[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 43 (Wednesday, April 13, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Michael D. Griffin, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration represents our Nation's greatest hopes and aspirations. 
President Bush nominated Dr. Michael D. Griffin to be the next NASA 
Administrator on March 14, 2005. Dr. Griffin takes over an agency that 
is embarking on the President's Vision for Space Exploration, which 
will take America back to the moon and eventually to Mars. The Vision 
is NASA's biggest mission since the Apollo program began more than 40 
years ago. Dr. Griffin will guide NASA on the first steps of this 
important journey that will define America's presence in space for the 
next several decades. At the same time, we still mourn the loss of the 
Columbia's crew as NASA readies the Space Shuttle for its return to 
flight next month. Dr. Griffin's first task will be to ensure that the 
shuttle program gets back on its feet safely and effectively. NASA 
needs its next Administrator immediately, and I thank the Senate for 
agreeing to the request from Senator Inouye and myself to discharge and 
approve this nomination.
  Dr. Griffin's extensive background in space and science will serve 
him and NASA well. He is currently head of the Space Department at the 
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Previously, Dr. 
Griffin was President and Chief Operating Officer of In-Q-Tel, an 
independent, nonprofit venture group chartered to identify and invest 
in cutting-edge commercial technologies for intelligence community 
applications. He has also served as CEO of the Magellan Systems 
Division of Orbital Sciences Corporation, as General Manager of 
Orbital's Space Systems Group, and as the company's Executive Vice 
President/Chief Technical Officer. Prior to joining Orbital, he was 
Senior Vice President for Program Development at Space Industries 
International, and General Manager of the Space Industries Division in 
Houston.
  Dr. Griffin has served in a number of Governmental positions. With 
NASA, he served as both the Chief Engineer and the Associate 
Administrator for Exploration, and within the Department of Defense--
DOD--he served as the Deputy for Technology at the Strategic Defense 
Initiative Organization--SDIO. Before joining SDIO, Dr. Griffin played 
a leading role in numerous space missions while employed at the Johns 
Hopkins APL, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Computer Sciences 
Corporation. He holds seven degrees in the fields of physics, 
electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering, and 
business administration, and has been an Adjunct Professor at the 
George Washington University, the Johns Hopkins University, and the 
University of Maryland. He is the lead author on more than two dozen 
technical papers and the textbook Space Vehicle Design. He is a 
recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the DOD 
Distinguished Public Service Medal. He is also a Registered 
Professional Engineer in Maryland and California, and a Certified 
Flight Instructor with instrument and multi-engine ratings.
  Dr. Griffin succeeds a close friend and former leader of my staff, 
Sean O'Keefe. Sean did an admirable job getting the agency's finances 
under control and, more importantly, holding NASA together after the 
Columbia tragedy. We were lucky NASA had such a leader during that 
trying time. At the Commerce Committee's hearing on Dr. Griffin's 
nomination I spoke of my recent travels with Sean, during which I was 
approached repeatedly by people who raved about Dr. Griffin. They all 
said he was the man for the job if he could be convinced to accept it. 
I am pleased the President appointed Dr. Griffin and I look forward to 
working closely with him and his team of talented professionals.

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