Senate Commerce Committee Approves NASA Authorization Bill

Published by Marcos on June 24, 2008 under General

In the span of a minute, the Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science committee passed the Senate version of the NASA Authorization Bill of 2008. You can read the committee press release here.

When the text of the bill is available online, I’ll update this post.

NASA Authorization Bill Passes 409-15

Published by Marcos on June 19, 2008 under General

The NASA Authorization Bill,HR 6063, passed the House yesterday by a vote of 409-15. The bill authorizes (but does not appropriate) higher funding for NASA, and spells out the agencies mission as the agency prepares for a new administration in 2009.

Noteworthy in the bill:

  • Budget Authorization 12.8% higher than the President’s request
  • Support for a strong suborbital program including sounding rockets and balloons
  • Addresses the need to reform ITAR, which inhibits international scientific collaboration
  • Recognizes the importance of Decadal surveys and other community-based decision making processes.

The Senate has yet to introduce a NASA authorization bill.

House subcommittee completes markup of NASA Reauthorization

Published by Marcos on May 20, 2008 under General

In about 10 minutes, markup of the NASA Reauthorization bill occurred in the House Space & Aeronautics subcommittee today. No amendments were considered. The bill moves on to the full House Science Committee.

Markup refers to the process by which a bill is amended, altered, etc. The bill text got through markup without any changes, from my quick scanning of the archived webcast.

No NASA reauthorization bill has yet been introduced in the Senate.

NASA Reauthorization Bill

Published by Marcos on May 16, 2008 under General

The NASA Reauthorization bill has been introduced in the House. The bill will go through markup in the House Space and Aeronautics subcommittee next week, and then before the full House Science and Technology committee in early June. The Senate is working on its own NASA reauthorization bill, which is likely to appear in the next month or so.

In addition to authorizing (but not actually appropriating) money for NASA, the bipartisan bill defines a broad policy goals and the mission of NASA.

So, read the text of the bill, and see what you think. The committee is open to input from the scientific community to improve and clarify the bill text.