[House Report 115-1080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Union Calendar No. 839
115th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Report 115-1080
REPORT ON ACTIVITIES
of the
COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
for the
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
December 19, 2018.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
33-864 WASHINGTON : 2018
COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
HON. LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas, Chair
FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas
Vice Chair Ranking Member
DANA ROHRABACHER, California ZOE LOFGREN, California
MO BROOKS, Alabama DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois
RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon
BILL POSEY, Florida AMI BERA, California
THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky ELIZABETH H. ESTY, Connecticut
RANDY K. WEBER, Texas MARC A. VEASEY, Texas
STEPHEN KNIGHT, California DON S. BEYER, Jr., Virginia
BRIAN BABIN, Texas JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania
RALPH LEE ABRAHAM, Louisiana JERRY McNERNEY, California
GARY PALMER, Alabama ED PERLMUTTER, Colorado
DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida PAUL TONKO, New York
ANDY BIGGS, Arizona BILL FOSTER, Illinois
ROGER W. MARSHALL, Kansas MARK TAKANO, California
NEAL P. DUNN, Florida COLLEEN HANABUSA, Hawaii
CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana CHARLIE CRIST, Florida
RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina
DEBBIE LESKO, Arizona
MICHAEL CLOUD, Texas
TROY BALDERSON, Ohio
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
----------
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC, December 19, 2018.
Hon. Paul Ryan,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with rule XI(1)(d)(1) of
the Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully
submit the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's
activities report for the 115th Congress.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith,
Chairman.
C O N T E N T S
----------
Report on Activities of the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
115th Congress
Page
I. Legislative Activities........................................ 1
Bills Enacted into Law....................................... 1
Bills Passed the House....................................... 2
Bills Ordered Reported by the Committee...................... 4
Business Meetings............................................ 4
II. Oversight Activities......................................... 6
Hearings..................................................... 6
Summary of Oversight Plan.................................... 22
Summary of Actions Taken and Recommendations Made with
Respect to the Oversight Plan.............................. 27
Summary of Additional Oversight Activities................... 35
Hearings held Pursuant to Clauses 2(n), (o), or (p) of Rule
XI......................................................... 38
Union Calendar No. 839
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 115-1080
======================================================================
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
_______
December 19, 2018.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Smith, from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
I. LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES
BILLS ENACTED INTO LAW
H.R. 255, Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act.
Introduced by Rep. Elizabeth Esty on January 4, 2017; passed by
the House on January 10, 2017 (under suspension by voice vote);
passed by the Senate on February 14, 2017 (unanimous consent);
and became Public Law 115-6 on February 28, 2017.
H.R. 321, Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators,
Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act. Introduced by
Rep. Barbara Comstock on January 5, 2017; passed by the House
on January 10, 2017 (under suspension by voice vote); passed by
the Senate on February 14, 2017 (voice vote); and became Public
Law 115-7 on February 28, 2017.
S. 442, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Transition Authorization Act of 2017. Introduced by Sen. Ted
Cruz on February 17, 2017; passed by the Senate on February 17,
2017 (unanimous consent); passed by the House on March 7, 2017
(under suspension by voice vote); and became Public Law 115-10
on March 21, 2017.
H.R. 353, Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act
of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Frank Lucas on January 6, 2017;
passed by the House on January 9, 2017 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed by the Senate on March 29, 2017 (unanimous
consent); passed the House after resolving differences on April
4, 2017 (under suspension by voice vote); and became Public Law
115-25 on April 18, 2017.
H.R. 4661, United States Fire Administration, AFG, and
SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep.
Barbara Comstock on December 15, 2017; passed by the House on
December 18, 2017 (under suspension by voice vote); passed by
the Senate on December 21, 2017 (unanimous consent); and became
Public Law 115-98 on January 3, 2018.
H.R. 589, Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act.
Introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith on January 20, 2017; passed by
the House on January 24, 2017 (under suspension by voice vote);
report filed in the Senate on May 9, 2018 (S. Rept. 115-242);
passed by the Senate on July 23, 2018 (voice vote); passed the
House after resolving differences on September 13, 2018 (under
suspension by voice vote); and became Public Law 115-246 on
September 28, 2018.
BILLS PASSED THE HOUSE
H.R. 1159, United States and Israel Space Cooperation Act.
Introduced by Rep. Derek Kilmer on February 16, 2017; and
passed by the House on December 20, 2017 (under suspension by a
vote of 411-0).
H.R. 1430, HONEST Act. Introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith on
March 8, 2017; report filed by the Committee on March 24, 2017
(H. Rept. 115-59); and passed by the House on March 29, 2017
(by a vote of 228-194).
H.R. 1431, EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Frank Lucas on March 8, 2017; report filed
by the Committee on March 27, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-63); and
passed by the House on March 30, 2017 (by a vote of 229-193).
H.R. 2105, NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act.
Introduced by Rep. Daniel Webster on April 20, 2017; and passed
by the House on October 11, 2017 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 2763, Small Business Innovation Research and Small
Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Stephen Knight on May 30, 2017; report filed
by the Committee on September 14, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-313); and
passed by the House on October 11, 2017 (under suspension by
voice vote).
H.R. 2809, American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act.
Introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith on June 7, 2017; report filed by
the Committee on April 24, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-649); and passed
by the House on April 24, 2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 3397, Building Blocks of STEM Act. Introduced by Rep.
Jacky Rosen on July 25, 2017; report filed by the Committee on
February 13, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-558); and passed by the House
on February 13, 2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4254, Women in Aerospace Education Act. Introduced by
Rep. Stephen Knight on November 9, 2017; report filed by the
Committee on December 18, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-472); passed by
the House on December 19, 2017 (under suspension by a vote of
409-17); and passed by the Senate on September 27, 2018
(unanimous consent).
H.R. 4323, Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act.
Introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn on November 9, 2017; report filed
by the Committee on December 18, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-473); and
passed by the House on December 19, 2017 (under suspension by a
vote of 420-1).
H.R. 4375, STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and
Transparency Act. Introduced by Rep. Barbara Comstock on
November 13, 2017; report filed by the Committee on December
18, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-471); and passed by the House on
December 18, 2017 (under suspension by a vote of 376-9).
H.R. 4376, Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act
of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Stephen Knight on November 13,
2017; report filed by the Committee on February 13, 2018 (H.
Rept. 115-556); and passed by the House on February 13, 2018
(under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4377, Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act
of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Randy Hultgren on November 13,
2017; report filed by the Committee on February 13, 2018 (H.
Rept. 115-555); and passed by the House on February 13, 2018
(under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4378, Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act of
2018. Introduced by Rep. Randy Weber on November 13, 2017;
report filed by the Committee on February 13, 2018 (H. Rept.
115-557); and passed by the House on February 13, 2018 (under
suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4675, Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2018.
Introduced by Rep. Roger Marshall on December 18, 2017; report
filed by the Committee on February 13, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-554);
and passed by the House on February 13, 2018 (under suspension
by voice vote).
H.R. 5086, Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act of 2018.
Introduced by Rep. Daniel Lipinski on February 26, 2018; and
passed by the House on April 24, 2018 (under suspension by a
vote of 379-16).
H.R. 5345, ALSTAR Act. Introduced by Rep. Mo Brooks on
March 20, 2018; and passed by the House on June 27, 2018 (under
suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 5346, Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act. Introduced
by Rep. Bill Posey on March 20, 2018; report filed by the
Committee on June 27, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-789); and passed by
the House on June 27, 2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 5509, Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and
Apprenticeships Act. Introduced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy on April
13, 2018; report filed by the Committee on September 25, 2018
(H. Rept. 115-975); and passed by the House on September 25,
2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 5905, Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act
of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Randy Weber on May 22, 2018; report
filed by the Committee on June 27, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-787); and
passed by the House on June 27, 2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 5906, ARPA-E Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Frank
Lucas on May 22, 2018; and passed by the House on June 27, 2018
(under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 5907, NIMBLE Act. Introduced by Rep. Randy Hultgren on
May 22, 2018; report filed by the Committee on June 27, 2018
(H. Rept. 115-788); and passed by the House on June 27, 2018
(under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 6227, National Quantum Initiative Act. Introduced by
Rep. Lamar Smith on June 26, 2018; report filed by the
Committee on September 13, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-950); and passed
by the House on September 13, 2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 6229, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Reauthorization Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Barbara
Comstock on June 26, 2018; report filed by the Committee on
September 25, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-977); and passed by the House
on September 25, 2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 6398, Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative
Act. Introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman on July 17, 2018; report
filed by the Committee on September 25, 2018 (H. Rept. 115-
974); and passed by the House on September 25, 2018 (under
suspension by voice vote).
S. 2497, United States-Israel Security Assistance
Authorization Act of 2018. Introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio on
March 5, 2018; passed by the Senate on August 1, 2018 (voice
vote); and passed by the House on September 12, 2018 (under
suspension by voice vote).
BILLS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE COMMITTEE
H.R. 1224, NIST Cybersecurity Framework Assessment,
Auditing Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Ralph Lee Abraham on
February 27, 2017; and report filed by the Committee on October
31, 2017 (H. Rept. 115-376).
H.R. 5503, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Authorization Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Brian Babin on
April 13, 2018; and reported by the Committee on April 17, 2018
(by a vote of 26-7).
H.R. 6226, American Space SAFE Management Act. Introduced
by Rep. Lamar Smith on June 26, 2018; and reported by the
Committee on June 27, 2018 (by voice vote).
H.R. 6468, Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act.
Introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs on July 23, 2018; and reported by
the Committee on July 24, 2018 (by a vote of 17-13).
S. 141, Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act.
Introduced by Sen. Gary Peters on January 12, 2017; report
filed in the Senate on March 30, 2017 (S. Rept. 115-21); passed
by the Senate on May 2, 2017 (unanimous consent); and reported
by the Committee on July 24, 2018 (by voice vote).
BUSINESS MEETINGS
February 7, 2017
Full Committee markup: Committee Rules for the 115th
Congress, approved by voice vote; Oversight Plan for the 115th
Congress, approved by voice vote.
March 1, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 1224, the NIST Cybersecurity
Framework, Assessment, and Auditing Act of 2017, ordered
reported, as amended, by recorded vote 19-14.
March 9, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 1430, the Honest and Open New
EPA Science Treatment Act of 2017 (HONEST Act), ordered
reported by recorded vote 17-12; H.R. 1431, the EPA Science
Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017, ordered reported by recorded
vote 19-14.
May 2, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 2105, the NIST Small Business
Cybersecurity Act of 2017, ordered reported, as amended, by
voice vote.
June 8, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 2809, the American Space
Commerce Free Enterprise Act of 2017, ordered reported, as
amended, by voice vote.
June 22, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 2763, the Small Business
Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer
Improvements Act of 2017, ordered reported, as amended, by
voice vote.
September 28, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 1159, the United States and
Israel Space Cooperation Act, ordered reported by voice vote.
November 15, 2017
Full Committee markup: H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy
Research Infrastructure Act of 2017, ordered reported by voice
vote; H.R. 4377, the Accelerating American Leadership in
Science Act of 2017, ordered reported by voice vote; H.R. 4378,
the Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017, ordered
reported by voice vote; H.R. 4375, the STEM Research and
Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act, ordered reported
by voice vote; H.R. 4323, the Supporting Veterans in STEM
Careers Act, ordered reported by voice vote; H.R. 4254, the
Women in Aerospace Education Act, ordered reported, as amended,
by voice vote; H.R. 3397, the Building Blocks of STEM Act,
ordered reported, as amended, by voice vote.
January 10, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 4675, the Low Dose Radiation
Research Act of 2017, ordered reported, as amended, by voice
vote.
March 22, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 5345, the American Leadership
in Space Technology and Advanced Rocketry Act, ordered reported
by voice vote; H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support Vehicle
Act, ordered reported by voice vote; H.R. 5086, the Innovators
to Entrepreneurs Act of 2018, ordered reported by voice vote.
April 17, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 5509, the Innovations in
Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act, ordered reported,
as amended, by voice vote; H.R. 5503, the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018, ordered
reported, as amended, by recorded vote 26-7.
May 23, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 5905, the Department of Energy
Science and Innovation Act of 2018, ordered reported, as
amended, by voice vote; H.R. 5907, the National Innovation
Modernization by Laboratory Empowerment (NIMBLE) Act, ordered
reported by voice vote; H.R. 5906, the ARPA-E Act of 2018,
ordered reported, as amended, by voice vote.
June 27, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 6227, the National Quantum
Initiative Act, ordered reported, as amended, by voice vote;
H.R. 6229, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Reauthorization Act of 2018, ordered reported, as amended, by
voice vote; H.R. 6226, the American Space SAFE Management Act,
ordered reported, as amended, by voice vote.
