Full Committee Markup of H.R. 2984, H.R. 2600, H.R. 2313, H.R. 2613, H.R. 1223, & H.R.____
2025-04-29
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Source: Congress.gov
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Transcript
Good morning. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recesses of the committee at any time. Pursuant to Committee Rule 2F and House Rule 11, recorded votes may be postponed. Today we meet to consider HR 2984, the ASTRO Act, HR 2600, the ASCEND Act, HR 2313, the Celestial Time Standardization Act, HR 2613, the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, HR 1223, the ANCR Act, and HR 3029, the Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning. Thank everyone for joining us for this markup at the 119th Congress, the very first one of the year. We've kicked off the year with a strong start, holding a series of hearings focused on many pressing issues across our science and technology sectors. Today, we build on that momentum by advancing six important bills that will promote innovation, drive industrial modernization, and strengthen America's economic and global competitiveness. First, we will consider three space-related bills that aim to enhance our scientific research, increase astronaut safety, and support continued U.S. leadership in space exploration. H.R. 2984, the Astro Act, is a bill that I'm proud to sponsor. It originated from discussions that I had with our nation's astronauts following their return from their brave missions. After spending extended time in space, astronauts often experience medical impairments upon returning home, making it challenging to operate motor vehicles. However, they are required to participate in critical medical studies to inform future exploration efforts which involve traveling to and from the Johnson Space Center until they're medically cleared.
The ASTRO Act is sensible legislation that eliminates procedural obstacles, ensures astronauts have reliable, hassle-free transportation for medical evaluations until they are fully cleared. This bill will aid in their recovery, protect their health, and uphold the integrity of NASA's human space flight operations. I am honored to advocate for improved astronaut safety and remain committed to cutting unnecessary red tape in our space sector. Next, we will consider HR 2600, the Ascend Act, sponsored by representatives Hurd and Bonamici. NASA's commercial satellite data acquisition program expanded the agency's observational capabilities in recent years, by leveraging high-quality, cost-effective data from the commercial space sector. The Ascend Act formally authorizes this vital initiative, ensuring its long-term effectiveness in leveraging commercial data and meeting NASA's operational requirements. Representative McClellan, a former member of the SST Committee, leads our final space bill, H.R. 2313, the Celestial Time Standardization Act. As we pursue ambitious missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, establishing a coordinated celestial time standard is essential to ensuring their success. This bill creates a unified time standard for space operators, allowing the United States and its international partners to effectively coordinate position, navigation, timing, communication, and research across the space domain. By leading the development of these standards, the US will reinforce its leadership in space exploration and strengthen its global competitiveness. Shifting gears to the energy sector, our next bill addresses the needs of our nation's aging infrastructure. The U.S. pipeline network spans nearly 2.8 million miles across the country and averages more than 60 years in age.
To maintain these systems and adapt to emerging fuel sources, we must support research and technology that improves safety, reliability, and longevity. H.R. 2613, the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, strengthens public-private partnerships and advances federal research, development, and demonstration efforts to modernize existing infrastructure and to develop next-generation pipeline systems. Thank you to Representative Weber and Ross for recognizing these challenges and taking action to revitalize our pipeline network through this important legislation.
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