Date: 2014-06-09
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. and I rise in support of H.R. 4412. the NASA Authorization Act of 2014. This act has come a long ways from its original state nearly a year ago. when the Committee on Science. Space. and Technology on which I serve as ranking member passed a different version of the bill on a partyline vote. a departure from the committees traditional bipartisan approach to NASA. However. much has changed since that time. and I want to recognize the efforts of the committee leadership. including Chairman LAMAR SMITH and especially Space Subcommittee Chairman STEVE PALAZZO and Ranking Member DONNA EDWARDS. for their dedication and willingness to work together with me to achieve this bipartisan committeepassed bill. H.R. 4412. the NASA Authorization Act of 2014. While this is not a perfect bill. especially in terms of its short duration and lack of meaningful funding guidance. the bill in its present form includes many important policy provisions that help guide the future of NASA at a critical time for our space program. In that regard. just last week. a congressionally mandated report on human space exploration by the National Academies was released that stated: A sustainable program of human deep space exploration requires an ultimate horizon goal that provides a longterm force. The report further states: There is a consensus in national space policy. international coordination groups. and the public imagination. for Mars as a major goal for human space exploration. I am pleased that H.R. 4412 is consistent with the National Academies recommendation on both sides. It establishes a longterm goal for NASAs exploration program of carrying out a human mission to the surface of Mars. and it directs NASA to prepare a human exploration roadmap that will lay out the required milestones and capabilities for achieving that goal. Achieving any of NASAs goals. including sending humans to the surface of Mars. however. requires investment across NASAs portfolio of programs. To that end and building upon past. successive NASA authorization acts. H.R. 4412 ensures the continuation of NASA as a multimission agency that includes programs in science. aeronautics. human spaceflight. and human exploration. The bill also builds upon a pillar of Congress oversight role for our civil space program. namely. ensuring the safety of our astronauts in outer space. Consistent with the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. H.R. 4412 requires that safety be given the highest priority in the selection of a commercial human spaceflight system to transport our astronauts to the international space station. Mr. Speaker. in recent years. NASA has enabled the discovery of new planets outside our solar system. landed the Curiosity rover on Mars. and continued to study the Sun. our Earth system. and make other advances in space and earth science. H.R. 4412 includes provisions to ensure the continued strength of NASAs space and earth science programs. It authorizes new studies and strategies on exoplanets and Mars robotic exploration. while also supporting work and future capabilities for astrophysical observatories. such as the James Webb Space Telescope. and planning for a widefield infrared survey telescope. About a year and a half ago. a meteor exploded over part of Russia. bringing renewed attention to the risks of nearEarth asteroids. H.R. 4412 builds on the policies that Congress has set in past authorizations to research. survey. detect. and characterize nearEarth asteroids and their risks. The bill provides direction on NASAs aeronautics research program. an important contributor to our competitiveness in aviation. and it directs a study to benchmark the position of the United States on the aeronautics research with respect to the rest of the world. H.R. 4412 includes many other good government provisions. including those on orbital debris. information technology governance. and cost controls. among other areas. It is well known that many of our Nations top engineers and scientists were inspired to pursue science and technology as a result of what we and NASA did with the space program during the Apollo era. NASAs ability to inspire and to engage is like no other part of our government. While this bill makes clear that NASAs scientists and engineers. as well as NASAsupported researchers. need to continue to play a strong role in NASAs education activities to convey their knowledge and passion to the next generation. that is not enough. We need a strong NASA with an inspired agenda for the next generation. and we need to fund it at a level commensurate with the task we have given it. Our children and grandchildren are our future science and technology workforce. They will sustain our leadership on the global science and technology stage. maintain our competitiveness. and make the future discoveries in science and technology. As I have said before. we must maintain our commitment to NASA to ensure our continued strength and leadership in space going forward. I urge my colleagues to vote "yes" on H.R. 4412. the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2014. I reserve the balance of my time.