July 18, 2018
Full Committee markup: H.R. 6398, the Department of Energy
Veterans' Health Initiative Act, ordered reported, as amended,
by voice vote.
July 24, 2018
Full Committee markup: S. 141, the Space Weather Research
and Forecasting Act, ordered reported, as amended, by voice
vote; H.R. 6468, the Improving Science in Chemical Assessments
Act, ordered reported by recorded vote 17-13.
II. OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES
HEARINGS
February 7, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Making EPA Great Again.
Witnesses: The Honorable Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Partner,
Bracewell LLP; Dr. Kimberly White, Senior Director, Chemical
Products and Technology, American Chemistry Council; The
Honorable Rush Holt, CEO, American Association for the
Advancement of Science; and Dr. Richard Belzer, Independent
Consultant.
February 14, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Strengthening
U.S. Cybersecurity Capabilities.
Witnesses: Dr. Charles H. Romine, Director, Information
Technology Lab, National Institute of Standards and Technology;
Mr. Iain Mulholland, Industry Member, Center for Strategic and
International Studies, Cyber Policy Task Force, and Chief
Technology Officer, Security, VMware, Inc.; Dr. Diana Burley,
Executive Director and Chair, Institute for Information
Infrastructure Protection (I3P), and Professor, Human and
Organizational Learning, The George Washington University; and
Mr. Gregory Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues,
U.S. Government Accountability Office.
February 15, 2017
Energy Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: Risky Business: The DOE Loan Guarantee Program.
Witnesses: Ms. Diane Katz, Senior Research Fellow in
Regulatory Policy, Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy
Studies, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Chris Edwards, Director,
Tax Policy Studies, Cato Institute; Mr. Dan Reicher, Executive
Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance,
Stanford University; and Dr. Ryan Yonk, Assistant Research
Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, Utah State
University, and Research Director, Institute of Political
Economy, Utah State University.
February 16, 2017
Full Committee hearing: NASA: Past, Present, and Future.
Witnesses: The Honorable Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17
Astronaut, and Former United States Senator; Lt. Gen. Thomas P.
Stafford, Gemini VI, Gemini IX, Apollo 10, Apollo-Soyuz Test
Project Astronaut, and Chairman, NASA International Space
Station Advisory Committee; Dr. Ellen Stofan, Former Chief
Scientist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); and Mr. Tom Young, Past Director, Goddard Spaceflight
Center, Past President and COO, Martin Marietta, and Past
Chairman SAIC.
February 28, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: At What Cost? Examining the Social Cost of Carbon.
Witnesses: Dr. Ted Gayer, Vice President and Director of
Economic Studies, Brookings Institute; Dr. Kevin Dayaratna,
Senior Statistician and Research Programmer, Center for Data
Analysis, The Heritage Foundation; Dr. Michael Greenstone,
Milton Friedman Professor in Economics, the College, and the
Harris School, Director of the Interdisciplinary Energy Policy
Institute, University of Chicago, and Director of Energy &
Environment Lab, University of Chicago Urban Labs; and Dr.
Patrick Michaels, Director, Center for the Study of Science,
Cato Institute.
March 8, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: Regulating Space: Innovation,
Liberty, and International Obligations.
Witnesses: Ms. Laura Montgomery, Attorney and Sole
Proprietor, Ground Based Space Matters, LLC; Dr. Eli Dourado,
Senior Research Fellow and Director, Technology Policy Program,
Mercatus Center, George Mason University; Mr. Douglas L.
Loverro, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space
Policy, U.S. Department of Defense; Mr. Dennis J. Burnett,
Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
College of Law; and Dr. Henry B. Hogue, Specialist in American
National Government, Congressional Research Service.
March 9, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: National
Science Foundation Part I: Overview and Oversight.
Witnesses: Dr. France Cordova, Director, National Science
Foundation; and Ms. Allison Lerner, Inspector General, National
Science Foundation.
March 21, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: National
Science Foundation Part II: Future Opportunities and Challenges
for Science.
Witnesses: Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Acting Chief Operating
Officer, National Science Foundation; Dr. Maria Zuber, Chair,
National Science Board; Dr. Jeffrey Spies, Co-Founder and Chief
Technology Officer, Center for Open Science and Assistant
Professor, University of Virginia; and Dr. Keith Yamamoto, Vice
Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy, University of
California, San Francisco.
March 22, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: The ISS After 2024: Options and
Impacts.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Dr. Mary Lynne
Dittmar, Executive Director, Coalition for Deep Space
Exploration; Mr. Eric Stallmer, President, Commercial
Spaceflight Federation; and Dr. Robert Ferl, Distinguished
Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for
Biotechnology Research, University of Florida.
March 29, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Climate Science: Assumptions,
Policy Implications, and the Scientific Method.
Witnesses: Dr. Judith Curry, President, Climate Forecast
Applications Network, and Professor Emeritus, Georgia Institute
of Technology; Dr. John Christy, Professor and Director, Earth
System Science Center, NSSTC, University of Alabama at
Huntsville, and State Climatologist, Alabama; Dr. Michael Mann,
Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science, Pennsylvania
State University, and Director, Earth System Science Center,
Pennsylvania State University; and Dr. Roger Pielke, Jr.,
Professor, Environmental Studies Department, University of
Colorado.
April 26, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Advances in the Search for Life.
Witnesses: Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator,
Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration; Dr. Adam Burgasser, Professor of Physics,
University of California, San Diego and UCSD Center for
Astrophysics and Space Science, Fulbright Scholar; Dr. James
Kasting, Chair, Planning Committee, Workshop on the Search for
Life Across Space and Time, National Academies of Science,
Engineering, and Medicine, and Evan Pugh Professor of
Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University; and Dr. Seth
Shostak, Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute.
May 3, 2017
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Oil and Gas Technology
Innovation.
Witnesses: Mr. Edward Johnston, Senior Vice President for
Research and Development, Gas Technology Institute; Dr. David
Brower, Founder and President, Astro Technology; Mr. Walker
Dimmig, Principal, 8 Rivers Capital, LLC; and Dr. Ramanan
Krishnamoorti, Interim Vice President and Interim Vice
Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer, University of
Houston & University of Houston System, and Chief Energy
Officer, University of Houston.
May 4, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Contracting and
Workforce Subcommittee joint hearing: Improving the Small
Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology
Transfer Programs.
Witnesses: Mr. Joe Shepard, Associate Administrator, Office
of Investment and Innovation, United States Small Business
Administration; Mr. John Neumann, Director, Natural Resources
and Environment, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr.
John Clanton, Chief Executive Officer, Lynntech, Inc.; Dr. John
S. Langford, Chairman and CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences
Corporation; Mr. Ron Shroder, CEO and President, Frontier
Technologies, Inc.; Ms. Angela M. Alban, President and CEO,
SIMETRI, Inc.; and Dr. Clinton T. Rubin, SUNY Distinguished
Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Director, Center for Biotechnology.
May 23, 2017
Environment Subcommittee hearing: Expanding the Role of
States in EPA Rulemaking.
Witnesses: Mr. Misael Cabrera, PE, Director, Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality; Ms. Becky Keogh, Director,
Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality; and Dr. Deborah
L. Swackhamer, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Hubert H. Humphrey
School of Public Affairs and Professor Emerita, Environmental
Health Sciences, University of Minnesota.
May 24, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Oversight
Subcommittee joint hearing: Examining the Overhead Cost of
Research.
Witnesses: Mr. Dale Bell, Division Director, Institution
and Award Support, National Science Foundation; Mr. John
Neumann, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Mr. James Luther, Associate
Vice President of Finance & Compliance Officer, Duke
University, and Chairman of the Board, Council on Governmental
Relations; and Dr. Richard Vedder, Distinguished Professor of
Economics Emeritus, Department of Economics, Ohio University,
and Director, Center for College Affordability and
Productivity.
June 8, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Overview of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Budget for Fiscal Year
2018.
Witness: Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Acting
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
June 15, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: Lessons Learned from WannaCry.
Witnesses: Mr. Salim Neino, Chief Executive Officer,
Kryptos Logic; Dr. Charles H. Romine, Director, Information
Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Mr. Gregory J. Touhill, CISSP, CISM, Brigadier
General, USAF (ret), and Adjunct Professor, Cybersecurity &
Risk Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College; and
Dr. Hugh Thompson, Chief Technology Officer, Symantec.
June 21, 2017
Environment Subcommittee hearing: Leading the Way:
Examining Advances in Environmental Technologies.
Witnesses: Mr. Sebastien De Halleux, Chief Operating
Officer, Saildrone, Inc.; Dr. Neil Jacobs, Chief Atmospheric
Scientist, Panasonic Avionics; and Dr. Burke Hales, Professor
in Ocean Ecology and Biogeochemistry, College of Earth, Ocean
and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
June 28, 2017
Energy Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Materials Science: Building the
Future.
Witnesses: Dr. Matthew Tirrell, Deputy Laboratory Director
for Science and Chief Research Officer, Argonne National
Laboratory; Dr. Laurie Locascio, Acting Associate Director for
Laboratory Programs and Director, Material Measurement
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Dr.
Adam Schwartz, Director, Ames Laboratory; and Dr. Fred Higgs,
John and Ann Doerr Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Rice
University.
June 29, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: In-Space Propulsion: Strategic
Choices and Options.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Mr.
Stephen Jurczyk, Associate Administrator, Space Technology
Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA); Dr. Mitchell Walker, Chair, Electric
Propulsion Technical Committee, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics; Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, Founder
and CEO, Ad Astra Rocket Company; Mr. Joe Cassady, Executive
Director for Space, Washington Operations, Aerojet Rocketdyne;
and Dr. Anthony Pancotti, Director of Propulsion Research, MSNW
LLC.
July 12, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: U.S. Fire
Administration and Fire Grant Programs Reauthorization:
Examining Effectiveness and Priorities.
Witnesses: Dr. Denis Onieal, Acting Administrator, United
States Fire Administration; Chief John Sinclair, President and
Chair of the Board, International Association of Fire Chiefs,
and Fire Chief, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue; Captain John
Niemiec, President, Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters
and Paramedics-International Association of Fire Fighters Local
2068; Mr. Steve Hirsch, First Vice Chair, National Volunteer
Fire Council, and Training Officer, Sheridan County Fire
District #1, Thomas County Fire District #4 and Grinnell Fire
Department; Dr. Gavin Horn, Research Program Director, Illinois
Fire Service Institute; and Chief H. ``Butch'' Browning, Jr.,
President, National Association of State Fire Marshalls,
Louisiana State Fire Marshall.
July 18, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: Planetary Flagship Missions:
Mars Rover 2020 and Europa Clipper.
Witnesses: Dr. Jim Green, Director, Planetary Science
Division, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA); Dr. Kenneth Farley, Mars Rover
2020 Project Scientist, and Professor of Geochemistry,
California Institute of Technology; Dr. Robert Pappalardo,
Europa Clipper Project Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology; Dr. Linda T. Elkins-Tanton,
Director and Foundation Professor, School of Earth and Space
Exploration, Arizona State University, and Principal
Investigator, NASA Psyche Mission; and Dr. William B. McKinnon,
Co-Chair, National Academy of Sciences, Committee on
Astrobiology and Planetary Science, and Professor of Earth and
Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis.
July 19, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Energy Innovation: Letting
Technology Lead.
Witnesses: Dr. Jacob DeWitte, President and CEO, Oklo; Dr.
Gaurav N. Sant, Associate Professor and Henry Samueli Fellow,
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Henry
Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); Dr. Venky Narayanamurti,
Benjamin Peirce Research Professor of Technology and Public
Policy, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences, Harvard University; and Mr. Kiran Kumaraswamy, Market
Development Director, AES Energy Storage.
July 25, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining Advancements in Biofuels: Balancing Federal
Research and Market Innovation.
Witnesses: Dr. Paul Gilna, Director, BioEnergy Science
Center and Deputy-Division Director of Biosciences, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory; Dr. John DeCicco, Research Professor,
University of Michigan Energy Institute, and Director,
University of Michigan Energy Survey; Ms. Emily Skor, Chief
Executive Officer, Growth Energy; and Mr. Nick Loris, Herbert
and Joyce Morgan Research Fellow in Energy and Environmental
Policy, Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity, The
Heritage Foundation.
July 26, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: STEM and
Computer Science Education: Preparing the 21st Century
Workforce.
