Ranking Member Lofgren's Opening Statement at Markup of the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Babin. Today the Science Committee will consider a bill that advances quantum technology, the next frontier in computing, communications, and sensing. Introduced by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber, the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act (NQIA) continues the work this committee began eight years ago, and I am very eager to build upon our prior accomplishment. … Continue Reading
April 28, 2026Ranking Member Amo's Opening Statement at NOAA Budget Hearing
Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo's (D-RI) opening statement as prepared for the record: Thank you, Chairman Franklin, for holding this hearing. And thank you, Dr. Jacobs, for being before our committee. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, protects Americans’ lives, livelihoods, and property. From the forecast families check before starting their day, to the safety of our flights, to the fisheries that feed our communities, NOAA's work is woven into … Continue Reading
April 28, 2026Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's Opening Statement at NOAA Budget Hearing
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Franklin and Ranking Member Amo for holding this important hearing on NOAA’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. And thank you Dr. Jacobs for appearing before us today. As Members of this Committee, we understand the importance and significance of NOAA. The agency is tasked with providing critical information for our communities to prepare, respond, and adapt to severe weather events and … Continue Reading
April 22, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren's Opening Statement at NASA Budget Hearing
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Babin, for holding today’s hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for NASA. I want to give a special welcome to Administrator Isaacman, who is still newly minted in his role after only four months. I appreciate the passion and vigor you are bringing to your service, and I look forward to today’s discussion on NASA’s future. With the thrilling Artemis II mission still … Continue Reading
April 21, 2026Ranking Member Stevens' Opening Statement at Hearing on Robotics
Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Haley Stevens' (D-MI) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Obernolte, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. For decades, Michigan’s auto industry led the world in the engineering, manufacturing, and safe adoption of robotics. Fun fact: industrial robots were deployed in General Motors plants as early as 1961. Over the decades, the United Auto Workers have negotiated thoughtful robotics … Continue Reading
April 21, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Robotics
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Obernolte and Ranking Member Stevens, for holding today’s hearing. I would also like to thank our expert panel of witnesses for your testimony today. Significant progress in artificial intelligence has led to major innovation in robotics. Computer vision, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning have accelerated robotics development and allowed robots to be deployed … Continue Reading
April 16, 2026Ranking Member Ross Opening Statement at Hearing on Subsurface Energy
Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Deborah Ross' (D-NC) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Good morning and thank you, Chairman Weber, for convening this hearing. And thank you to the expert witnesses appearing before the subcommittee today to talk about the current landscape of subsurface energy and critical materials research. It has been nearly three years since this subcommittee last held a hearing on this topic. But it is still clear that understanding how we can … Continue Reading
April 16, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Subsurface Energy
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Weber and Ranking Member Ross, for holding this hearing today. I would also like to thank our panel of expert witnesses for appearing before the Committee to talk about subsurface research that will help secure our clean energy future. In particular, advanced geothermal technologies now hold great potential to be a clean energy solution across the U.S. My home state of California is … Continue Reading
April 15, 2026Ranking Member Sykes Opening Statement at Hearing on Scientific Publishing
Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Good morning, Chairman McCormick, and welcome to our witnesses here today. Today’s hearing scope is ambitious, to say the least. Published research connects the public to scientific discovery, and without publication, the impact of researchers’ findings would be lost. Publication of research in a prestigious journal comes with an understood stamp of approval, … Continue Reading
April 15, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Scientific Publishing
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you Chairman McCormick and Ranking Member Sykes for holding this hearing and good morning to the distinguished panel of witnesses. As some of you know, scientific publishing - and, in particular, open access - is a topic I have cared about and studied for a long time. I have been a cosponsor of the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research - or FASTR Act - since it was first introduced in … Continue Reading
March 26, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Deep-Sea Mining
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Franklin and Ranking Member Amo for convening this timely discussion on deep-sea mining research and technology. And thank you to our distinguished witnesses for appearing before the Committee today. While we live on a blue planet, we have barely scratched the surface of understanding of our oceans. As of last summer, only about 27% of the global seafloor has been mapped according to … Continue Reading
March 26, 2026Ranking Member Amo Opening Statement at Hearing on Deep-Sea Mining
Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) opening statement as prepared for the record: Thank you, Chairman Franklin, for convening today’s hearing to discuss the state of science and technology surrounding deep-sea mining. And thank you to our witnesses for appearing before us today. For Rhode Island, the ocean is our history, our economy, and our identity. It feeds our communities, supports our fishermen, drives tourism, and anchors a growing blue economy. But it also … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026Ranking Member Foushee Opening Statement at Hearing on Future of ISS
Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Valerie Foushee (D-NC) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Good morning and thank you Chairman Haridopolos for holding today’s hearing on the future of low Earth orbit, or LEO. I want to welcome our witnesses and thank you for being here. When John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, we could not have imagined that the United States would one day build an orbiting laboratory, or support … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Future of ISS
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Good morning, and thank you Mr. Chairman, for holding today’s hearing. I also want to thank our expert witnesses for being here. The International Space Station (ISS) is an incredible feat of technical achievement and international cooperation. For over twenty-five years, humans have continuously occupied the Station, with NASA astronauts living and working in space alongside international partner … Continue Reading
March 18, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Markup for NOAA Weather Radio Modernization
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren's (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Babin. Today, we are considering the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act. I am excited to consider this bill today because the NOAA weather radio is a valued service used by many Americans across the country. Countless lives and immeasurable property have been saved by the timely and accurate reporting provided by NOAA weather radio. Now we will modernize it and make it even more … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on Data Center Permitting
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman McCormick and Ranking Member Sykes, for holding this hearing. Thank you to our witnesses for appearing today. This hearing is a great opportunity for all of us to think carefully about an issue that has moved to the center of our political debate. Data centers loom large in the United States today. They are presented as the foundation of America’s global leadership in artificial … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026Ranking Member Sykes Opening Statement at Hearing on Data Center Permitting
Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman McCormick, for holding this hearing. This will be a very interesting and timely discussion. When you go to watch your favorite show, send an email, shop online, or save a photo, you are using what is known as the “cloud,” which is really a general description for a data storage service. But this “cloud” is not in the sky, it’s in our … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Hearing on U.S. Surface Transportation Research
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Obernolte and Ranking Member Stevens, for holding today’s hearing. I would also like to thank our expert panel of witnesses for being here and for your testimony. While some topics we cover on this committee can feel abstract or futuristic, like quantum computing, surface transportation affects the lives of nearly every person in this country every day. Each year, the nation’s roads, … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026Ranking Member Stevens Opening Statement at Hearing on U.S. Surface Transportation Research
Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Haley Stevens (D-MI) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Obernolte, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. For decades, Michigan has designed, engineered, and manufactured the components that made American vehicles the best in the world. I’ve spent my career fighting for the workers of Michigan, from helping run the Auto Rescue for President Obama that saved 200,000+ Michigan jobs, to my … Continue Reading
February 04, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Opening Statement at Markup for NASA Reauthorization of 2026
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) opening statement as prepared for the record is below: Thank you, Chairman Babin. I am glad to join you as an original co-sponsor of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026. Today the Science Committee recommits NASA to fulfill its multiple missions in exploration, earth and space science, aeronautics, innovation, education, and inspiration. All of NASA’s triumphs, dating back to the agency’s establishment by this Committee in 1958, have demonstrated to the … Continue Reading