national ocean exploration program (H.R. 1834) were the focus of the separate bills passed by the full committee.H.R. 2406, to authorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to increase its efforts in … Continue Reading
October 23, 2007Subcommittee Hears Findings of New Report Assessing GOES-R Weather Satellite Progress
(Washington, DC) The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Energy and Environment today continued its oversight of the next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) program. The hearing examined just-released findings by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) progress with the satellites' development. NOAA, with the aid of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration … Continue Reading
October 23, 2007Members Hail Successful Discovery Launch
(Washington, DC) Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-120) lifted off earlier today from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle crew, commanded by Pamela A. Melroy, is on an ambitious mission to continue construction of the International Space Station (ISS). Leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology - the Committee with jurisdiction over U.S. civil space and aeronautics activity - offered the following comments on the successful launch and upcoming mission: Committee … Continue Reading
October 22, 2007House Passes Science Committee Energy Legislation, National Science Week Recognition
(Washington, DC) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed two pieces of energy legislation shepherded by the House Committee on Science and Technology. Bills focusing on energy storage technologies and industrial energy efficiency research and development cleared the House today under suspension. H.R. 3776, the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007 provides for research, development, and demonstration programs to accelerate the development of advanced energy … Continue Reading
October 18, 2007ExxonMobil Finances Astrophysicist Who Denies Polar Bears
(Washington, DC) U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC) has sent a letter to the ExxonMobil Corporation requesting all records since 2002 related to their support for scientists working on polar bears and other Arctic animals. This request comes in the wake of an "opinion" piece appearing in the journal Ecological Complexity by seven scientists claiming that there is no evidence of decline in the polar bear … Continue Reading
October 17, 2007Subcommittee Investigates Potential Permafrost Melt off as a Tipping Point in Global Warming, and the Danger it Poses to the Polar Bear Population
(Washington, DC) The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology convened a hearing today to examine the melting of the permafrost and sea ice in the Arctic, and the destruction of the boreal forests, as they relate to global warming and the survival of the polar bear population. "We must have a complete understanding of the potential threats of global warming. We must put this country and the world, on a path to reducing carbon emissions. We … Continue Reading
October 17, 2007Subcommittee Investigates Barriers to Women Seeking Science and Engineering Faculty Positions
(Washington, DC) - Although women are increasingly earning degrees in science and engineering, they are significantly underrepresented at the faculty level in almost all science and engineering fields. Today, Members of the Science & Technology Committee's Research and Science Education Subcommittee examined institutional and cultural barriers that exist for women seeking science and engineering faculty positions at U.S. colleges and universities. "Women are increasingly obtaining … Continue Reading
October 16, 2007Committee Grants Final Passage to Energy Legislation
(Washington, DC) Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology advanced two bills for consideration by the full House. Energy storage technologies and industrial energy efficiency research and development were the focus of separate bills before the Committee. Last week, both of these bills were cleared by the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. H.R. 3776, the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007 enhances the federal government's role in research and development of … Continue Reading
October 16, 2007House Passes Legislation Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Dawn of the Space Age
(Washington DC) The U.S. House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed a concurrent resolution (H.Con.Res. 225) honoring the 50th anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age, which occurred on October 4, 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1. That event was followed shortly by the successful launch of the American Explorer 1 satellite, which discovered the Van Allen radiation belts among other scientific accomplishments. H.Con.Res. 225 was introduced by House Committee on Science and … Continue Reading
October 12, 2007Chairman Gordon Commends IPCC, Gore on Nobel Award
(Washington, DC) The Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) today issued the following statement on the Nobel Committee's announcement that the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore for their work on climate change. In February of this year, Chairman Gordon's Committee was the first Congressional body to hear directly from the IPCC authors on their climate … Continue Reading