Witnesses: Mr. James Brown, Executive Director, STEM
Education Coalition; Mr. Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic
Officer, Code.org; Dr. A. Paul Alivisatos, Executive Vice
Chancellor & Provost, Vice Chancellor for Research, and
Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science & Engineering,
University of California, Berkeley; and Ms. Dee Mooney,
Executive Director, Micron Technology Foundation.
September 6, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining the Scientific and Operational Integrity of
EPA's IRIS Program.
Witnesses: Dr. Kenneth Mundt, Principal, Ramboll Environ;
Dr. James Bus, Senior Managing Scientist, Exponent; and Dr.
Thomas Burke, Johns Hopkins University.
September 7, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: Private Sector Lunar
Exploration.
Witnesses: Mr. Jason Crusan, Director, Advanced Exploration
Systems, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA);
Mr. Bob Richards, Founder and CEO, Moon Express, Inc.; Mr. John
Thornton, Chief Executive Officer, Astrobotic Technology, Inc.;
Mr. Bretton Alexander, Director of Business Development and
Strategy, Blue Origin; and Dr. George Sowers, Professor, Space
Resources, Colorado School of Mines.
September 28, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Space Subcommittee
joint hearing: The Great American Eclipse: To Totality and
Beyond.
Witnesses: Dr. James Ulvestad, Assistant Director (acting),
Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, National
Science Foundation; Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate
Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Dr. Heidi Hammel,
Executive Vice President, Association of Universities for
Research in Astronomy; Dr. Matthew Penn, Astronomer, National
Solar Observatory; and Ms. Michelle Nichols-Yehling, Director
of Public Observing, Adler Planetarium.
October 3, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Resiliency: The Electric Grid's
Only Hope.
Witnesses: Dr. William Sanders, Department Head, Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois;
Mr. Carl Imhoff, Manager, Electricity Market Sector, Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory; Dr. Gavin Dillingham, Program
Director, Clean Energy Policy, Houston Advanced Research
Center; and Mr. Walt Baum, Executive Director, Texas Public
Power Association.
October 4, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: Power Exploration: An Update on
Radioisotope Production and Lessons Learned from Cassini.
Witnesses: Mr. David Schurr, Deputy Director, Planetary
Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); Ms. Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S.
Department of Energy; Dr. Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chief Scientist
for Space Science in the Space Exploration Sector, The Johns
Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; and Ms. Shelby
Oakley, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management,
Government Accountability Office.
October 11, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: NIST's Physical Security
Vulnerabilities: A GAO Undercover Review.
Witnesses: Ms. Lisa Casias, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Dr. Kent Rochford,
Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; and Mr. Seto Bagdoyan, Director, Audit Services,
Forensic Audits & Investigative Service, U.S. Government
Accountability Office.
October 24, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Energy
Subcommittee joint hearing: American Leadership in Quantum
Technology.
Witnesses: Dr. Carl J. Williams, Acting Director, Physical
Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Dr. Jim Kurose, Assistant Director, Computer and
Information Science and Engineering Directorate, National
Science Foundation; Dr. John Stephen Binkley, Acting Director
of Science, U.S. Department of Energy; Dr. Scott Crowder, Vice
President and Chief Technology Officer for Quantum Computing,
IBM Systems Group; Dr. Christopher Monroe, Distinguished
University Professor & Bice Zorn Professor, Department of
Physics, University of Maryland, and Founder and Chief
Scientist, IonQ, Inc.; and Dr. Supratik Guha, Director,
Nanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National
Laboratory, and Professor, Institute for Molecular Engineering,
University of Chicago.
October 25, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: Assessing the Risk of Kaspersky Lab Products to
the Federal Government.
Witnesses: Ms. Donna Dodson, Associate Director and Chief
Cybersecurity Advisor, Information Technology Laboratory, and
Chief Cybersecurity Advisor, National Institute of Standards
and Technology; Mr. David Shive, Chief Information Officer,
U.S. General Services Administration; Mr. James Norton,
President, Play-Action Strategies LLC, and Adjunct Professor,
Johns Hopkins University; and Mr. Sean Kanuck, Director, Future
Conflict and Cyber Security, International Institute for
Strategic Studies.
November 1, 2017
Energy Subcommittee hearing: The Future of Low Dose
Radiation Research.
Witnesses: Mr. John Neumann, Director, Science and
Technology Issues, Government Accountability Office; Dr. Gayle
Woloschak, Professor, Radiation Oncology and Radiology,
Northwestern University; and Dr. James Brink, Professor,
Radiology, Harvard Medical School, and Radiologist-in-Chief,
Massachusetts General Hospital.
November 2, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Putting Food
on the Table--A Review of the Importance of Agriculture
Research.
Witnesses: Dr. Daniel Gerstein, Senior Policy Researcher,
RAND Corporation; Dr. Stephen Higgs, Associate Vice President
for Research and Director, Biosecurity Research Institute,
Kansas State University; Dr. Stephen P. Moose, Denton and
Elizabeth Alexander Professor, Maize Breeding and Genetics,
Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign; and Dr. Elizabeth Wagstrom, Chief Veterinarian,
National Pork Producers Council.
November 8, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee joint
hearing: Geoengineering: Innovation, Research, and Technology.
Witnesses: Dr. Phil Rasch, Chief Scientist for Climate
Science, Laboratory Fellow, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory; Dr. Joseph Majkut, Director of Climate Policy,
Niskanen Center; Dr. Douglas MacMartin, Senior Research
Associate, Cornell University; and Ms. Kelly Wanser, Principal
Director, Marine Cloud Brightening Project, Joint Institute for
the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of
Washington.
November 9, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Update on NASA Exploration
Systems Development.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Dr.
Sandra Magnus, Executive Director, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
November 14, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: A Survey of Compliance with the DHS Directive.
Witnesses: Ms. Jeanette Manfra, Assistant Secretary,
Cybersecurity and Communications, National Protection and
Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Ms.
Renee Wynn, Chief Information Officer, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA); Ms. Essye Miller, Deputy Chief
Information Officer for Cybersecurity, U.S. Department of
Defense; and Dr. Mark Jacobson, Associate Teaching Professor,
Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
November 29, 2017
Environment Subcommittee hearing: The Future of WOTUS:
Examining the Role of States.
Witnesses: Mr. Wesley Mehl, Deputy Commissioner, Arizona
State Land Department; Mr. James K. Chilton, Jr., Rancher,
Chilton Ranch; Mr. Ken Kopocis, Adjunct Associate Professor,
American University Washington College of Law; and Mr. Reed
Hopper, Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation.
December 6, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: From Lab to
Market: A Review of NSF Innovation Corps.
Witnesses: Dr. Dawn Tilbury, Assistant Director,
Directorate for Engineering, National Science Foundation; Mr.
Steve Blank, Adjunct Professor, Management Science and
Engineering, Stanford University; Dr. Dean Chang, Associate
Vice President, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of
Maryland, and Lead Principal Investigator, DC I-Corps Regional
Node; and Dr. Sue Carter, Professor, Department of Physics, and
Director, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial
Development, University of California, Santa Cruz.
December 6, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: NASA's Next Four Large
Telescopes.
Witnesses: Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator,
Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA); Ms. Cristina Chaplain, Director,
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, Government Accountability
Office; Mr. A. Thomas Young, Former Director, Goddard Space
Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), and Former President and Chief Operating Officer,
Martin Marietta Corporation; Dr. Matt Mountain, President,
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy; and Dr.
Chris McKee, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Physics,
University of California, Berkeley, on behalf of the National
Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
December 13, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Head Health
Challenge: Preventing Head Trauma from Football Field to Shop
Floor to Battlefield.
Witnesses: Dr. Michael Fasolka, Acting Director, Material
Measurement Lab, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Mr. Scott A. Kebschull, Vice President and
Technical Director, Dynamic Research, Inc.; Dr. Alex O. Dehgan,
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Conservation X Labs; and
Mr. Shawn Springs, Chief Executive Officer, Windpact.
December 13, 2017
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Advancing Solar Energy
Technology: Research Trumps Deployment.
Witnesses: Mr. Daniel Simmons, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy; Dr. Martin Keller, Director,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Dr. Steve Eglash,
Executive Director, Strategic Research Initiatives, Computer
Science, Stanford University; and Mr. Kenny Stein, Director of
Policy, Institute for Energy Research.
January 17, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Update on NASA Commercial
Crew Systems Development.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Mr. John
Mulholland, Vice President and Program Manager, Commercial
Programs, Boeing Space Exploration; Dr. Hans Koenigsmann, Vice
President, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX; Ms. Cristina
Chaplain, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; and Dr. Patricia Sanders,
Chair, NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.
January 30, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Department of Energy: Management
and Priorities.
Witnesses: The Honorable Paul Dabbar, Under Secretary for
Science, U.S. Department of Energy; and The Honorable Mark
Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.
February 6, 2018
Full Committee hearing: In Defense of Scientific Integrity:
Examining the IARC Monograph Programme and Glyphosate Review.
Witnesses: Dr. Anna Lowit, Senior Science Adviser, Office
of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
Dr. Timothy Pastoor, CEO, Pastoor Science Communications; Dr.
Jennifer Sass, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense
Council; and Dr. Robert Tarone, (retired) Mathematical
Statistician, U.S. National Cancer Institute and Biostatistics
Director, International Epidemiology Institute.
February 14, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Beyond Bitcoin: Emerging
Applications for Blockchain Technology.
Witnesses: Mr. Chris A. Jaikaran, Analyst in Cybersecurity
Policy, Government and Finance Division, Congressional Research
Service; Dr. Charles H. Romine, Director, Information
Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Mr. Gennaro ``Jerry'' Cuomo, IBM Fellow and Vice
President of Blockchain Technologies, IBM Cloud; Mr. Frank
Yiannas, Vice President of Food Safety, Walmart, Inc.; and Mr.
Aaron Wright, Associate Clinical Professor and Co-Director of
the Blockchain Project, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
February 15, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Mentoring,
Training, and Apprenticeships for STEM Education and Careers.
Witnesses: Dr. Victor R. McCrary, Vice President, Division
of Research and Economic Development, Morgan State University,
and Member and Chair, Task Force on the Skilled Technical
Workforce, National Science Board; Dr. John Sands, Department
Chair, Computer Integrated Technologies, Moraine Valley
Community College, and Director and Principal Investigator,
Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance; Mr.
Montez King, Executive Director, National Institute of
Metalworking Skills; and Dr. John Bardo, President, Wichita
State University.
February 27, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: A Review of
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct in Science.
Witnesses: Ms. Rhonda Davis, Head, Office of Diversity and
Inclusion, National Science Foundation; Dr. Kathryn Clancy,
Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of
Illinois; Ms. Christine McEntee, Executive Director, American
Geophysical Union; and Ms. Kristina Larsen, Attorney, Law
Office of Kristina K. Larsen.
March 6, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: The Future of U.S. Fusion
Energy Research.
Witnesses: Dr. Bernard Bigot, Director-General, ITER
Organization; Dr. James W. Van Dam, Acting Associate Director,
Fusion Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U.S. Department of
Energy; Dr. Mickey Wade, Director of Advanced Fusion Systems,
Magnetic Fusion Energy Division, General Atomics; and Dr. Mark
Herrmann, Director, National Ignition Facility, Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory.
March 7, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Overview of the NASA Budget
for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witness: Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Acting
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
March 14, 2018
Full Committee hearing: National Laboratories: World-
Leading Innovation in Science.
Witnesses: Dr. Mark Peters, Director, Idaho National
Laboratory; Dr. Susan Seestrom, Advanced Science & Technology
Associate Labs Director and Chief Research Officer, Sandia
National Laboratory; Dr. Mary E. Maxon, Associate Laboratory
Director for Biosciences, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory; Dr. Chi-Chang Kao, Director, Stanford Linear
Accelerator Center, National Accelerator Laboratory; and Dr.
Paul Kearns, Director, Argonne National Laboratory.
March 15, 2018
Full Committee hearing: An Overview of the National Science
Foundation Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witnesses: Dr. France Cordova, Director, National Science
Foundation; and Dr. Maria T. Zuber, Chair, National Science
Board.
April 11, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Scholars or Spies: Foreign Plots
Targeting America's Research and Development.
Witnesses: The Honorable Michael Wessel, Commissioner,
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; The
Honorable Michelle Van Cleave, Former National
Counterintelligence Executive, Office of National
Counterintelligence Executive; Mr. Daniel Golden, Author, `Spy
Schools'; and Mr. Crane Hassold, Director of Threat
Intelligence, PhishLabs.
April 18, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Composite
Materials--Strengthening Infrastructure Development.
Witnesses: Dr. Joannie Chin, Deputy Director, Engineering
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Dr.
