House Science Subcommittees on Space, Energy & Environment

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 #41 .) Agencies under the House Science Committee’s jurisdiction in the 105th Congress include NSF, NASA, NIST, and the Department of Energy’s non-military R&D programs. The Chairman of the House Science Committee, James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has declared his intent to pass two-year authorization bills this year for most of the programs his committee is responsible for.

The Science Committee held its organizational meeting last week to vote on revisions to its rules and to formally announce its subcommittee rosters. Sensenbrenner offered several rules changes that were largely uncontroversial. He said that the committee would be “very aggressive” in exercising its oversight responsibilities, and would approach jurisdictional areas by topic and not necessarily by subcommittee (citing DOE labs and computer security as examples.) He set firm time deadlines for answers to the committee’s written questions to hearing witnesses, saying he would issue subpoenas when necessary. Sensenbrenner named Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Michigan), a physicist by training, as the committee’s vice chairman, calling him an “invaluable liaison to the science committee.”

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. The rosters of the Subcommittees on Basic Research, and on Technology, which are authorizing subcommittees, are listed below. FYI #42 provides the rosters of the Subcommittees on Basic Research, and on Technology.

HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE 2320 Rayburn House Office Bldg, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-6371 James Sensenbrenner (WI), Chair; George Brown (CA), Ranking (Both are ex-officio members of each subcommittee.) SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS 2320 Rayburn House Office Bldg, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-7858 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. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) -- chairman

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT B-374 Rayburn House Office Bldg, Washington, DC 20515, 202- 225-9662 Legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to energy and environmental research, development, and demonstration including: Department of Energy research, development, and demonstration programs; federally owned and operated Department of Energy laboratories; energy supply research and development activities; uranium supply, enrichment, and waste management activities as appropriate; fossil energy research and development; clean coal technology; energy conservation research and development; measures relating to the commercial application of energy technology; science and risk assessment activities of the Federal Government; Environmental Protection Agency research and development programs; and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including all activities related to weather, weather services, climate, and the atmosphere, and marine fisheries, and oceanic research. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) -- chairman Republicans: Democrats: Harris