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Congress

Lamar Smith Takes Over House Science Leadership

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
January 25, 2013
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Statement of Chairman Lamar Smith Full Science, Space, and Technology Committee Organizational Meeting
“It’s my hope that we will be considered a bipartisan committee, working together for the best interests of our country.”
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Oversight Plan for the 113th Congress
“The Committee will also examine the impact of large increases in funding for the Earth Science Directorate relative to funding requested for other science disciplines.”
House Science Chairman Lamar Smith puts climate change assessment on agenda, Dallas Morning News
“I believe climate change is due to a combination of factors, including natural cycles, sun spots, and human activity. But scientists still don’t know for certain how much each of these factors contributes to the overall climate change that the Earth is experiencing,” Smith said through an aide. “It is the role of the Science Committee to create a forum for discussion so Congress and the American people can hear from experts and draw reasoned conclusions. During this process, we should focus on the facts rather than on a partisan agenda.”
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Oversight Plan for the 113th Congress
“Within the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee’s jurisdiction, activities warranting further review include costs associated with cancellation of the Constellation program…”
Keith’s note: With Mike Griffin’s former staffer Chris Shank on Lamar Smith’s staff, it was inevitable that this moot topic would be revisited one more time. As such, you should expect to see Mike Griffin’s name on witness panel when this ends up as a hearing. Perhaps the most baffling thing is that Rep. Smith no longer felt that he needed the incredible expertise offered by having former NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale Fagan on his staff.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

5 responses to “Lamar Smith Takes Over House Science Leadership”

  1. Helen Simpson says:
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    Very true about Shana Dale’s expertise and enormous value to the committee. At the present time she is still identified on the committee website as being “Senior Policy Staff” to House Science. Is that no longer true? Of course, the same website still lists staffers that I know have cycled, or been cycled off. Shana was indeed called in to advise Mr. Hall, when he was Chair, so her departure is perhaps understandable, if unfortunate.

  2. James Muncy says:
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    Keith,

           There’s absolutely no reason to believe that Chairman Smith plans a hearing looking into the costs of cancelling Constellation.  At least not based on this oversight plan. 

            How do I know?  Because the exact same phrase… in fact the exact same paragraph… was also in Chairman Hall’s Oversight Plan for the formerly-named Space and Aeronautics subcommittee in the 112th Congress.  Two years ago. 

            And that paragraph is only a catch-all of minor issues that don’t merit their own paragraph.   So it’s not a priority, compared to all the other space issues the plan lays out in more detail.

            Furthermore, Chris Shank didn’t write that paragraph.  He wasn’t on the Committee staff then.  Chairman Hall’s staff did. 

            In fact, I’ve read thru the space sections of both plans.  The new one, for the 113th Congress, deletes the item on Space Shuttle transition, tweaks the Space Science item, but otherwise is… exactly the same.  Cut and paste. 

           Which just goes to show you that Chris and the acting subcommittee staff director have been so busy trying to get things started up that they didn’t reinvent the wheel in writing an oversight plan.  They used the existing space plan — with some changes — because it was good enough. 

          Now, I have no special knowledge or insight into the Committee’s plans.  But I know they’re busy hiring up staff and drafting legislation and sketching out hearings.  And of course all of the companies and universities and associations that care about science legislation are trying to get time with them. 

          Maybe they’ll update this oversight plan later.  I suspect we’ll get a much better idea of Chairman Smith’s priorities from his early speeches, op-eds, and opening statements.  Indeed, the plan itself makes clear that oversight often reflects real world developments in science and tech agencies… so it changes as new issues emerge. 

         I just don’t see Chris wasting his time, his staff colleagues’ time, or his boss’ time, re-fighting a three year old battle when they have a future to help discover. 

                 – Jim

    • kcowing says:
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      If the committee has no intention of spending any time with the whole Constellation issue then why mention it in the first place?  If they are not interested then the inclusion of this (and other?) items of non-interest strikes me as lazy attention to detail.  I don’t buy the “busy” explanation.

  3. hikingmike says:
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    “During this process, we should focus on the facts rather than on a partisan agenda.”

    Thank you