News
Letter to FCC Chairman Carr Demanding Revision of "Space Modernization" Proposal
Letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr Demanding Revision of "Space Modernization" Proposal… Continue Reading
February 20, 2026Letter to NIST Acting Under Secretary Burkhardt Expressing Concern Over Problematic Policy for Foreign Researchers
Letter to National Institute of Standards and Technology Acting Under Secretary Craig Burkhardt Expressing Concern Over Problematic Policy for Foreign Researchers… Continue Reading
February 12, 2026Letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick Calling for Resignation
Letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Demanding His Resignation … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Lofgren Raises Alarm Over Terms of Commerce Department Equity Stake in USA Rare Earth, Condemns Lutnick Conflict of Interest
Yesterday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Howard Lutnick condemning the Department’s proposed equity stake deal with USA Rare Earth, Inc. (USAR). The terms of the agreement raise serious concerns about the influence DOC will wield over USAR under the deal. These concerns are amplified by the involvement of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm controlled by Secretary Lutnick’s sons, in a parallel transaction that saw USAR raise pr… Continue Reading
March 18, 2026Ranking Member Lofgren Applauds Committee Passage of NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act
Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed H.R. 7813, NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, during a full committee markup. This important legislation will direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to modernize and expand a nationwide Weather Radio network, provide emergency alerts, and remain resilient during emergencies. “When every second counts, it is essential for the U.S. to have a reliable Weather Radio network,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lo… Continue Reading
March 17, 2026House Committees on Science, Space, and Technology and Small Business Celebrate Passage of SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Bill on the House Floor
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, under suspension, favorably out of the chamber. The bill will now head to the President’s desk. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Technology Transfer (STTR) programs expired on September 30, 2025, following the Senate’s failure to pass the House’s clean, one-year extension. Legislation extending the SBIR/STTR programs was introduced by Small Business Committee Chai… Continue Reading
Federal investments in science are needed to reduce wildfire
It used to be that October marked the end of wildfire season, and the most destructive fires occurred in or around forested areas. But increasingly, more Americans experience the impacts of wildfires year-round. In 2021, nearly 50,000 wildfires were reported, which burned over seven million acres of land. And as we saw with the Marshall fire in Boulder County, sometimes the most devastating fires can happen in suburban areas in the dead of winter. As members of Congress representin… Continue Reading
February 22, 2022A federal coal ash strategy: putting health and safety first
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would crack down to protect public health and the environment from coal ash contamination. EPA will ramp up enforcement of its rules to prohibit companies from dumping coal ash into unlined storage pits, and to require those companies to speed up their efforts to close down the existing pits that have been shown to leak. As the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I want to see our federal age… Continue Reading
January 14, 2022Mapping a Strong Future for Ocean Science and Technology
Ranking 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 rem… 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 backyards… 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 intell… Continue Reading