Adoption of Committee Rules & Approval of Authorization & Oversight Plan

Committee on Science

2025-02-05

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology convened its first meeting for the 119th Congress to organize its work . The agenda included adopting committee rules and an authorization and oversight plan, along with welcoming new and returning members .

Themes

Committee's Enduring Mission and Historical Roots

The committee's purpose, established in 1958 in response to Sputnik 1, is to strengthen America's foundation and ensure its security and success in space, science, and technology . Members noted that while competitors have changed, the fundamental challenge to global leadership persists, mirroring the original motivation for the committee's creation . The committee aims to maintain America's leadership by fostering innovation, making new discoveries, and strengthening global competitiveness .

Key Priorities and Legislative Agenda for the 119th Congress

The committee's legislative and oversight efforts will focus on upholding the nation's tradition of leading humanity to new frontiers in space and discovery . Priorities include building groundbreaking advancements through public-private partnerships, enhancing American competitiveness by reducing regulatory burdens, and ensuring industry operates at the speed of innovation, not bureaucracy [ 00:15:21 ] . Specific legislation will address quantum information sciences, weather forecasting capabilities, and supporting the U.S. commercial space industry and NASA's missions to the Moon and Mars . Additionally, the committee plans rigorous oversight of federal research agencies to protect taxpayer dollars and secure the R&D enterprise from foreign threats .

Bipartisan Adoption of Rules and Oversight Plan

The committee successfully adopted its rules and the authorization and oversight plan for the 119th Congress [ 00:20:10 ]

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. The rules, which included minor updates such as electronic voting, were crafted in collaboration with the minority and received bipartisan support . The oversight plan outlines goals for agencies like NOAA, NASA, and programs related to weather and quantum initiatives, aiming to ensure America's continued leadership in science and technology . This collaborative approach was highlighted as a key to the committee's productivity and success .

Introduction of New and Returning Committee Members

Both Republican and Democratic members introduced their new colleagues, highlighting their diverse professional backgrounds and relevant expertise . New Republican members bring experience from military service, healthcare, business, and state legislatures . New Democratic members contribute backgrounds in technology policy, engineering, environmental advocacy, and commercial space . Subcommittee chairs and ranking members for various subcommittees including Energy, Environment, Investigations and Oversight, Research and Technology, and Space and Aeronautics were also announced .

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting adopted a highly cooperative and bipartisan tone, with both the Chair and Ranking Member emphasizing a commitment to working across the aisle . Speakers expressed optimism for the committee's achievements in the 119th Congress and conveyed a welcoming atmosphere for all members, new and returning [ 00:15:51 ] . This spirit of collaboration was highlighted as essential for the committee's past and future productivity in advancing national interests .

Participants

Transcript

Pearl Mutter.
Good to see you.   The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will now come to order.  Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time.
Without objection, the chair is authorized to postpone further proceedings when a recorded vote is requested.   and pursuant to notice the committee meets to organize for the 119th congress and today we will adopt committee rules for the 119th congress and adopt the committee's authorization and oversight plan for the 119th congress i now recognize myself for an opening statement   Good morning and welcome to the first meeting of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for the 119th Congress.  I want to welcome back our ranking member, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, a longtime member of this committee, and I look forward to working with you on various issues that fall under our shared priorities.
I also want to offer a special welcome to the members joining the SST Committee for the first time, as well as those who are returning.
You have joined a committee that is instrumental in paving the way for America's future accomplishments and ensuring that our security and success for decades to come are ensured.
Please join me in giving them all a warm welcome.  All right?
Thank you.  Hey, Mayor.   Our work on this committee will expand and strengthen the foundation that we've laid throughout the 21st century to ensure that we keep competitors in check and lead in the sectors of space, science, and technology.  This committee was established in July of 1958 as a direct response to the Soviet Union's 1957 launch of Sputnik 1.
the world's first satellite during this era we face a serious challenge to our global leadership and folks it is no different now once created the committee ensured that the united states conquered the challenge posed by the soviet union while fostering innovation making new discoveries and strengthening our global competitiveness and leading the world in science and technology and while the committee's jurisdiction has grown the competitors have changed
Our purpose is essentially the same nearly 70 years later.
The SST Committee's legislative and oversight efforts of the 119th Congress will be focused on several key issues, including upholding our nation's tradition of leading humanity to new frontiers, especially in space and discovery,
building groundbreaking advancements through strong public-private partnerships, getting America back in the business of leading the world in transformative advancements across all sectors, reducing regulatory burdens to continue enhancing American competitiveness and driving innovation.
and ensuring our nation isn't tethered to earth by red tape.  American industry needs to work at the speed of innovation, folks, not bureaucracy.
By working together, I have no doubt that we can meet our goals and achieve much this Congress.   We will consider legislation to strengthen U.S.
competitiveness in the quantum information sciences, improve our nation's weather forecasting capabilities, and ensure that the agencies that we oversee are focused on their core duties, advancing science, keeping America safe,   and finding common sense solutions.  We will also advance legislation that supports the U.S.
commercial space industry and keeps NASA on its mission to return Americans to the moon and establishes a pathway to Mars and beyond, Mr. Perlmutter.   Lastly, our committee will protect taxpayer dollars through rigorous oversight of federal research agencies.
Ladies and gentlemen, the spotlight is on us.
The world has never paid as much attention to these issues under this committee's purview as it does right now.  And so by utilizing each committee member's expertise,   background and unique district interests i am confident that we can do great things for the american people and ensure that our nation's best days remain ahead and i'd like to now recognize the gentlewoman from california miss lofton for five minutes for her opening statement
Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman.  I think this is an exciting moment as we begin this committee's work for the 119th Congress.  What we have achieved on this committee over the years is really nothing short of amazing.  We've guided the technological advancement of our country and maintained our position as the global leader.  And the reason we're able to be so productive should be a surprise to no one.  We found common ground and collaborated.   It was as simple as that, but that simplicity belies a lot of hard work.  So I would encourage my colleagues to reach out across the aisle so that we can make our country safer, smarter, and more environmentally sound together.  I expect this history of bipartisanship will be a feature of this Congress as well, so I'm eager to get started.  I'll say that the majority circulated the committee rules and the oversight plan for the 119th Congress ahead of time,   And my caucus approved them last night.  So I believe it's safe to say that we will all approve of them now.  And with that said, Mr. Chairman, I will yield back.  I think the collaboration on our rules and oversight is an indication of our interest in working in a bipartisan basis with you to advance our country's interests.  I yield back.
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you so very much.

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