Opening Floor Statement on H.R. 810, the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration Authorization Act
February 10, 2015
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Mississippi because it has been truly a pleasure to try to work on something where we are not working for perfection, but we are looking to find agreement and to do the best thing possible that supports the goals of NASA and all of the space industry, but also so that we get something done in this Congress.
I could not have found a more cooperative and helpful working relationship than that that I have with Mr. Palazzo.
I also want to thank the chairman of the full committee, Lamar Smith, and our ranking member, Eddie Bernice Johnson – both of Texas – for supporting a process that leads us to the point we are today.
This bipartisan bill that we are considering, the NASA Authorization Act of 2015, is largely identical to a bill that passed the House last year, H.R. 4412, and it passed with overwhelming support by a vote of 401-2. Unfortunately, time ran out during the last Congress before the Senate was able to take final action to reauthorize NASA, and so here we are.
H.R. 810 authorizes appropriations for 1 year, consistent with the funding levels enacted for fiscal year 2015. Other than relevant date changes, the bill remains unchanged from last year’s bipartisan, House-passed H.R. 4412 and retains the important and timely policy direction that NASA needs now to ensure stability and to sustain maximum progress on its programs.
Mr. Speaker, building on the foundation set in H.R. 810, I and my colleagues on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee will be able to begin work on a multiyear NASA authorization once H.R. 810 is enacted into law, so we have set the process in place.
Why is this bipartisan bill important, and why am I urging my colleagues in the House to vote “yes” on this bill should it come to a vote?
Mr. Speaker, the developments in our Nation’s civil space program never cease to amaze us and never cease to inspire countless individuals not only in the United States, but across the globe. NASA, as a multimission agency, makes these awe-inspiring contributions not only in human exploration, but across the disciplines of space and earth science, in the development of innovative technologies, in human spaceflight operations and biomedical research, and in aeronautics. It is this multipronged approach that we support today.
In the sciences, NASA is making good progress on developing the James Webb Space Telescope, the next major observatory to follow the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA researchers are using data collected from space to identify new planets orbiting stars other than our Sun, to increase our scientific understanding of Mars and other planets in the solar system, to uncover critical information about our home planet, Earth, and its climate, and to study the Sun and space weather. These programs will lead to new discoveries and deepen our scientific knowledge. In fact, much of NASA's work also benefits our society in terms of new technologies and applied research that can improve the quality of life of all of our citizens.
NASA is taking critical steps now in building the systems that will eventually take humans, as my colleague has said, into deep space. NASA is also overseeing recently awarded contracts to commercial companies that will develop, test, and seek certification for the U.S. commercial space vehicles that will take NASA astronauts safely to and from the international space station, thereby relieving our sole reliance on Russian partners for access to low-Earth orbit.
We remain committed to a Commercial Crew Program that makes the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars; and as NASA and commercial partners embark on these projects, this bill that we are taking up today puts the highest priority for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on ensuring the safety of our astronauts.
NASA is continuing to lead the highly successful international space station partnership, expand the use of the ISS for commercial, scientific, and exploration-oriented research, and gather critical biomedical information. The ISS is the only orbiting laboratory on which we can prepare for further human exploration and operations in outer space.
The upcoming study of astronaut Scott Kelly, who will soon begin a year’s stint on the ISS, and his twin brother, Mark, a former astronaut who will serve as a control subject, is an important undertaking in that regard. We need to examine measures to monitor Scott’s health and the health of the NASA family of astronauts both in space and on the ground to gain a long-term perspective on the effects of spaceflight.
Mr. Speaker, if NASA is to be as productive as it can be, it will require constancy of purpose and policy direction. In order for our Nation’s space and aeronautics program to succeed, this bipartisan bill provides that constancy. H.R. 810 sets the long-term course of sending humans to the surface of Mars and directs NASA to provide a human exploration roadmap, outlining the capabilities and milestones needed to achieve that goal. Recognizing two of the primary systems needed to accomplish the goal – the Space Launch System, SLS, and Orion crew capsule – this bill directs the expeditious development, test, and achievement of SLS and Orion as the highest priority of NASA’s human exploration program.
Further, H.R. 810 also ensures that NASA maintains a strong aeronautics research portfolio, ranging from fundamental research through integrated systems, and it reaffirms the importance of NASA’s education activities. NASA’s successful STEM education program brings the expertise of its researchers and engineers to bear on STEM activities. That is science, technology, engineering, and math. This bill encourages the administration to continue in that vein.
In addition, the bill includes provisions to advance our scientific and technical knowledge of orbital debris – or space junk – and near-Earth asteroids so that we in Congress can better understand the options for mitigating the risks that they pose.
In closing, NASA is a crown jewel of our Federal Government. Its workers are an important component in our workforce, and the workers through the industry are important to us as well. NASA’s space and aeronautics programs help maintain our competitiveness. They serve as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth, and they inspire the next generation to dream big and garner the skills to turn those dreams into action.
NASA and our space program have a long history of bipartisan support. That continues today. NASA needs our constancy of purpose and policy direction now, and this 1-year bill puts us on track to do just that. We will build on that baseline as we work toward a multiyear authorization over the coming year. I look forward to doing that with my colleagues on the committee, and particularly with my colleague from Mississippi.
At this point, I reserve the balance of my time.
