House Science Subcommittees on Space, Technology

The Science Committee is the authorizing committee on the House side for most of the federal government’s civilian science and technology policies and programs, particularly those related to physics. Its counterpart in the Senate is the Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space (see FYI #29.)

Congress deals primarily with two types of bills, authorization and appropriations. Authorizing legislation gives a federal department or agency permission to spend money and sets policy direction; appropriations provide the actual money. In theory, major agencies and programs should be authorized before having funds appropriated for them, but in reality, many programs receive funding that have not been authorized.

Agencies under the House Science Committee’s jurisdiction in the 104th Congress include NSF, NASA, NIST, and the Department of Energy’s non-military R&D programs. The Chairman of the House Science Committee is Robert Walker (R-PA). Last year Walker attempted to authorize a number of science programs in a single bill, H.R. 2405, the Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act. The bill passed the House but no action was taken on it in the Senate. This year’s Science Committee schedule may be less ambitious, as Walker has announced his intention to retire at the end of this term (see FYI #176, 1995.)

The rosters of the Subcommittees on Space and Aeronautics, and on Technology, are listed below. FYI #26 will provide the rosters of the Subcommittees on Basic Research, and on Energy and Environment. The jurisdictional information is taken from the Science Committee’s “Committee Rules for the 104th Congress,” approved January 5, 1995.

HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE
2320 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202-225-6371

+Robert Walker (PA), Chair
George Brown (CA), Ranking

Both are ex-officio members of each subcommittee.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS
2320 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202-225-7858

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.”

Republicans:

Jim Sensenbrenner (WI), Chair
Ken Calvert (CA)
*Dave Weldon (FL)
*Steve Stockman (TX)
*Andrea Seastrand (CA)
*Todd Tiahrt (KS)
*Van Hilleary (TN)
Dana Rohrabacher (CA)
*Matt Salmon (AZ)
*Tom Davis (VA)
*Steve Largent (OK)
*Mark Foley (FL)
(1 vacancy)

Democrats:

Ralph Hall (TX), Ranking
James Traficant (OH)
Tim Roemer (IN)
Bud Cramer (AL)
James Barcia (MI)
Jane Harman (CA)
*Sheila Jackson Lee (TX)
Alcee Hastings (FL)
*Mike Ward (KY)
*Bill Luther (MN)

SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY
2319 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202-225-8844

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.”