House Science Subcommittees: Space & Aeronautics, Technology

The House Science Committee is the authorizing committee for the federal government’s science and technology policies and programs. (An authorizing committee approves federal programs, but does not fund them.) Agencies under its jurisdiction in the 104th Congress include OSTP, OTA, NSF, NASA, NIST, and DOE’s non-military R&D programs.

The previous FYI provided rosters and jurisdiction for the Basic Research, and Energy and Environment subcommittees. This FYI provides the same information for the Space and Aeronautics, and Technology subcommittees. The quotes regarding subcommittee jurisdiction are taken from the science committee’s “Committee Rules for the 104th Congress,” approved January 5th of this year. (Note: Full Committee chairman Robert Walker (PA) and Ranking Democratic Member George Brown (CA) are ex-officio members of each subcommittee.)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS:

Jurisdiction: “Legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to astronautical and aeronautical research and development including: national space policy, including access to space; sub-orbital access and applications; National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its contractor and government-operated laboratories; space commercialization including the commercial space activities relating to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce; exploration and use of outer space; international space cooperation; National Space Council; space applications, space communications and related matters; and earth remote sensing policy.”

SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY:

Jurisdiction: “Legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to competitiveness including: standards and standardization of measurement; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; the National Technical Information Service; competitiveness, including small business competitiveness; tax, antitrust, regulatory and other legal and governmental policies as they relate to technological development and commercialization; technology transfer; patent and intellectual property policy; international technology trade; research, development, and demonstration activities of the Department of Transportation; civil aviation research, development, and demonstration; research, development, and demonstration programs of the Federal Aviation Administration; surface and water transportation research, development, and demonstration programs; materials research, development, and demonstration and policy; and biotechnology policy.”