Hota GangaRao, Wadsworth Distinguished Professor, Statler
College of Engineering, West Virginia University; Dr. David
Lange, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and
Mr. Shae Weyant, President and CEO, Creative Pultrusions, Inc.
April 26, 2018
Environment Subcommittee and Space Subcommittee joint
hearing: Surveying the Space Weather Landscape.
Witnesses: Dr. Neil Jacobs, Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Environmental Observation and Prediction, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration; Dr. Jim Spann, Chief Scientist,
Heliophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Dr. Sarah Gibson,
Senior Scientist, High Altitude Observatory, National Center
for Atmospheric Research, and Co-Chair, Committee on Solar and
Space Physics, National Academy of Science; and Dr. W. Kent
Tobiska, President and Chief Scientist, Space Environment
Technologies.
May 8, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Leveraging Blockchain Technology to
Improve Supply Chain Management and Combat Counterfeit Goods.
Witnesses: Dr. Douglas Maughan, Cyber Security Division
Director, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department
of Homeland Security; Mr. Robert ``Bob'' Chiaviello, IPR
Counsel, Nuby Law; Mr. Michael White, Head of Global Trade
Digitization, Maersk; and Mr. Chris Rubio, Vice President
Global Customs Brokerage Staff, UPS.
May 9, 2018
Full Committee hearing: An Overview of the Budget Proposal
for the Department of Energy for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witness: The Honorable Rick Perry, Secretary, U.S.
Department of Energy.
May 16, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Using Technology to Address Climate
Change.
Witnesses: Mr. Oren Cass, Senior Fellow, Manhattan
Institute; Mr. Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director, The
Breakthrough Institute; Dr. Phil Duffy, President and Executive
Director, Woods Hole Research Center; and Dr. Judith Curry,
President, Climate Forecast Applications Network, and Professor
Emerita, Georgia Institute of Technology.
May 17, 2018
Full Committee hearing: America's Human Presence in Low-
Earth Orbit.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Dr.
Bhavya Lal, Research Staff, Science and Technology Policy
Institute, Institute for Defense Analysis; and Dr. Elizabeth R.
Cantwell, CEO, Arizona State University Research Enterprise,
and Professor of Practice, School for Engineering of Matter,
Transport & Energy, Arizona State University.
May 22, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Energy
Subcommittee joint hearing: Empowering U.S. Veterans Through
Technology.
Witnesses: Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov, Chief Scientist, National
Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy; Mr.
Christopher Meek, Founder and Chairman, SoldierStrong; Ms.
Martha MacCallum, Advisory Board Member, SoldierStrong; Mr.
John Wordin, President and Founder, Project Hero; and Dr.
Matthew J. Major, Research Health Scientist and Assistant
Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern
University.
May 31, 2018
Field hearing: Earthquake Mitigation: Reauthorizing the
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
Witnesses: Dr. Steven McCabe, Director, National Earthquake
Hazards Reduction Program, and Group Leader, Earthquake
Engineering Group, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Dr. Stephen Hickman, Director, USGS Earthquake
Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey; Dr. Frank Vernon,
Research Geophysicist, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary
Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of
California, San Diego; Mr. Chris D. Poland, Consulting Engineer
and National Institute of Standards and Technology Community
Resilience Fellow; and Mr. Ryan Arba, Branch Chief, Earthquake
and Tsunami Program, California Governor's Office of Emergency
Services.
June 7, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: The Electric Grid of the
Future.
Witnesses: The Honorable Bruce J. Walker, Assistant
Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy, and Acting Assistant
Secretary, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and
Emergency Response, U.S. Department of Energy; Dr. John Sarrao,
Principal Associate Director, Science, Technology, and
Engineering Directorate, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mr.
Robert Gramlich, President, Grid Strategies, LLC; and Dr.
Joseph A. Heppert, Vice President for Research, Texas Tech
University.
June 14, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: NASA Cost and Schedule
Overruns: Acquisition and Program Management Challenges.
Witnesses: Ms. Cristina T. Chaplain, Director, Contracting
and National Security Acquisitions, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Stephen Jurczyk, Associate
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); Mr. Paul K. Martin, Inspector General, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Mr. Daniel L.
Dumbacher, Executive Director, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
June 21, 2018
Environment Subcommittee hearing: State Perspectives on
Regulating Background Ozone.
Witnesses: Ms. Diane Rath, Executive Director, Alamo Area
Council of Governments; Mr. Timothy Franquist, Air Quality
Division Director, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality;
Dr. Elena Craft, Senior Health Scientist, Environmental Defense
Fund; and Mr. Gregory Stella, Senior Scientist, Alpine
Geophysics.
June 22, 2018
Space Subcommittee and Strategic Forces Subcommittee joint
hearing: Space Situational Awareness: Whole of Government
Perspectives on Roles and Responsibilities.
Witnesses: The Honorable Wilbur Ross, Secretary, U.S.
Department of Commerce; The Honorable Jim Bridenstine,
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); and General John Hyten, Commander, U.S. Strategic
Command.
June 26, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Energy
Subcommittee joint hearing: Artificial Intelligence--With Great
Power Comes Great Responsibility.
Witnesses: Dr. Jaime Carbonell, Director, Language
Technologies Institute, and Allen Newell Professor, School of
Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University; Dr. Tim Persons,
Chief Scientist, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr.
Greg Brockman, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI;
and Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Chairperson of the Board and Co-Founder,
AI4ALL.
June 27, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee hearing: Bolstering Data Privacy and
Mobile Security: An Assessment of IMSI Catcher Threats.
Witnesses: Dr. Charles H. Romine, Director, Information
Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Dr. T. Charles Clancy, Director, Hume Center for
National Security and Technology, Virginia Tech; and Dr.
Jonathan Mayer, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and
Public Affairs, Princeton University.
July 12, 2018
Energy Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Big Data Challenges and Advanced
Computing Solutions.
Witnesses: Dr. Bobby Kasthuri, Researcher, Argonne National
Laboratory, and Assistant Professor, University of Chicago; Dr.
Katherine Yelick, Associate Laboratory Director for Computing
Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Professor,
University of California, Berkeley; Dr. Matthew Nielsen,
Principal Scientist, Industrial Outcomes Optimization, GE
Global Research; and Dr. Anthony Rollett, U.S. Steel Professor
of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University.
July 17, 2018
Energy Subcommittee and Environment Subcommittee joint
hearing: The Future of Fossil: Energy Technologies Leading the
Way.
Witnesses: Dr. Roger Aines, Senior Scientist, Atmospheric,
Earth and Energy Division, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory; Dr. Klaus Brun, Program Director, Machinery
Program, Fluids & Machinery Engineering Department, Southwest
Research Institute; Ms. Shannon Angielski, Executive Director,
Carbon Utilization Research Council; and Mr. Jason Begger,
Executive Director, Wyoming Infrastructure Authority.
July 24, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Urban Air Mobility--Are Flying Cars
Ready for Take-Off?
Witnesses: Dr. Jaiwon Shin, Associate Administrator,
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA); Dr. John-Paul Clarke, College
of Engineering Dean's Professor, Georgia Institute of
Technology, and Co-Chair, 2014 National Research Council
Committee on Autonomy Research for Civil Aviation; Dr. Eric
Allison, Head of Aviation Programs, Uber; Mr. Michael Thacker,
Executive Vice President, Technology and Innovation, Bell; and
Ms. Anna Mracek Dietrich, Co-Founder and Regulatory Affairs,
Terrafugia Inc.
July 25-26, 2018
Full Committee hearing: James Webb Space Telescope: Program
Breach and its Implications.
Witnesses: The Honorable Jim Bridenstine, Administrator,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Mr. Tom
Young, Chairman, JWST Independent Review Board; and Mr. Wesley
Bush, Chief Executive Officer, Northrop Grumman Corp.
September 13, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Environment Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining the Underlying Science and Impacts of Glider
Truck Regulations.
Witnesses: Ms. Linda Tsang, Legislative Attorney,
Congressional Research Service; Mr. Collin Long, Director of
Government Affairs, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association; Dr. Paul J. Miller, Deputy Director & Chief
Scientist, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management;
and Dr. Richard B. Belzer, Independent Consultant in
Regulation, Risk, Economics & Information Quality.
September 26, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: 60 Years of NASA Leadership in
Human Space Exploration: Past, Present, and Future.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission
Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); Mr. Mark Geyer, Director, Johnson Space Center,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Ms. Jody
Singer, Director, Marshall Space Flight Center, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Mr. Robert
Cabana, Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
September 27, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Advancing Nuclear Energy:
Powering the Future.
Witnesses: Mr. Edward McGinnis, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy; Mr.
Harlan Bowers, President, X-energy; Dr. John Parsons, Co-Chair,
MIT Study on the Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-
Constrained World; and Dr. John Wagner, Associate Laboratory
Director, Nuclear Science & Technology, Idaho National
Laboratory.
SUMMARY OF OVERSIGHT PLAN
House Rule X sets the Committee's legislative jurisdiction
while also assigning broad oversight responsibilities. Rule X
also assigns the Committee special oversight responsibility for
``reviewing and studying, on a continuing basis, all laws,
programs, and Government activities dealing with or involving
non-military research and development.'' The Committee
appreciates the special function entrusted to it and will
continue to tackle troubled programs and search for waste,
fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in non-military research and
development programs regardless of where they may be found.
Much of the oversight work of the Committee is carried out
by and through the Oversight Subcommittee. However, oversight
is conducted by every Subcommittee and the full Committee. All
components of the Committee take their oversight charge
seriously and work cooperatively to meet the Committee's
oversight responsibilities.
The Committee also routinely works with the U.S. Government
Accountability Office (GAO) and the Inspectors General (IG) of
the agencies under its jurisdiction to maintain detailed
awareness of the work of those offices. The Committee currently
has numerous outstanding requests with the GAO. These include
bipartisan requests as well as those signed by multiple
Committee Chairmen with shared interests.
The Committee continues to be concerned about allegations
of intimidation of science specialists in federal agencies,
suppression or revisions of scientific finding, and
mischaracterization of scientific findings because of political
or other pressures. The Committee's oversight will include
examination of allegations, and will also involve the
development and implementation of scientific integrity
principles within the executive branch.
Oversight is commonly driven by emerging events. While the
Committee continues to address new issues and topics as they
transpire, the following is a summary of the Committee's
Oversight Plan approved in February 2017.
Energy
Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science
The Committee conducted oversight of Office of Science
programs and reviewed prioritization across, and management
within, its major research areas. Special attention was given
to the cost, operation, and maintenance of DOE's existing and
planned major facilities.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) R&D
The Committee undertook efforts to improve focus,
prioritization, and transparency of EERE programs, and provided
close oversight to ensure that programs were managed
efficiently, duplication was limited, and funding was allocated
appropriately and effectively.
Nuclear Energy R&D
The Committee provided oversight of the nation's nuclear
R&D activities, and examined efforts by DOE, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and industry stakeholders to research,
develop, construct, and license advanced reactor technology.
The Committee examined how the Office of Nuclear Energy
prioritized groundbreaking research and ensure the Department
of Energy maintained focus on R&D programs that cannot be
undertaken by the private sector.
Fossil Energy R&D
The Committee has undertaken efforts to improve focus,
prioritization, and transparency of the Office of Fossil Energy
(FE) programs, and provide close oversight to ensure that
programs are managed efficiently. The Committee also examined
the Office of Fossil Laboratory, the National Energy Technology
Laboratory, which requires additional oversight due to the
unique government owned, government operated management
structure at the lab.
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE)
The Committee reviewed efforts to improve focus,
prioritization, and transparency of OE programs, and provided
close oversight to ensure that programs were managed
efficiently, duplication was limited, and funding was allocated
appropriately and effectively. The Committee also focused on
oversight of the Department's collaborative work with industry
in the areas of cybersecurity, smart grid technology, and
energy storage.
Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy (ARPA-E)
The Committee engaged in oversight of ARPA-E program
funding and management, examining the appropriate role for and
focus of ARPA-E in the context of DOE's numerous clean energy-
focused programs and activities.
DOE Loan Guarantees
Program management problems associated with past DOE loan
guarantees in recent years called for greater attention by the
Committee. The Committee focused its oversight on program
management challenges and ensuring the Department conducted
thorough reviews and rigorous financial analysis of the
existing loan guarantee portfolio.
DOE Contract Management
DOE programs have come under frequent scrutiny for contract
management practices. GAO designated DOE's contract management
as high-risk in 1990 and continues to identify areas of
potential waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee examined DOE
contract management practices, including potential areas of
waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department's contract
management.
