Lampson Concerned About Survival of Vital Hurricane Tracking Satellite
(Washington, DC) Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson (D-TX) has asked the Administrators of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for answers regarding a research satellite which now has a second job helping hurricane forecasters sharpen their predictions about the paths these massive storms will follow. The QuikSCAT satellite, which tracks wind data at the ocean surface, is a NASA research … Continue Reading
May 11, 2007Miller Releases Committee Report on Purdue Investigation, Requests New Results
(Washington, DC) - Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC) today released a letter to the President of Purdue University regarding the school's internal investigation into allegations of research misconduct by Professor Rusi Taleyarkhan. In its own report into the university's investigation, the Subcommittee found the school failed to properly and fully investigate the incident. "Dr. Taleyarkhan's claim to have achieved fusion on a tabletop in a laboratory, if … Continue Reading
May 10, 2007Subcommittee Advances ARPA-E, H-Prize Legislation
(Washington, DC) The House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment today cleared two bills for consideration by the full Committee. Both pieces of legislation were previously before the Committee in the 109th Congress. The Subcommittee passed H.R. 364, to provide for the establishment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy; and H.R. 632, the H-Prize Act of 2007. "These two bills represent another step in this Committee's efforts to push the … Continue Reading
May 10, 2007Wu Leads Look into Green Transportation Infrastructure
(Washington, DC) - Members of the Science & Technology Committee’s Technology & Innovation Subcommittee today looked into programs to help alleviate water pollution caused by runoff from developed lands, like streets and parking lots. During the hearing titled “Green Transportation Infrastructure: Challenges to Access and Implementation,” Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR) led Members in examining what programs already exist in this arena and how they can be implemented more widely. … Continue Reading
May 03, 2007Subcommittee Works to Make Federal Climate Change Research Deliver More Policy-Relevant Information
(Washington, DC) - Local and state governments would have access to valuable information on global climate change under legislation considered today by the Science and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee. Members of the Subcommittee heard from witnesses regarding H.R. 906, the Global Change Research and Data Management Act, during a hearing this afternoon. U.S. Representatives Mark Udall (D-CO) and Bob Inglis (R-SC) introduced the bill earlier this year to revise the … Continue Reading
May 03, 2007House Furthers Innovation Agenda by Reauthorizing Programs at NIST
(Washington, DC) - The U.S. House of Representatives took another key step in implementing the Democratic Innovation Agenda today by overwhelmingly approving legislation to reauthorize the competitiveness and innovation initiatives of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, is the first full reauthorization of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 1992. It authorizes $2.5 … Continue Reading
May 03, 2007Subcommittee Investigates How DHS Nearly Destroyed One of Its Vital Homeland Security Labs
(Washington, DC) The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology today convened a hearing on the state of one of the nation's three homeland security laboratories - the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) in Manhattan. In 2003 the lab was transferred from the Department of Energy to DHS's Science & Technology Directorate. But since then, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken this once valuable national asset and … Continue Reading
May 02, 2007House Passes NSF Reauthorization, Emphasizing Research and Math and Science Education
(Washington, DC) The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to strengthen support for both basic science research and math and science education by approving legislation to reauthorize the National Science Foundation (NSF). H.R. 1867, the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007, is designed to allow the NSF to foster relationships between academia and industry in order to spawn U.S. competitiveness and also further its traditions of education in science, … Continue Reading
May 02, 2007Subcommittee Examines Key Challenges Confronting NASA’s Space Science Program
(Washington, DC) The U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today received a sobering assessment of the outlook for NASA's space science programs from a distinguished panel of scientists. The scientists warned that recent and planned budgetary cutbacks are jeopardizing the future wellbeing of the nation's space science enterprise. The hearing also marked the first Congressional testimony of Dr. Alan Stern, the newly installed Associate … Continue Reading
May 01, 2007USGS Says Catalog of Nation's Capacity to "Bottle" Carbon Emissions Greatly Needed
(Washington, DC) In testimony before a House Committee today, a representative from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) heartily endorsed legislation introduced by House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) that would produce a comprehensive inventory of the nation's ability to store carbon dioxide in geologic features and other natural basins. "This bill is a critical step in the process to mitigating carbon emissions and addressing global climate change," said Chairman … Continue Reading
