United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology

The Committee on Science, Space and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. Specifically, the committee has partial or complete jurisdiction over the following federal agencies: NASA, the Department of Energy, EPA, ATSDR, NSF, FAA, NOAA, National Institute of Standards and Technology, FEMA, the U.S. Fire Administration, and United States Geological Survey.

History

In the wake of the Soviet Sputnik program in the late 1950s, Congress created the Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration in 1958. This select committee drafted the National Aeronautics and Space Act that created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A staff report of the committee, the Space Handbook: Astronautics and its Applications, provided non-technical information about spaceflight to U.S. policy makers.

The committee also chartered the permanent House Committee on Science and Astronautics, which officially began on January 3, 1959, and was the first new standing committee established in the House since 1946. The name was changed in 1974 to the House Committee on Science and Technology. The name was changed again in 1987 to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. After the Republican Party gained a majority in Congress in 1994, the name of the committee was changed to the House Committee on Science. With the return of control to the Democrats in 2007, the committee's name was changed back to the House Committee on Science and Technology.

In the 112th Congress, Committee Chairman Ralph Hall added “Space” back into the Committee’s name: “The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology” – a nod to the Committee’s history, broad jurisdiction, and the importance of space exploration in maintaining American innovation and competitiveness.

Members

112th Congress

The Committee is chaired by Ralph Hall of Texas, and the Ranking Member is Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas.

Majority

Minority

Ralph Hall, Texas, Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin, Vice Chairman Lamar S. Smith, Texas Dana Rohrabacher, California Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Judy Biggert, Illinois Todd Akin, Missouri Randy Neugebauer, Texas Michael McCaul, Texas Paul Broun, Georgia Sandy Adams, Florida Ben Quayle, Arizona Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee Scott Rigell, Virginia Steven Palazzo, Mississippi Mo Brooks, Alabama Andy Harris, Maryland Randy Hultgren, Illinois Chip Cravaack, Minnesota Larry Bucshon, Indiana Dan Benishek, Michigan Vacancy

Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas, Ranking Member Jerry Costello, Illinois Lynn Woolsey, California Zoe Lofgren, California Brad Miller, North Carolina Dan Lipinski, Illinois Donna Edwards, Maryland Marcia Fudge, Ohio Ben R. Luján, New Mexico Paul Tonko, New York Jerry McNerney, California John Sarbanes, Maryland Terri Sewell, Alabama Frederica Wilson, Florida Hansen Clarke, Michigan 2 Vacancies

Source:

• Resolutions electing Republican members (H.Res. 6, H.Res. 37)
• Resolutions electing Democratic members (H.Res. 7, H.Res. 39)

111th Congress

In the 111th United States Congress (January 2009-January 2011), the Committee was chaired by Democrat Bart Gordon of Tennessee, and the Ranking Member was Republican Ralph Hall of Texas.

Majority

Minority

Bart Gordon, Tennessee, Chairman Jerry Costello, Illinois Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas Lynn Woolsey, California David Wu, Oregon Brian Baird, Washington Brad Miller, North Carolina Dan Lipinski, Illinois Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Donna Edwards, Maryland Marcia Fudge, Ohio Ben R. Luján, New Mexico Paul Tonko, New York John Garamendi, California Steve Rothman, New Jersey Jim Matheson, Utah Lincoln Davis, Tennessee Ben Chandler, Kentucky Russ Carnahan, Missouri Baron Hill, Indiana Harry Mitchell, Arizona Charlie Wilson, Ohio Kathy Dahlkemper, Pennsylvania Alan Grayson, Florida Suzanne Kosmas, Florida Gary Peters, Michigan

Ralph Hall, Texas, Ranking Member Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Lamar S. Smith, Texas Dana Rohrabacher, California Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland Vern Ehlers, Michigan Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Judy Biggert, Illinois Todd Akin, Missouri Randy Neugebauer, Texas Bob Inglis, South Carolina Michael McCaul, Texas Mario Diaz-Balart, Florida Brian Bilbray, California Paul Broun, Georgia Pete Olson, Texas

Sources:

• H.Res. 38, electing minority members to standing committees
• H.Res. 74, electing majority members to standing committees
• H.Res. 921, electing majority members to standing committees

Subcommittees

There are five subcommittees in the 112th Congress.

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Space and Aeronautics	Steven Palazzo (R-MS)	Vacant
Research and Science Education	Mo Brooks (R-AL)	Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
Energy and Environment	Andy Harris (R-MD)	Brad Miller (D-NC)
Technology and Innovation	Ben Quayle (R-AZ)	David Wu (D-OR)
Investigations and Oversight	Paul Broun (R-GA)	Donna Edwards (D-MD)

Committee Chairmen, 1959-present

Chairmen since 1959.

• Overton Brooks, 1959–1961
• George P. Miller, 1961–1973
• Olin E. Teague, 1973–1978
• Don Fuqua, 1979–1987
• Robert A. Roe, 1987–1991
• George Brown, Jr., 1991–1995
• Robert S. Walker, 1995–1997
• Jim Sensenbrenner, 1997–2001
• Sherwood Boehlert, 2001–2007
• Bart Gordon, 2007–2011
• Ralph Hall, 2011-present

External links

• Official web site
• Republican Science Committee website
• Democratic Science Committee website