Environment
Science and R&D at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Committee conducted oversight of EPA's management of
science and its use of science in the decision-making process,
including lab management, regulatory science, transparency, and
risk assessment. The Committee examined how to better integrate
science into the Administration's regulatory decision-making
process, including how EPA uses and manages scientific data to
reach its regulatory conclusions.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The Committee reviewed and conducted oversight of the
funding prioritization and program management challenges
related to NOAA's mission to understand and predict challenges
in weather, particularly as they relate to severe weather
events that threaten life and property. The Committee also
reviewed and conducted oversight of NOAA's satellite programs,
and continued its oversight of NOAA's commercial satellite
priorities to ensure that the Agency took necessary steps to
protect public safety in the face of government program
failures.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The Committee reviewed and conducted oversight of NASA's
efforts to prioritize, plan, and implement Earth science
missions within cost and schedule. Particular attention was
paid to programs that exceeded cost estimates to ensure that
they did not adversely impact the development and launch of
other NASA priorities. The Committee also examined the impact
of large increases in funding for the Earth Science Directorate
relative to funding requested for other science disciplines.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
The Committee reviewed and conducted oversight of the
satellite activities of the USGS, with an emphasis on its
LANDSAT program, to ensure continuity of services and
implementation of best technologies and commercial partnering.
Climate Research Activities
The Committee reviewed and conducted oversight of the broad
array of programs addressing climate change issues across the
Federal government to ensure that existing programs are
necessary, appropriately focused, effectively coordinated, and
properly organized to prevent duplication of efforts and the
waste of taxpayer resources.
Research and Technology
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The Committee reviewed activities of NSF conducted pursuant
to appropriations for Research and Related Activities,
including funding through NSF's seven directorates that support
science and engineering research and STEM education and
research. The Committee also reviewed non-research activities
of NSF conducted through NSF's Office of the Director and the
Office of Integrative Activities, as well as financial
management, award processing and monitoring, legal affairs,
outreach and other functions. Additionally, the Committee
reviewed NSF compliance with and the effects of provisions of
the STEM Education Act of 2015, as well as NSF implementation
of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The Committee reviewed NIST programs and activities as well
as other programs under the Department of Commerce, and paid
special attention to the evaluation of their alignment with and
impact on industry and assurance that the programs do not
encroach on areas better served by the private sector. The
Committee also reviewed cybersecurity coordination among NIST,
NSF, and the Department of Homeland Security, NIST
responsibilities and federal agencies' compliance with
cybersecurity regimes authorized by the Federal Information
Security Management Act (FISMA), and how federal agencies
balance security mandates with the ability to allow
technological development through innovation. Additionally, the
Committee reviewed NIST's performance of its critical role in
helping to develop standards and conformance testing processes
that protect privacy, minimize private sector waste, and
advance U.S. economic competitiveness and technological
leadership.
Department of Transportation
The Committee reviewed research, development, and
demonstration activities of the Department of Transportation,
including safety, cybersecurity, and autonomous vehicle systems
development programs authorized by the 2015 Fixing America's
Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). The Committee also
reviewed advances in autonomous vehicle technologies, as well
as Department of Transportation administration and results
research, development, technology and education programs
authorized under the FAST Act, including Highway Research and
Development; University Transportation Centers; Intelligent
Highways Systems; and Advanced Transportation and Congestion
Management Technologies.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The Committee reviewed activities of the DHS Science and
Technology Directorate, focusing on its effectiveness,
organization, direction, and priorities. The Committee also
examined the effectiveness and organization, direction and
priorities of the research and technology programs associated
with the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
The Committee reviewed administration of grant programs
that support local career and volunteer firefighting and first-
responder capabilities and examined improvements to the
functionality of the USFA.
Economic Competitiveness
The Committee reviewed the technology transfer incentives
of the Bayh-Dole Act, the Stevenson-Wydler Act, and the Small
Business Innovative Research and Technology Transfer (SBIR/
STTR) programs to improve America's competitiveness and
innovative capacity. The Committee also examined the
effectiveness and efficiency of SBIR/STTR in increasing the
pace of commercializing technology developed from federally-
supported basic research.
Natural Hazards
The Committee reviewed interagency research programs to
mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters such as
earthquakes, windstorms, and fires by developing early warning
systems and improved building and infrastructure design.
Space
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The Committee reviewed, monitored, and conducted oversight
of public and private initiatives related to aeronautical and
space activities; reviewed activities of NASA; monitored and
conducted oversight of the activities of the National Space
Council; reviewed funding, management, and spending related to
the James Webb Space Telescope program; assessed and reviewed
NASA's Human Space Flight program, with an emphasis on NASA's
plans and priorities relative to its resources and
requirements; evaluated, monitored, and reviewed the ability of
commercial providers to affordably, safely, and reliably
deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station; and
reviewed, monitored, and conducted oversight of all activities
housed within NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Aeronautics
Mission Directorate, Space Technology Mission Directorate, and
Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.
Department of Transportation
The Committee reviewed and conducted oversight of the
activities of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation
(AST); reviewed and monitored the emergence of commercial human
suborbital space flight ventures; examined and reviewed the
progress of the emerging personal space flight industry;
reviewed and assessed efforts related to control of outer
space, including international obligations, space situational
awareness, space traffic management, and regulations pertaining
to space activities; and conducted oversight of the FAA's R&D
activities to ensure that the lead to improvements in the U.S.
aerospace sector, with a particular focus on FAA's management
of its Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)
program.
Department of Commerce
The Committee examined and reviewed the regulation of
commercial remote sensing activities; conducted oversight of
the transition of earth science research to operations;
assessed and conducted oversight of space spectrum allocations,
including impacts on weather forecasting, and position and
navigation and timing services; and reviewed the impact and
management of U.S. export control policy on the space industry.
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE
OVERSIGHT PLAN
Energy
Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Programs and Facilities
The Committee conducted extensive oversight of Office of
Science programs, focusing on maximizing the impact of major
national laboratory facilities and capabilities funded by these
programs. Hearings specifically addressing the Office of
Science include ``The Future of Low Dose Radiation Research''
(11/01/2017); ``Department of Energy: Management and
Priorities'' (01/30/2018); ``National Laboratories: World-
Leading Innovation in Science'' (03/14/2018); ``An Overview of
the Budget Proposal for the Department of Energy for Fiscal
Year 2019'' (05/09/2018); ``Artificial Intelligence--With Great
Power Comes Great Responsibility'' (06/27/2018); and ``Big Data
Challenges and Advanced Computing Solutions'' (07/12/2018).
The Committee advanced legislation to address key Committee
goals identified through this oversight, including legislation
authorizing the DOE to provide critical upgrades to basic
science user facilities at a number of its national
laboratories with H.R. 4376, the ``Department of Energy
Research Infrastructure Act'' and H.R. 4377, the ``Accelerating
American Leadership in Science Act''; legislation providing for
a coordinated Federal program to accelerate quantum research
and development and authorizing the DOE to carry out quantum
activities in the Office of Science with H.R. 6227, the
``National Quantum Initiative Act''; and legislation
authorizing research on low dose radiation, H.R. 4675, the
``Low Dose Radiation Research Act,'' which built on conclusions
from the Committee's investigation on DOE management
intimidating and retaliating against scientists in the 114th
Congress.
The Committee also enacted legislation providing policy
direction to the DOE on key areas of basic science research,
nuclear energy R&D, research coordination and priorities, and
important reforms to streamline national lab management in H.R.
589, the ``Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act'';
and advanced legislation authorizing funding and providing
critical policy guidelines for Office of Science basic research
programs, research infrastructure upgrades and construction of
major user facilities at the DOE national labs for fiscal years
2018 and 2019 in H.R. 5905, the ``Department of Energy Science
and Innovation Act.''
International Agreements
The Committee continued to conduct bipartisan oversight of
the ITER project, an international collaboration to construct a
first-of-a-kind nuclear fusion reactor authorized by Congress.
This collaboration includes the European Union, Russian
Federation, China, Republic of Korea, Japan, and India. The
Committee addressed the role of ITER in advancing U.S. fusion
energy research in a hearing entitled ``The Future of U.S.
Fusion Energy Research'' (03/05/2018). The Committee also
examined additional international projects, including the Long
Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF), an internationally
coordinated project, designed to build the world's highest
intensity neutrino beam and a suite of cryogenic near detectors
at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. To ensure this
facility is constructed on time and on budget, the Committee
advanced bipartisan legislation authorizing funding for the
continued construction of LBNF with H.R. 4377, the
``Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act.''
DOE Applied Science
The Committee conducted extensive oversight of research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application of
energy technology conducted by multiple DOE applied science
offices, including the Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office
of Fossil Energy (FE), and Office of Electricity Delivery and
Energy Reliability (OE). Specifically, the Committee focused on
efforts to improve prioritization of early stage R&D and
transparency of programs, while ensuring management was
efficient, duplication was limited, and funding was allocated
effectively. Hearings addressing one or more of these offices
include ``Oil and Gas Technology Innovation'' (05/03/2017);
``Energy Innovation: Letting Technology Lead'' (07/19/2017);
``Examining Advancements in Biofuels: Balancing Federal
Research and Market Innovation'' (07/25/2017); ``Resiliency:
The Electric Grid's Only Hope'' (10/03/2017); ``Advancing Solar
Energy Technology: Research Trumps Development'' (12/13/2017);
``Department of Energy: Management and Priorities'' (01/30/
2018); ``An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the Department
of Energy for Fiscal Year 2019'' (05/09/2018); ``The Electric
Grid of the Future'' (06/07/2018); ``The Future of Fossil:
Energy Technologies Leading the Way'' (07/17/2018); and
``Advancing Nuclear Energy: Powering the Future'' (09/27/2018).
The Committee sent a letter to DOE Secretary Perry on 09/
12/2017 requesting documents and information regarding the
Department's funding, during the previous Administration, of a
former DOE Office of Fossil Energy employee's law degree, and
worked with the Department to identify ways to prevent similar
actions in the future. The Committee also sent a letter to U.S.
Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on 07/19/2018 expressing
concerns over the threat of China to U.S. private and public
research, development, and technology, and urging Ambassador
Lighthizer to maintain an ongoing investigation into China's
policies and practices.
Legislation developed to address the focus, prioritization,
and transparency of applied science programs identified through
Committee oversight efforts includes H.R. 4378, the ``Nuclear
Energy Research Infrastructure Act,'' S. 97, the ``Nuclear
Energy Innovation Capabilities Act,'' and H.R. 6398, the
``Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act.'' This
legislation included specific direction to upgrade facilities,
establish programs, and enable research and demonstration
activities that the private sector is unable to conduct.
DOE National Laboratories
The Committee conducted oversight of DOE laboratory
management and the effectiveness of federal research
collaborations, conducting several hearings examining the labs
in the 115th Congress. These hearings include ``Materials
Science: Building the Future'' (06/28/2017); ``Geoengineering:
Innovation, Research, and Technology'' (11/8/2017);
``Department of Energy: Management and Priorities'' (01/30/
2018); ``National Laboratories: World-Leading Innovation in
Science'' (03/14/2018); and ``Big Data Challenges and Advanced
Computing Solutions'' (07/12/2018).
To address concerns with the management and functionality
of the national labs, the Committee developed, introduced, and
enacted H.R. 589, the ``Department of Energy Research and
Innovation Act.'' This legislation provided important reforms
to streamline national lab management and improve coordination
of research efforts across the national lab complex.
To provide flexibility to the national labs, the Committee
also introduced H.R. 5907, the ``National Innovation
Modernization by Laboratory Empowerment Act (NIMBLE).'' This
legislation provides national lab directors with the authority
to approve and facilitate partnerships with the private sector
for agreements under $1,000,000.
Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy (ARPA-E)
The Committee conducted oversight of ARPA-E programs
through ongoing reviews of the DOE budget request and hearings
with senior DOE officials including, ``Department of Energy:
Management and Priorities'' (01/30/2018); and ``An Overview of
the Budget Proposal for the Department of Energy for Fiscal
Year 2019'' (05/09/2018).
In order to address the funding and management of ARPA-E
programs, the Committee developed H.R. 5906, the ``ARPA-E Act
of 2018,'' which requires DOE to reform and refocus ARPA-E
toward developing transformative science and technology
solutions more aligned with the Department's science, energy,
and national security mission.
DOE Loan Program
The Committee conducted oversight of the DOE Loan Program
through a hearing titled ``Risky Business: The DOE Loan
Guarantee Program,'' (02/15/2017). Oversight efforts continued
throughout the Congress in staff level briefings and meetings
with leadership in the DOE Loan Programs Office.
