Space and Science

I have been privileged to serve on the Committee on Science and Technology since I was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980. I currently serve in the 111th Congress as the Ranking Member of the Committee.

I am a strong advocate of NASA and the Vision for Space Exploration. We spend less than one percent of the Federal budget on NASA, and yet we derive countless benefits from that investment, including sophisticated telecommunications, advanced computing, and cutting-edge medical technology and research. I will work with my colleagues in Congress to reauthorize NASA and provide oversight as we retire the Space Shuttle and develop Orion, the new Crew Exploration Vehicle.

While America leads the world in innovation, we need to ensure that it continues to do so. I am eager to promote a Vision for Science for the 21st Century that will keep America strong and ensure America's technological leadership for future generations. Here are some of the items included in my Vision for Science for the 21st Century:

• Promote state of the art weather forecasting to help save American lives and billions in recovery costs.
• Reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy and invest in short and long-term energy solutions.
• Strengthen cyber security and information technology.
• Encourage math and science education initiatives and increase competitiveness by developing public-private partnerships.

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