Hearings to examine the nominations of Jared Isaacman, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Steven Haines, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
2025-12-03
Source: Congress.gov
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Today, we will consider the nominations of Jared Isaacman to serve as administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which I have to say for a moment feels a bit like Groundhog Day, and also Stephen Haynes to serve as an assistant secretary of commerce. NASA is at the forefront of American leadership in science and technology. It is critical to our national security amid what I have called the second space race. But the agency finds itself at an inflection point. Its next leader must be both disciplined and purposeful, candidly assessing what is working and what is not, while recognizing that each policy decision has trade-offs. NASA can't do everything it wants to. The agency must prioritize if we are to beat China back to the moon and then to Mars. If confirmed, Mr. Isaacman will be taking the helm just as NASA is set to launch Artemis II. the agency's first crewed use of the Space Launch System rocket and the first crewed mission on the Orion spacecraft, which will bring American astronauts closer to the lunar surface than at any point since 1972. I know Mr. Isaacman will be a strong leader who sees that Artemis II launches safely, successfully, and without delay. He must then turn to Artemis III, landing Americans on the moon before China, which is aimed at sending its own taikonauts there by 2030. NASA cannot take its eyes off the ball. Fortunately, Congress has given clear direction and substantial funding to achieve this goal. In the One Big Beautiful Bill, President Trump and a Republican Congress committed nearly $10 billion to specific parts of the space program, including the Space Launch System and future lunar missions of Artemis IV and V, the Gateway Space Station at the Moon, and the International Space Station.
The vision for NASA enshrined in the One Big Beautiful Bill is unambiguous, and Congress expects that it will be executed faithfully. And I will note that our friend and colleague, Senator Katie Britt from Alabama, has come to join us. Alabama obviously has intense interest in NASA and space. And Senator Britt, we welcome you to the committee this morning. Investments in hardware alone won't guarantee mission success. Equally indispensable is NASA's workforce. Houston's Johnson Space Center is home to one of the most capable, experienced, and mission-driven workforces in the world. JSC is home to our astronaut corps, America's spacefaring heroes, who represent the best of our nation. Preserving that talent is essential, and I trust that JSC will continue to thrive under Mr. Isaacman's leadership. Mr. Isaacman, I believe, will prioritize stability, accountability, and respect for the men and women who make the agency's missions possible. As the commander of Inspiration4, the first all-civilian space flight, and the first private citizen to walk in space, he knows that every successful mission depends on the skills and the dedication of its crew, as well as the countless professionals supporting them from the ground. Mr. Isaacman, I know that you are as committed to American supremacy in the final frontier as is this committee and the entire Senate. The United States must remain the unquestioned leader in space exploration. And this imperative is why we need to confirm your nomination as expeditiously as possible. My hope is that you will be confirmed and in this role before the end of this year. Finally, a word about our nominee to lead industry and analysis within the International Trade Administration at the Department of Commerce.
If confirmed, Stephen Haynes will also help us compete with China. He will support U.S. companies with actionable market intelligence, help them navigate trade barriers, and identify opportunities for expansion into foreign markets. He brings experience as a Foreign Service officer and from across multiple federal agencies. Both our nominees before us will advance American interests, whether in outer space or here at home. I now turn to Ranking Member Cantwell for her opening remarks.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for this hearing. Congratulations, Mr. Isaacman, on being re-nominated to lead NASA, and Mr. Haynes on your nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce. I, too, would like to welcome our colleague, Senator Britt, from a state that has a very robust aerospace community and look forward to continuing to work with her. And I'd like to say a special welcome to two Washingtonians who are here Bill Nye, the science guy from Washington, and Mr. Dietrich, who is Mr. Haynes' father-in-law. Great to have you here as well in support of him. Mr. Isaacson, I supported your nomination the first time you came before the committee, and I hope to do so again. I, as the chairman mentioned, hope to get you in this position before the end of the year. But there is no secret that a lot of NASA changes have been made since the last time you were before this committee, including the NASA decision to re-compete for the lunar lander, the release of the president's proposed NASA budget, which calls for cutting the agency's budget by nearly a quarter in the workforce, and nearly a third of the science funding cut in half. So given all that, I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're here to answer questions about NASA's future.
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