Environment
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
H.R. 353, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
Act (``Weather Act'')--which improves understanding of severe
weather events and increases weather research, technological
capabilities, and forecasting accuracy, as well as focusing
NOAA's efforts on the protection of life and property and the
enhancement of the national economy--was signed into law. The
Committee has hosted quarterly briefings by NOAA to monitor the
progress of the Weather Act implementation.
The Committee has also hosted regular briefings from NOAA's
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
(NESDIS) to discuss the status of NOAA satellite procurements
and operations programs, to receive information on instrument
anomalies, and oversee the commercial weather data pilot
program enacted under the Weather Act.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Science
The Committee has continued to monitor the earth science
portfolio at NASA, scrutinizing the potential for duplicative
activities related to climate change research.
Science and R&D at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Committee has held multiple oversight hearings on EPA's
regulatory actions, including Ozone NAAQS and glider trucks.
These hearings examined improper science used to justify these
regulations. The Committee also examined the role that politics
rather than science plays to influence agency policy.
The House passed H.R. 1430, the Honest and Open New EPA
Science Treatment Act of 2017 (HONEST Act) and H.R. 1431 the
EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017, which together
would bring greater transparency and accountability to the
scientific basis used to justify all federal regulations.
The Committee also continued oversight of the EPA's 2014
proposed determination to pre-emptively limit the scope of the
development of the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The
Committee sent multiple letters to the EPA, urging the agency
to follow the proper Clean Water Act Section 404(c) permitting
process.
Risk Assessment
The Committee conducted multiple oversight activities
regarding the Integrated Risk Information System at EPA, which
conducts hazard identification and dose response assessments on
chemicals found in the environment. The Committee held a
hearing with stakeholders, sent letters to the agency, and
hosted two briefings with EPA to discuss issues with the
program. The Committee passed H.R. 6468, the Improving Science
in Chemical Assessments Act, which would transform and improve
the way EPA conducts chemical assessments.
The Committee has also conducted extensive oversight of the
International Agency for Research on Cancer's (IARC) Monograph
Programme, headquartered in Lyon, France. IARC is largely
funded by the US and influences US policy. The Committee has
sent multiple letters to IARC and held a hearing to investigate
transparency at the agency and examine the scientific integrity
of IARC's cancer assessments.
Climate Research Activities
The Committee has continued to monitor federal spending on
climate change activities. The Committee also held hearings
examining the science underlying climate change policy and the
math used to calculate the social cost of carbon.
HHS Anti-Lobbying Act
The Committee conducted oversight of an employee of the
National Institution of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS)
within the Department of Human Services (HHS). The Committee
sent a letter requesting the HHS Inspector General examine
potential violations of the Anti-Lobbying Act.
NOAA Satellite Programs
The Committee conducted oversight of NOAA's satellite
programs. These satellites have been plagued with cost
overruns, delays, and mismanagement that endanger American
lives and property with degraded weather data. The Committee
will also continue oversight of NOAA's commercial satellite
priorities to ensure that the Agency is taking all necessary
steps to protect public safety in the face of government
program failures.
Research and Technology
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The Committee held two oversight hearings on the National
Science Foundation (NSF) in 2017, and a budget hearing in 2018.
The Committee continued to review the abstracts of thousands of
research grants. This was the first systematic review of NSF
grant-making by Congress. The result of this huge undertaking
was identifying and cataloging several thousand questionable
NSF awards, and strengthening in law the broader impacts
criteria to ensure grants are in the national interest and
making the publicly available summaries of grants more clear
and transparent.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The Subcommittees on Research & Technology and Oversight
held a joint hearing on physical security at the NIST campuses
in Maryland and Colorado. The hearing covered the results of a
Committee requested Government Accountability Office (GAO)
undercover investigation into NIST campus security. The
Committee also held hearings on NIST's work on quantum
computing, composite materials, and its use of prize
challenges. The Committee and the House passed H.R. 6229, the
NIST Reauthorization Act of 2018.
The Committee also continued to elicit information from
NIST and others about the sufficiency and completeness of NIST
cybersecurity standards for federal agencies, the evolving
threats of foreign cyber-attacks on federal agencies, and NIST
responsiveness to federal agency requests for information and
advice. The Committee passed H.R. 1224, the NIST Cybersecurity
Framework, Assessment, and Auditing Act.
Department of Transportation
The Committee monitored implementation of the 2015 Fixing
America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) and the
continued development of autonomous vehicle technologies and
vehicle-to infrastructure technologies. The Committee held a
hearing on new urban air mobility technologies (`flying cars')
and the regulatory and technology challenges presented by the
new technology.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The Committee conducted several meetings with DHS senior
officials about the Science and Technology Directorate's
direction and performance, including the Department's proposed
reorganization of the Directorate. The Committee participated
in discussions with the House Committee on Homeland Security
during development and consideration of H.R. 2825, the DHS
Authorization Act and related legislation.
US Fire Administration (USFA)
The Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of the
USFA and related Assistance to Firefighters grants (AFG) and
the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER)
fire grant programs and held a series of meetings and briefings
to conduct oversight of the programs. The Committee moved H.R.
4661, the U.S. Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program
Reauthorization Act of 2017 through the House, which was signed
into law in January 2018. The law includes new oversight
measures of the grant programs to prevent waste, fraud, and
abuse, and reauthorizes the programs for six years.
Natural Hazards
The Committee held a field hearing and conducted a series
of meetings on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction
Program (NEHRP), particularly on the need to update the expired
authorization to remove antiquated technology and research
references, streamline requirements, and improve coordination
and oversight. The Committee negotiated with the Senate on a
final agreement for S. 1768, the National Earthquake Hazards
Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018. The bill will
reauthorize the programs for five years.
Economic Competitiveness and Technology Transfer
The Committee held several hearings on research and
technology topics that are critical to the economic
competitiveness of the United States including quantum
technology, agriculture research, and composite materials
development. The Committee also held a hearing on the NSF
Innovation Corp (I-Corps) program and its goal of preparing
scientists and engineers to extend their research from lab to
market. The Committee and the House passed H.R. 6227, the
National Quantum Initiative Act and H.R. 5086, the Innovators
to Entrepreneurs Act of 2018.
The Committee also continued oversight of the Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business
Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which were reauthorized in
the 114th Congress. The Committee was briefed on two GAO
reports on the program, which made recommendations for
continuing to combat waste, fraud and abuse. The Committee and
the House passed H.R. 2763, the SBIR and STTR Improvements Act,
to address recommendations for improving the performance of the
two programs.
Implementation of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act
(AICA)
The Committee conducted oversight of the implementation of
the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, which was
signed into law during the 114th Congress. The Committee's
oversight included briefings on implementation of provisions
that strengthened basic research; sought to streamline
unnecessary administrative and regulatory burdens on federally-
supported research; improve coordination of science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; and efforts
to leverage the private sector.
The Committee acted to build upon the work of the AICA to
further address the effectiveness of STEM Education. The
Committee held a hearing on STEM and Computer Science Education
as well as the STEM skilled technical workforce. The Committee
and House passed four STEM education bills: H.R. 4375, the STEM
Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act; H.R.
3397, the Building Blocks of STEM Act; H.R. 4323, Supporting
Veterans in STEM Careers Act; and H.R. 4254, Women in Aerospace
Education Act. In addition, H.R. 255, the Promoting Women in
Entrepreneurship Act, was signed into law in January.
Space
NASA Human Space Flight Program
The Committee held three oversight hearings relative to
NASA's human space flight program during the 115th Congress to
continue to review NASA's commercial crew program efforts,
including the role of public-private partnerships. In 2017, the
Committee examined the development and progress of the Space
Launch System (SLS), the Orion Crew Vehicle, and associated
ground systems.
In 2018, the Committee reviewed the development of NASA's
two commercial crew programs being built by Boeing and SpaceX,
and reviewed NASA's National Space Exploration Campaign, as
well as the specific human spaceflight responsibilities that
NASA's individual centers have.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Space Transportation
The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST)
licenses commercial launch vehicles. An area of increasing
interest is the emergence of a number of developing commercial
human suborbital space flight ventures. In addition to its
oversight of the FAA's AST, the Committee examined the progress
of the emerging private space flight industry, as well as the
challenges it faces.
NASA Space Science
The Committee continued to monitor NASA's efforts to
prioritize, plan, launch, and operate space science missions
within cost and schedule. Particular attention was paid to
programs that are exceeding cost estimates, such as the James
Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Wide Field Infrared Survey
Telescope (WFIRST). The Committee held a hearing in 2017 to
examine the development of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey
Satellite (TESS), JWST, WFIRST, and the planning for a next
generation space telescope.
In 2018, the Committee held a two-day hearing to conduct
thorough oversight of NASA's management of the JWST program and
the contractor's execution of the JWST program.
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS)
The Committee evaluated the ability, cost, safety, and
reliability of commercial providers to meet NASA requirements
to deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station
(ISS). In addition to holding hearings, the committee has been
in constant contact with NASA, contractors, and other entities,
such as GAO.
ISS Utilization and Operation
The plans for operation and utilization of the ISS continue
to draw the Committee's attention as NASA attempts to fully
utilize the unique research opportunities that the facility
offers, while exclusively relying on logistical services from
commercial and foreign providers. To this end, the Committee
held two hearings to oversee the future and transition of the
ISS. In 2017, the Committee examined the range of options for
the ISS after 2024, and the impacts of those options. In 2018,
the Committee specifically focused on the impacts of the
Administration's intention to provide Federal support to the
ISS through 2025, as well as other essential questions about
human spaceflight.
Aeronautics Research
The Committee examined NASA's contributions to the
development and integration of unmanned aviation systems (UAS),
as well as its ability to undertake important long-term R&D on
aircraft safety, emissions, noise, and energy consumption. The
classification, requirements, planned assets, and unmet
infrastructure needs of NASA's aeronautics research and
development infrastructure were examined. The Committee is also
continuing to follow NASA's transition research to the FAA for
single pilot operations and remote pilot operations.
FAA Research and Development (R&D) Activities
The Committee continued to oversee R&D activities at the
FAA, particularly the performance of the Joint Planning and
Development Office (JPDO), and management of its Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program.
Additionally, the classification, requirements, planned assets,
and unmet infrastructure needs of the FAA's aeronautics
research and development infrastructure were examined.
Furthermore, the FAA is discussing and developing research and
development needs and objectives for autonomous flight,
computer piloting, and remote piloting as emerging technologies
and industry drivers become available. The first publicly
available report on this topic will be released in March/April
2019.
NASA Contract and Financial Management
A perennial topic of GAO's high-risk series, NASA financial
management has continued to receive attention from the
Committee. As a result, the Committee held two hearings in 2018
to assess NASA cost and schedule overruns; the first focused on
NASA's overall acquisition and program management practices,
and the second specifically examined the implications of the
breach and contractor challenges within the JWST program. After
the hearings and meetings with both NASA and the JWST prime
contractor Northrop Grumman, the Committee included a provision
in the NASA Authorization Act of 2018 to instruct NASA to
establish and maintain a watch list of contractors with a
history of poor performance on aerospace contracts or research,
development, testing, and evaluation space program contracts.
The Committee will continue to monitor the progress of the JWST
program, as well as NASA's general program, contract,
financial, and acquisition practices.
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)
Congress has provided continued guidance to NASA regarding
Near Earth Objects. The Committee monitored NASA's compliance
with that direction, specifically as it related to the June
2018 White House National Science and Technology Council
National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action
Plan. The Committee continues to oversee NASA's efforts to
locate, track, and mitigate NEOs.
Space Traffic Management (STM)
The Committee made inaugural efforts to provide regulatory
certainty for commercial and government space operators in low-
Earth orbit. In 2018, the Committee held a joint hearing with
the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) to discuss whole of
government perspectives on space situational awareness (SSA)
roles and responsibilities. In response to testimony from
Secretary Wilbur Ross of the DOC, General John Hyten of the
U.S. Strategic Command, and Administrator Jim Bridenstine of
NASA, the Committee marked up H.R. 6226, the American Space
Situational Awareness and Framework for Entity Management Act
(American Space SAFE Management Act) to implement a regulatory
framework for the oversight of STM and SSA activities. The bill
establishes an STM framework built upon guidelines, practices,
and standards, as well as a civil space traffic coordination
pilot program to put the STM framework into experimental
practice. The joint hearing, coupled with the progress on H.R.
6226, allowed the Committee to implement oversight measures for
the DOC and NASA in regards to SSA and STM coordination. The
Committee will continue to monitor the development and
implementation of SSA and STM standards.
SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES
Oversight of the Russian Threat to Cybersecurity
During the 115th Congress, the Committee focused much of
its oversight efforts on the cybersecurity threats posed by
Russia and other foreign nations. On July 27, 2018, the
Committee sent letters to 22 agencies on July 27th, requesting
information on the use of Kaspersky Lab Software. Kaspersky Lab
is a Russian based anti-malware cybersecurity company
headquartered in Moscow, Russia. CEO and founder, Eugene
Kaspersky, was former KGB cyber warfare prior to starting the
company in 1991. Kaspersky Lab is inherently tied to the
Kremlin based on location, background, and political nature of
the Russian government.
The Committee held two hearings on the threat and the
government's response. The first hearing on October 25, 2017,
focused on assessing the risk posed by Kaspersky and the second
on November 14, 2017, focused on the implementation of the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Binding Operational
Directive (BOD) 17-01 by federal government departments and
agencies. The BOD required federal government departments and
agencies identify Kaspersky Lab software on their systems, take
action to remove the software, and report to DHS.
Cybersecurity Threats and Solutions
In response to the WannaCry attack and a spike in similar
ransomware attacks, the Oversight and Research and Technology
Subcommittees held a hearing on June 15, 2017. The hearing is
examined the WannaCry ransomware attack that compromised
computer systems globally and allowed Members of the
Subcommittees to hear recommendations for steps the government
can take to ensure its systems are protected against similar
and possibly more sophisticated attacks. The hearing also
examined the benefits of public-private partnerships for
cybersecurity, as well as the President's Executive Order on
cybersecurity, which made NIST's Cybersecurity Framework
mandatory for Executive Branch departments and agencies.
This initiative evolved into a search for solutions to
cybersecurity threats. The Committee sought expert testimony on
blockchain technology in two separate hearings. On February 14,
2018, the Oversight and Research and Technology Subcommittees
conducted a hearing to explore the science of blockchain
technology and its potential and emerging applications beyond
cryptocurrency and financial technology. The hearing focused on
applications for blockchain technology across a broad range of
industries, including cybersecurity, identity authentication
and verification, supply chain risk management, and digital
rights management. The hearing also looked at standards,
guidelines, uses for government, and best practices that may
prove necessary for the effective utilization of blockchain
technology with respect to these emerging applications. Then,
on May 8, 2018, the two Subcommittees held a subsequent hearing
to highlight potential and proven applications of blockchain
and distributed ledger technology in shipping, logistics, and
customs, with an emphasis on supply chain management. The
hearing focused on how this technology can be leveraged to
provide greater supply chain visibility and combat the
distribution of counterfeit products.
Russian Attempts to Influence the Climate Change Dialogue in America
During the 115th Congress, the Committee investigated
Russian efforts to influence American energy markets and
political discourse on climate change. On July 7, 2017, the
Committee wrote to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to request that
Treasury conduct an investigation into allegations that Russia
was attempting to interfere in U.S. energy markets by covertly
funneling money to environmental groups opposed to fossil
fuels. To date, there is no indication that the Treasury
Department has or plans to commence an investigation. On
September 26, 2017, the Committee requested documents and
information from Twitter, Facebook/Instagram, and Google
regarding social media accounts, posts, and the purchase of
energy-related advertisements on their platforms by Russian
entities. After analyzing information provided, on March 1,
2018, the Committee published a staff report that detailed
Russia's extensive efforts to influence U.S. energy markets
through divisive and inflammatory posts on social media.
Foreign Nations' Attempts to Exfiltrate U.S. R&D
During the 115th Congress, the Committee extensively
examined efforts by foreign nations--primarily China, Russia,
Iran, and North Korea--to steal or exfiltrate American
technology and R&D through both cyber and physical means. A
large focus of the Committee's efforts have been targeted at
the protection of federally funded technology and R&D at
American academic institutions, which have proven to be
particularly vulnerable. The Committee has held multiple
briefings with the intelligence community, the grant-making
agencies, and Members of the Committee.
On April 11, 2018, the Oversight and Research and
Technology Subcommittees held a hearing on the topic. For
years, the FBI has warned the academic community about foreign
exfiltration of science and technology R&D, including that
funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, and other
federal grant-making agencies, for many years, and has urged
measures be taken to protect against this threat.\1\ Expert
witnesses testified about the extent of the threat and what can
be done to prevent or mitigate the foreign exfiltration of
science and technology R&D from U.S. academic institutions,
without stifling collaborative research activities within the
academic sector.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\See e.g., Higher Education and National Security: The Targeting
of Sensitive, Proprietary and Classified Information on Campuses of
Higher Education, FBI (Apr. 2011), https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/
higher-education-national-security.pdf/view; Counterintelligence
Strategic Partnership Note: Preventing Loss of Academic Research, FBI
(June 2015), https://research.umbc.edu/files/2015/07/SPIN-15-006-
Preventing-Loss-of-Academic-Research.pdf; Counterintelligence Strategic
Partnership Note: Chinese Talent Programs, FBI (Sept. 2015), https://
compliance.fiu.edu/documents/SPIN%20-%20Chinese%20Talent%20Program.pdf;
Press Release, FBI, FBI Director Appoints National Security Higher
Education Advisory Board (Sept. 15, 2005), https://archives.fbi.gov/
archives/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-appoints-national-security-
higher-education-advisory-board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alleged Sexual Misconduct by Federal Grantees
On October 26, 2017, the Committee asked Boston University
(BU), NSF, and NASA to produce documents and information
related to allegations made public in the press that Dr. David
Marchant, a prominent geologist and federal grant recipient at
BU, sexually harassed and assaulted female researchers during
field expeditions in Antarctica. Since the late 1990s, Dr.
Marchant has been associated with over $5.4 million in grant
awards from NSF and NASA, on projects ranging from Antarctic
and Mars research, to K-12 STEM Education. Two separate Title
IX complaints alleged Dr. Marchant created a hostile
environment through repeated actions and harassment directed
towards the victims while on long-duration isolated expeditions
at a remote NSF Antarctic field site.
Since initiating the investigation, the Committee became
aware of an increasing number of reports highlighting other
prominent members of the academic scientific community that
have been found guilty or accused of various forms of sexual
misconduct. On January 18, 2018, Chairman Smith and Ranking
Member Johnson requested that the U.S. Government
Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a full study of sexual
misconduct regarding federal grant-making agencies' compliance
with relevant laws and policies, how agencies share
information, and identification of recommendations for better
enforcement. The Committee looks forward to the results of
GAO's review.
In response to the Committee's actions, on February 8,
2018, NSF proposed a set of new policies to address sexual
harassment. Finalized in late 2018, the NSF policy sent a clear
message to the leadership of NSF awardee organizations that
``NSF does not tolerate sexual harassment, or any kind of
harassment, within the agency, at awardee organizations, field
sites, or anywhere NSF-funded science and education are
conducted.''
On February 28, 2018, the Science Committee's Subcommittee
on Research and Technology held a hearing entitled, A Review of
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct in Science. The hearing served
as a forum to further inform the Committee and the public on
increasing claims of sexual misconduct within the scientific
community and provided expert testimony on the issue. The
Committee sought to learn how science agencies and research
institutions handle complaints under current policy and law,
assess the impact of harassment on women's participation in
science, and discuss recommendations for improving the
complaint and resolution process as well as the culture in
science.
HEARINGS HELD PURSUANT TO CLAUSES 2(n), (o) OR (p) OF RULE XI
Clause 2(n)
February 7, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Making EPA Great Again.
Witnesses: The Honorable Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Partner,
Bracewell LLP; Dr. Kimberly White, Senior Director, Chemical
Products and Technology, American Chemistry Council; The
Honorable Rush Holt, CEO, American Association for the
Advancement of Science; and Dr. Richard Belzer, Independent
Consultant.
February 15, 2017
Energy Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: Risky Business: The DOE Loan Guarantee Program.
Witnesses: Ms. Diane Katz, Senior Research Fellow in
Regulatory Policy, Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy
Studies, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Chris Edwards, Director,
Tax Policy Studies, Cato Institute; Mr. Dan Reicher, Executive
Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance,
Stanford University; and Dr. Ryan Yonk, Assistant Research
Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, Utah State
University, and Research Director, Institute of Political
Economy, Utah State University.
February 16, 2017
Full Committee hearing: NASA: Past, Present, and Future.
Witnesses: The Honorable Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17
Astronaut, and Former United States Senator; Lt. Gen. Thomas P.
Stafford, Gemini VI, Gemini IX, Apollo 10, Apollo-Soyuz Test
Project Astronaut, and Chairman, NASA International Space
Station Advisory Committee; Dr. Ellen Stofan, Former Chief
Scientist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); and Mr. Tom Young, Past Director, Goddard Spaceflight
Center, Past President and COO, Martin Marietta, and Past
Chairman SAIC.
February 28, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: At What Cost? Examining the Social Cost of Carbon.
Witnesses: Dr. Ted Gayer, Vice President and Director of
Economic Studies, Brookings Institute; Dr. Kevin Dayaratna,
Senior Statistician and Research Programmer, Center for Data
Analysis, The Heritage Foundation; Dr. Michael Greenstone,
Milton Friedman Professor in Economics, the College, and the
Harris School, Director of the Interdisciplinary Energy Policy
Institute, University of Chicago, and Director of Energy &
Environment Lab, University of Chicago Urban Labs; and Dr.
Patrick Michaels, Director, Center for the Study of Science,
Cato Institute.
March 9, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: National
Science Foundation Part I: Overview and Oversight.
Witnesses: Dr. France Cordova, Director, National Science
Foundation; and Ms. Allison Lerner, Inspector General, National
Science Foundation.
March 21, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: National
Science Foundation Part II: Future Opportunities and Challenges
for Science.
Witnesses: Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Acting Chief Operating
Officer, National Science Foundation; Dr. Maria Zuber, Chair,
National Science Board; Dr. Jeffrey Spies, Co-Founder and Chief
Technology Officer, Center for Open Science and Assistant
Professor, University of Virginia; and Dr. Keith Yamamoto, Vice
Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy, University of
California, San Francisco.
May 4, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Contracting and
Workforce Subcommittee joint hearing: Improving the Small
Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology
Transfer Programs.
Witnesses: Mr. Joe Shepard, Associate Administrator, Office
of Investment and Innovation, United States Small Business
Administration; Mr. John Neumann, Director, Natural Resources
and Environment, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr.
John Clanton, Chief Executive Officer, Lynntech, Inc.; Dr. John
S. Langford, Chairman and CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences
Corporation; Mr. Ron Shroder, CEO and President, Frontier
Technologies, Inc.; Ms. Angela M. Alban, President and CEO,
SIMETRI, Inc.; and Dr. Clinton T. Rubin, SUNY Distinguished
Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Director, Center for Biotechnology.
May 24, 2017
Research and Technology Subcommittee and Oversight
Subcommittee joint hearing: Examining the Overhead Cost of
Research.
Witnesses: Mr. Dale Bell, Division Director, Institution
and Award Support, National Science Foundation; Mr. John
Neumann, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Mr. James Luther, Associate
Vice President of Finance & Compliance Officer, Duke
University, and Chairman of the Board, Council on Governmental
Relations; and Dr. Richard Vedder, Distinguished Professor of
Economics Emeritus, Department of Economics, Ohio University,
and Director, Center for College Affordability and
Productivity.
October 11, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: NIST's Physical Security
Vulnerabilities: A GAO Undercover Review.
Witnesses: Ms. Lisa Casias, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Dr. Kent Rochford,
Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; and Mr. Seto Bagdoyan, Director, Audit Services,
Forensic Audits & Investigative Service, U.S. Government
Accountability Office.
January 30, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Department of Energy: Management
and Priorities.
Witnesses: The Honorable Paul Dabbar, Under Secretary for
Science, U.S. Department of Energy; and The Honorable Mark
Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.
February 6, 2018
Full Committee hearing: In Defense of Scientific Integrity:
Examining the IARC Monograph Programme and Glyphosate Review.
Witnesses: Dr. Anna Lowit, Senior Science Adviser, Office
of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
Dr. Timothy Pastoor, CEO, Pastoor Science Communications; Dr.
Jennifer Sass, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense
Council; and Dr. Robert Tarone, (retired) Mathematical
Statistician, U.S. National Cancer Institute and Biostatistics
Director, International Epidemiology Institute.
February 27, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: A Review of
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct in Science.
Witnesses: Ms. Rhonda Davis, Head, Office of Diversity and
Inclusion, National Science Foundation; Dr. Kathryn Clancy,
Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of
Illinois; Ms. Christine McEntee, Executive Director, American
Geophysical Union; and Ms. Kristina Larsen, Attorney, Law
Office of Kristina K. Larsen.
September 13, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Environment Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining the Underlying Science and Impacts of Glider
Truck Regulations.
