FYI: Science Policy News
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House Science Subcommittees on Space, Energy & Environment

APR 17, 1998

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 #68 .) Agencies under the House Science Committee’s jurisdiction in the 105th Congress include the National Science Foundation, NASA, NIST, and the Department of Energy’s non-military R&D programs. See http://www.house.gov/MemberWWW.html for the Web sites of all representatives.

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 #69 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 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 Republicans: Democrats: Joe L. Barton (Texas) Bart Gordon (Tenn.) Ken Calvert (Calif.) -- ranking member Roscoe G. Bartlett (Md.) Ralph M. Hall (Texas) Dave Weldon (Fla.) James A. Traficant Jr. (Ohio) Matt Salmon (Ariz.) Alcee L. Hastings (Fla.) Thomas M. Davis III (Va.) Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) Mark Foley (Fla.) William P. Luther (Minn.) Charles W. Pickering Jr. (Miss.) Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) Christopher B. Cannon (Utah) Nick Lampson (Texas) Kevin Brady (Texas) Merrill Cook (Utah) George R. Nethercutt Jr. (Wash.) SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT 389 Ford 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 W. Fawell (Ill.) Tim Roemer (Ind.) Curt Weldon (Pa.) -- ranking member Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.) Paul McHale (Pa.) Tom Coburn (Okla.) Mike Doyle (Pa.) Vernon J. Ehlers (Mich.) Darlene Hooley (Ore.) Matt Salmon (Ariz.) Ralph M. Hall (Texas) Mark Foley (Fla.) Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas) Phil English (Pa.) Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) Alcee Hastings (Fla.)

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