Week in Review - 3.18.22
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee newsletter! The SST Newsletter highlights the goings on of the Committee, the hard work of our Members, and a look ahead. Sign up to get it delivered straight to your inbox!
Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Welcome Announcement of New NSF Directorate Aligned with Bipartisan Committee Proposal
On Wednesday, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced the launch of NSF’s new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships at South by Southwest. This new directorate — NSF’s first in more than 30 years — builds upon the agency’s commitment over seven decades to serve as a beacon of U.S. innovation, advancing the frontiers of research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
“The new directorate is an opportunity to ensure NSF-funded research makes it out of the lab, and importantly, that the benefits are shared by all Americans. This vision is closely aligned with the bipartisan proposal championed by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in the NSF for the Future Act and we are thrilled to see it taking shape. We look forward to working with our colleagues in Congress to send legislation to the President’s desk that supports and enables NSF’s efforts, including by providing the right balance of guidance and flexibility to ensure long-term success in their mission.”
-Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK)
The Future of Bioenergy Research and Development
On Wednesday, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to examine the status of bioenergy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities carried out by the U.S. Department of Energy. In the hearing, Committee Members considered advancements in bioenergy research and the potential role of this resource in a cleaner energy transition.
“Now more than ever we must work to decarbonize hard to abate sectors, such as cement, steel aviation, and shipping. These sectors currently use the carbon in fossil fuels not as an energy source, but as a chemical reducing agent and/or depend on energy sources with the mass — and energy-density only found in liquid fuels. Bioenergy is the unique renewable fuel source that can serve both needs.”
-Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
“My district in Dallas is a hub for domestic and international air travel, and there too, bioenergy has the potential to enable sustainable aviation. I have a vested interest in overcoming barriers to the wider adoption of these fuels, as this sector is particularly challenging to decarbonize.”
-Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Opinion: Congress Must Address Wildfires Head On
“As members of Congress representing parts of Colorado, California and Oregon, we know firsthand what is at stake when it comes to the threat of wildfires. We know that Congress must advance better strategies and strengthen funding across our federal science agencies to address wildfires. Lives depend on it.”
READ: Federal investments in science are needed to reduce wildfire
Strengthening U.S. Leadership in Technical Standards
On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing to discuss the nature and importance of the standards-setting process to U.S. competitiveness and national security.
“One of the greatest things about the American standards system is that the idea with the most technical merit wins the day. Many international standards bodies have adopted that model in no small part because of its success. For the last century, U.S. industry has been a dominant player in international standards. For example, Michigan’s own Ford and GM helped set the autosafety standards of yesterday and are pioneering the electric vehicle standards of tomorrow.”
-Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology,
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
Coming up in Committee
There is no committee activity scheduled for next week.