Witnesses: Ms. Linda Tsang, Legislative Attorney,
Congressional Research Service; Mr. Collin Long, Director of
Government Affairs, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association; Dr. Paul J. Miller, Deputy Director & Chief
Scientist, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management;
and Dr. Richard B. Belzer, Independent Consultant in
Regulation, Risk, Economics & Information Quality.
Clause 2(o)
June 8, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Overview of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Budget for Fiscal Year
2018.
Witness: Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Acting
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
January 30, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Department of Energy: Management
and Priorities.
Witnesses: The Honorable Paul Dabbar, Under Secretary for
Science, U.S. Department of Energy; and The Honorable Mark
Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.
March 7, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Overview of the NASA Budget
for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witness: Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Acting
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
March 15, 2018
Full Committee hearing: An Overview of the National Science
Foundation Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witnesses: Dr. France Cordova, Director, National Science
Foundation; and Dr. Maria T. Zuber, Chair, National Science
Board.
May 9, 2018
Full Committee hearing: An Overview of the Budget Proposal
for the Department of Energy for Fiscal Year 2019.
Witness: The Honorable Rick Perry, Secretary, U.S.
Department of Energy.
Clause 2(p)
May 3, 2017
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Oil and Gas Technology
Innovation.
Witnesses: Mr. Edward Johnston, Senior Vice President for
Research and Development, Gas Technology Institute; Dr. David
Brower, Founder and President, Astro Technology; Mr. Walker
Dimmig, Principal, 8 Rivers Capital, LLC; and Dr. Ramanan
Krishnamoorti, Interim Vice President and Interim Vice
Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer, University of
Houston & University of Houston System, and Chief Energy
Officer, University of Houston.
June 15, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: Lessons Learned from WannaCry.
Witnesses: Mr. Salim Neino, Chief Executive Officer,
Kryptos Logic; Dr. Charles H. Romine, Director, Information
Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Mr. Gregory J. Touhill, CISSP, CISM, Brigadier
General, USAF (ret), and Adjunct Professor, Cybersecurity &
Risk Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College; and
Dr. Hugh Thompson, Chief Technology Officer, Symantec.
September 6, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining the Scientific and Operational Integrity of
EPA's IRIS Program.
Witnesses: Dr. Kenneth Mundt, Principal, Ramboll Environ;
Dr. James Bus, Senior Managing Scientist, Exponent; and Dr.
Thomas Burke, Johns Hopkins University.
October 3, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Resiliency: The Electric Grid's
Only Hope.
Witnesses: Dr. William Sanders, Department Head, Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois;
Mr. Carl Imhoff, Manager, Electricity Market Sector, Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory; Dr. Gavin Dillingham, Program
Director, Clean Energy Policy, Houston Advanced Research
Center; and Mr. Walt Baum, Executive Director, Texas Public
Power Association.
October 11, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: NIST's Physical Security
Vulnerabilities: A GAO Undercover Review.
Witnesses: Ms. Lisa Casias, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Dr. Kent Rochford,
Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; and Mr. Seto Bagdoyan, Director, Audit Services,
Forensic Audits & Investigative Service, U.S. Government
Accountability Office.
October 25, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: Assessing the Risk of Kaspersky Lab Products to
the Federal Government.
Witnesses: Ms. Donna Dodson, Associate Director and Chief
Cybersecurity Advisor, Information Technology Laboratory, and
Chief Cybersecurity Advisor, National Institute of Standards
and Technology; Mr. David Shive, Chief Information Officer,
U.S. General Services Administration; Mr. James Norton,
President, Play-Action Strategies LLC, and Adjunct Professor,
Johns Hopkins University; and Mr. Sean Kanuck, Director, Future
Conflict and Cyber Security, International Institute for
Strategic Studies.
November 8, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee joint
hearing: Geoengineering: Innovation, Research, and Technology.
Witnesses: Dr. Phil Rasch, Chief Scientist for Climate
Science, Laboratory Fellow, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory; Dr. Joseph Majkut, Director of Climate Policy,
Niskanen Center; Dr. Douglas MacMartin, Senior Research
Associate, Cornell University; and Ms. Kelly Wanser, Principal
Director, Marine Cloud Brightening Project, Joint Institute for
the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of
Washington.
November 9, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Update on NASA Exploration
Systems Development.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Dr.
Sandra Magnus, Executive Director, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
November 14, 2017
Oversight Subcommittee hearing: Bolstering the Government's
Cybersecurity: A Survey of Compliance with the DHS Directive.
Witnesses: Ms. Jeanette Manfra, Assistant Secretary,
Cybersecurity and Communications, National Protection and
Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Ms.
Renee Wynn, Chief Information Officer, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA); Ms. Essye Miller, Deputy Chief
Information Officer for Cybersecurity, U.S. Department of
Defense; and Dr. Mark Jacobson, Associate Teaching Professor,
Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
December 6, 2017
Space Subcommittee hearing: NASA's Next Four Large
Telescopes.
Witnesses: Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator,
Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA); Ms. Cristina Chaplain, Director,
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, Government Accountability
Office; Mr. A. Thomas Young, Former Director, Goddard Space
Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), and Former President and Chief Operating Officer,
Martin Marietta Corporation; Dr. Matt Mountain, President,
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy; and Dr.
Chris McKee, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Physics,
University of California, Berkeley, on behalf of the National
Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
December 13, 2017
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Advancing Solar Energy
Technology: Research Trumps Deployment.
Witnesses: Mr. Daniel Simmons, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy; Dr. Martin Keller, Director,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Dr. Steve Eglash,
Executive Director, Strategic Research Initiatives, Computer
Science, Stanford University; and Mr. Kenny Stein, Director of
Policy, Institute for Energy Research.
January 17, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: An Update on NASA Commercial
Crew Systems Development.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Mr. John
Mulholland, Vice President and Program Manager, Commercial
Programs, Boeing Space Exploration; Dr. Hans Koenigsmann, Vice
President, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX; Ms. Cristina
Chaplain, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; and Dr. Patricia Sanders,
Chair, NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.
March 6, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: The Future of U.S. Fusion
Energy Research.
Witnesses: Dr. Bernard Bigot, Director-General, ITER
Organization; Dr. James W. Van Dam, Acting Associate Director,
Fusion Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U.S. Department of
Energy; Dr. Mickey Wade, Director of Advanced Fusion Systems,
Magnetic Fusion Energy Division, General Atomics; and Dr. Mark
Herrmann, Director, National Ignition Facility, Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory.
March 14, 2018
Full Committee hearing: National Laboratories: World-
Leading Innovation in Science.
Witnesses: Dr. Mark Peters, Director, Idaho National
Laboratory; Dr. Susan Seestrom, Advanced Science & Technology
Associate Labs Director and Chief Research Officer, Sandia
National Laboratory; Dr. Mary E. Maxon, Associate Laboratory
Director for Biosciences, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory; Dr. Chi-Chang Kao, Director, Stanford Linear
Accelerator Center, National Accelerator Laboratory; and Dr.
Paul Kearns, Director, Argonne National Laboratory.
April 18, 2018
Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing: Composite
Materials--Strengthening Infrastructure Development.
Witnesses: Dr. Joannie Chin, Deputy Director, Engineering
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Dr.
Hota GangaRao, Wadsworth Distinguished Professor, Statler
College of Engineering, West Virginia University; Dr. David
Lange, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and
Mr. Shae Weyant, President and CEO, Creative Pultrusions, Inc.
April 26, 2018
Environment Subcommittee and Space Subcommittee joint
hearing: Surveying the Space Weather Landscape.
Witnesses: Dr. Neil Jacobs, Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Environmental Observation and Prediction, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration; Dr. Jim Spann, Chief Scientist,
Heliophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Dr. Sarah Gibson,
Senior Scientist, High Altitude Observatory, National Center
for Atmospheric Research, and Co-Chair, Committee on Solar and
Space Physics, National Academy of Science; and Dr. W. Kent
Tobiska, President and Chief Scientist, Space Environment
Technologies.
May 8, 2018
Oversight Subcommittee and Research and Technology
Subcommittee joint hearing: Leveraging Blockchain Technology to
Improve Supply Chain Management and Combat Counterfeit Goods.
Witnesses: Dr. Douglas Maughan, Cyber Security Division
Director, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department
of Homeland Security; Mr. Robert `Bob' Chiaviello, IPR Counsel,
Nuby Law; Mr. Michael White, Head of Global Trade Digitization,
Maersk; and Mr. Chris Rubio, Vice President Global Customs
Brokerage Staff, UPS.
May 16, 2018
Full Committee hearing: Using Technology to Address Climate
Change.
Witnesses: Mr. Oren Cass, Senior Fellow, Manhattan
Institute; Mr. Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director, The
Breakthrough Institute; Dr. Phil Duffy, President and Executive
Director, Woods Hole Research Center; and Dr. Judith Curry,
President, Climate Forecast Applications Network, and Professor
Emerita, Georgia Institute of Technology.
June 7, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: The Electric Grid of the
Future.
Witnesses: The Honorable Bruce J. Walker, Assistant
Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy, and Acting Assistant
Secretary, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and
Emergency Response, U.S. Department of Energy; Dr. John Sarrao,
Principal Associate Director, Science, Technology, and
Engineering Directorate, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mr.
Robert Gramlich, President, Grid Strategies, LLC; and Dr.
Joseph A. Heppert, Vice President for Research, Texas Tech
University.
June 14, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: NASA Cost and Schedule
Overruns: Acquisition and Program Management Challenges.
Witnesses: Ms. Cristina T. Chaplain, Director, Contracting
and National Security Acquisitions, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Stephen Jurczyk, Associate
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); Mr. Paul K. Martin, Inspector General, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Mr. Daniel L.
Dumbacher, Executive Director, American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
June 21, 2017
Environment Subcommittee hearing: Leading the Way:
Examining Advances in Environmental Technologies.
Witnesses: Mr. Sebastien De Halleux, Chief Operating
Officer, Saildrone, Inc.; Dr. Neil Jacobs, Chief Atmospheric
Scientist, Panasonic Avionics; and Dr. Burke Hales, Professor
in Ocean Ecology and Biogeochemistry, College of Earth, Ocean
and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
July 19, 2017
Full Committee hearing: Energy Innovation: Letting
Technology Lead.
Witnesses: Dr. Jacob DeWitte, President and CEO, Oklo; Dr.
Gaurav N. Sant, Associate Professor and Henry Samueli Fellow,
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Henry
Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); Dr. Venky Narayanamurti,
Benjamin Peirce Research Professor of Technology and Public
Policy, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences, Harvard University; and Mr. Kiran Kumaraswamy, Market
Development Director, AES Energy Storage.
July 25, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining Advancements in Biofuels: Balancing Federal
Research and Market Innovation.
Witnesses: Dr. Paul Gilna, Director, BioEnergy Science
Center and Deputy-Division Director of Biosciences, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory; Dr. John DeCicco, Research Professor,
University of Michigan Energy Institute, and Director,
University of Michigan Energy Survey; Ms. Emily Skor, Chief
Executive Officer, Growth Energy; and Mr. Nick Loris, Herbert
and Joyce Morgan Research Fellow in Energy and Environmental
Policy, Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity, The
Heritage Foundation.
September 6, 2017
Environment Subcommittee and Oversight Subcommittee joint
hearing: Examining the Scientific and Operational Integrity of
EPA's IRIS Program.
Witnesses: Dr. Kenneth Mundt, Principal, Ramboll Environ;
Dr. James Bus, Senior Managing Scientist, Exponent; and Dr.
Thomas Burke, Johns Hopkins University.
July 25-26, 2018
Full Committee hearing: James Webb Space Telescope: Program
Breach and its Implications.
Witnesses: The Honorable Jim Bridenstine, Administrator,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Mr. Tom
Young, Chairman, JWST Independent Review Board; and Mr. Wesley
Bush, Chief Executive Officer, Northrop Grumman Corp.
September 26, 2018
Space Subcommittee hearing: 60 Years of NASA Leadership in
Human Space Exploration: Past, Present, and Future.
Witnesses: Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Associate
Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission
Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); Mr. Mark Geyer, Director, Johnson Space Center,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Ms. Jody
Singer, Director, Marshall Space Flight Center, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Mr. Robert
Cabana, Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
September 27, 2018
Energy Subcommittee hearing: Advancing Nuclear Energy:
Powering the Future.
Witnesses: Mr. Edward McGinnis, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy; Mr.
Harlan Bowers, President, X-energy; Dr. John Parsons, Co-Chair,
MIT Study on the Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-
Constrained World; and Dr. John Wagner, Associate Laboratory
Director, Nuclear Science & Technology, Idaho National
Laboratory.
[all]