April 26, 2007Gordon Urges Responsible Implementation of DOE Loan Guarantee Program
(Washington, DC) In a letter today to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) posed pointed questions to the Secretary regarding the Departments' efforts to propose regulations that implement the loan guarantee program authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT). Follow this link to read the complete … Continue Reading
April 26, 2007Wu Hearing Focuses on Small Business Research and Technology Transfer
(Washington, DC) Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation reviewed the effectiveness and efficiency of two federal initiatives that support high technology small businesses.Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR) and Subcommittee Members are reviewing the initiatives in an effort to make certain the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs meet the needs of the high technology … Continue Reading
April 25, 2007Committee Reports Bills to Reauthorize NIST, NSF Giving Priority to Innovation
(Washington, DC) - Supporting innovation and competitiveness through improved basic research; science and math education; and technology development and transfer was the focus as the House Committee on Science & Technology reported bills today reauthorizing both the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. “Each of these bills addresses issues at the core of our economic health and prosperity,” said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). “I’m glad my … Continue Reading
April 25, 2007Subcommittee Considers ARPA-E Proposal to Advance Cutting-Edge Energy Technologies
(Washington, DC) Today, the House Committee on Science & Technology, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing on the legislative proposal H.R. 364, establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E). This bill is authored by Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) and is designed to advance U.S. competitiveness in the energy arena. “Despite passage of an energy bill in the 109th Congress, interest in energy - its production, its distribution, and its use - … Continue Reading
April 24, 2007House Clears Bills Aimed at Boosting U.S. Competitiveness, Advances Democratic Innovation Agenda
(Washington, DC) - The U.S. House of Representatives today cleared two bills that comprise key components of the Democrats' Innovation Agenda aimed at strengthening U.S. basic research, and improving and supporting the national corps of math and science teachers. H.R. 362, the "10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds" Science and Math Scholarship Act and H.R. 363, Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act, cleared the House today by wide bipartisan margins. The bills were … Continue Reading
April 24, 2007Gordon Legislation Advances With Democratic Innovation Agenda
(Washington, DC) House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) offered the following statement today at a press conference with Senior House Democrats regarding this week's House floor action. The House will consider two bills today sponsored by Chairman Gordon - H.R. 362, the "10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds" Science and Math Scholarship Act and H.R. 363, Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act. Both bills are a product of work done by the … Continue Reading
April 20, 2007Gordon Commemorates Earth Day, Outlines Committee Action on Climate Change
(Washington, DC) In marking the 27th national celebration of Earth Day this weekend, the Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) issued the following statement: "Earth Day 2007 provides an excellent opportunity for our country to put aside our ideological differences and face the challenges of climate change head on. Over the past year, events have finally helped create consensus that climate change requires government action and international … Continue Reading
April 19, 2007Gordon and Udall Urge President to Help with NASA Funding
(Washington, DC) Today, the Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology Bart Gordon (D-TN) and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Mark Udall (D-CO) urged the President to work with Members of Congress to ensure that NASA has the resources necessary to carry out its important work. Gordon and Udall are joining forces with other Members of Congress who are calling for the President to meet with them to address the NASA funding challenge. In the years … Continue Reading
April 19, 2007Subcommittee Members Emphasize Competitiveness in Reauthorizing National Science Foundation
(Washington, DC) Maintaining a focus on U.S. competitiveness in the 21st century, the Science & Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education today passed a bill to reauthorize the National Science Foundation for fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010. The bill, H.R. 1867, the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007, establishes a pilot program of one-year seed grants for new investigators to help improve funding rates for young investigators and stimulate … Continue Reading
April 19, 2007Subcommittee Clears First Comprehensive NIST Authorization in 15 Years
(Washington, DC) Today, under the leadership of Chairman David Wu (D-OR), the Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation approved legislation to reauthorize the competitiveness and innovation initiatives of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The subcommittee passage of H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, marks the first time Congress has taken a comprehensive look at NIST since 1992. Reauthorizing NIST … Continue Reading