February 1, 2017

On February 1, the Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX-21), announced the committee’s priorities for the 115^th Congress. This list of wide-ranging priorities includes Department of Energy (DOE) research program reforms, cybersecurity issues, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research practices.

The priorities list calls for the DOE to prioritize basic research through investments in user facilities and research infrastructure. Another committee agenda task is to enact key reforms at DOE national labs to enhance partnerships with private companies. The committee will prioritize spending restrictions for DOE commercialization programs, including loan guarantees and subsidies. The committee held a hearing to assess the DOE loan guarantee program on February 15.

Rep. Smith stated the committee’s intent to reinvigorate NASA with “bold exploration objectives”. The committee will focus on projects such as the Space Launch System, which is capable of launching both humans and satellites into space. The committee held a hearing on the history and future of NASA on February 16.

Congressman Smith outlined plans to reform science at the EPA. On February 7 the committee held a hearing entitled “Making the EPA Great Again.” In the hearing, Chairman Smith proposed the committee revisit the Science Advisory Board Reform Act and the Secret Science Reform Act to increase scrutiny over the EPA’s use of science and data. On February 28 the committee held a hearing to investigate the social cost of carbon and to determine if regulations based upon this cost are appropriate.

Source: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Congress.gov