Wu 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
April 17, 2007Committee Addresses Latest IPCC Report on the Affects of Climate Change
(Washington, DC) The U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology today heard from several of the world's leading climate change scientists on the coming affects of the global phenomena. Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) led the Committee's continuing effort to combat climate change with an assessment of the just-released report, Climate Change 2007: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, prepared by Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "This … Continue Reading
April 17, 2007House Commemorates Landmark Year in Space Science
(Washington, DC) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives honored the initiation of the space age by passing H.Con.Res. 76, Honoring the 50th Anniversary of the International Geophysical Year. The bill was reported by the Science and Technology Committee last month. H.Con.Res. 76, introduced by Space & Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO), honors the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). During the IGY (1957-1958), internationally-coordinated … Continue Reading
April 16, 2007GAO Finds Science Agencies Have Few Activities Left To Outsource To Private Sector
(Washington, DC) Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, today received from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) a report on the use of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76 by the agencies under the Committee's jurisdiction. "Between 2003 and 2005, GAO says that there were only 22 competitions under Circular A-76 at these science agencies. There were only three cases where the private sector was determined to be the … Continue Reading
April 12, 2007Committee Welcomes Decision to Restore New Ozone Sensor to Full Capacity
(Washington, DC) Senior Members of the House Committee on Science and Technology welcomed a decision this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to move forward with the full-capability Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) sensor on the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) mission. The NPP is a precursor for the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) weather … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007Gordon: IPCC Report Delivers Sobering Message
(Washington, DC) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) this morning in Brussels released the second in a series of major reports due out this year on global climate change and its affects. Science & Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) today issued the following statement on the report: "For the first time, the world's top scientists are able to confidently attribute changes in a wide variety of ecosystems in all parts of the world to human-induced global … Continue Reading
April 05, 2007Gordon Comments on Forthcoming IPCC Report on Impacts of Climate Change
(Washington, DC) - "Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability," the second volume of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report will be released in Brussels tomorrow (April 6, 2007). Science & Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) today issued the following statement on the upcoming report: "Our understanding of human activity influences and impacts on climate change has been improving due to these reports. I expect that this assessment will also provide us with … Continue Reading
April 03, 2007Gordon, Miller, Nelson Move Toward Hearings on NASA IG Investigation
(Washington, DC) - One day after calling for the removal of Robert Cobb as inspector general (IG) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. House Science & Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC), and U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Matters Chairman Bill Nelson (D-FL), again joined forces to make clear to all federal agencies involved that they could expect … Continue Reading
April 02, 2007Gordon, Miller, Senator Nelson Call for Removal of NASA Inspector General
(Washington, DC) - Science & Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) today released a letter to the President calling for the removal of Robert Cobb as inspector general of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Matters both signed the letter.The action resulted from a report from the Integrity … Continue Reading
March 30, 2007Miller Questions Google’s Change to Pre-Katrina Satellite Maps
(Washington, DC) - Rep. Brad Miller, Chairman of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Science & Technology Committee, today asked Google Chairman Eric Schmidt to explain why Google had changed its satellite maps of the New Orleans region to pre-Hurricane Katrina images. "If current Google Maps satellite imagery is to be believed, Hurricane Katrina never struck New Orleans, there was never any flooding and thousands of people do not need to be living in trailers … Continue Reading
March 30, 2007Chairmen React to New Media Policy at Department of Commerce
(Washington, DC) - Today, House Committee on Science & Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), and Subcommittee Chairmen Brad Miller (D-NC) and Nick Lampson (D-TX) released a letter raising reservations regarding the new media policy released yesterday by the Department of Commerce. "This policy was much needed and marks a step forward for the Department. However, I have some reservations about the fundamental lack of assurances regarding an employee's right to voice their personal views … Continue Reading
March 29, 2007Committee Examines the Progress and Problems of the Next Generation Air Transportation System Initiative
(Washington, DC) - The House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today examined the status of the Next Generation Air Transportation System initiative (also known as NGATS or NextGen) and explored key issues related to the initiative and the federal interagency Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO).The success of the NextGen programs is “important because it concerns the future of America’s air transportation system, and the question is whether we … Continue Reading