[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 101 (Friday, July 22, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H6332-H6335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3070, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND 
             SPACE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005

  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 370 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

[[Page H6333]]

                              H. Res. 370

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 3070) to reauthorize the human space flight, 
     aeronautics, and science programs of the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration, and for other purposes. The first 
     reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of 
     order against consideration of the bill are waived. General 
     debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one 
     hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Science. After 
     general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment 
     under the five-minute rule. It shall be in order to consider 
     as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the 
     five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
     recommended by the Committee on Science now printed in the 
     bill. The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute 
     shall be considered as read. All points of order against the 
     committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived. 
     Notwithstanding clause 11 of rule XVIII, no amendment to the 
     committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in 
     order except those printed in the report of the Committee on 
     Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such amendment may 
     be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be 
     offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be 
     considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified 
     in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
     and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall 
     not be subject to a demand for division of the question in 
     the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of 
     order against such amendments are waived. At the conclusion 
     of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee 
     shall rise and report the bill to the House with such 
     amendments as may have been adopted. Any Member may demand a 
     separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted in the 
     Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the committee 
     amendment in the nature of a substitute. The previous 
     question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and 
     amendments thereto to final passage without intervening 
     motion except one motion to recommit with or without 
     instructions.

                              {time}  0915

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). The gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the 
purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 370 is a structured rule that provides 
1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Science. It waives all 
points of order against consideration of the bill.
  Further, this resolution provides that the amendment in the nature of 
a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment, waives all points of order against the committee amendment 
in the nature of a substitute, makes in order only those amendments 
printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. It 
provides that the amendments printed in the report may be considered 
only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a 
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of Whole. It waives all 
points of order against the amendments printed in the report and 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of H. Res. 370 and the 
underlying bill, H.R. 3070, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2005.
  I would like to first thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Boehlert), the distinguished chairman of the Science Committee. As a 
former member of the Science Committee, I have a deep respect for the 
chairman, and I know how hard he works for the committee.
  Also, I would like to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Calvert), the Space Subcommittee chairman and the author of H.R. 3070, 
as well as the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Udall), the ranking members.
  H.R. 3070 represents this House's commitment to maintaining the 
United States' dominance in the field of space exploration and 
technology. This legislation embraces and builds upon the goals laid 
out by President Bush in his vision for space exploration.
  Overall, H.R. 3070 instructs the President, in conjunction with the 
administrator of NASA, to develop a national aeronautics policy through 
the year 2020. This act directs the NASA administrator to develop a 
goal and implement a strategy of running American astronauts to the 
Moon by 2020. Also the legislation calls for a Crew Exploration Vehicle 
to be launched as close to 2010 as possible.
  These goals and the related studies should be key to preparing the 
National Aeronautics Space Administration for the eventual deployment 
of astronaut crews to land on and return from Mars and other 
destinations. America has a history of innovation and technological 
development, and the American people demand that NASA do all within its 
resources and power to see that we keep that record intact.
  In this legislation, Congress also expresses its support for the 
Hubble space telescope and its valued use as a tool to answer important 
questions of space and science. Therefore, H.R. 3070 directs NASA to 
create and implement a plan to repair the Hubble telescope after 
completion of the current Space Shuttle mission.
  With respect to the international space station, H.R. 3070 provides 
instructions and strongly encourages NASA to develop a Crew Exploration 
Vehicle that will enable our crews to stay at the space station for 
longer durations of time.
  Additionally, this legislation promotes a number of additional 
initiatives, including the development of a supersonic aircraft capable 
of carrying civilian passengers.
  H.R. 3070 also calls for the development of a hydrogen fuel cell-
powered aircraft and an unmanned aircraft capable of operating for long 
periods on Mars. One study would be commissioned to assess the 
potential threats of near-Earth objects that are at least 100 meters in 
diameter, while another study would examine ways to reduce fuel 
consumption and noise levels of commercial aircraft.
  Mr. Speaker, in a time of deficits and budget reform, this 
legislation responsibly requires that the President's annual budget 
request for NASA include a breakdown of budgets on the basis of 
specific programs. This practice would allow the Congress and the 
President to better assess the cost-benefit analysis of each individual 
program and make determinations about future spending. The American 
people want to see technological development and advancement in the 
field of space exploration, but they demand and deserve that such 
provisions are made in a fiscally responsible and sound way.
  So in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to again commend the work of 
the Science Committee and to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Boehlert) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), as well as 
the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Udall), the ranking members.
  I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Gingrey) for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the fiscal year 
2006 National Aeronautics and Space Administration authorization, and I 
congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), the ranking member; and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the subcommittee chairman; and 
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall),

[[Page H6334]]

the ranking member, for their hard work on this bipartisan bill. I 
welcome a bill that comes to the floor with such unity, and I applaud 
their efforts.
  On March 16, 1926 Robert Goddard of Auburn, Massachusetts, which 
happens to be in my congressional district, successfully launched the 
first liquid fueled rocket. The first-of-its-kind rocket reached an 
altitude of only 40 feet, and its flight lasted only 2 seconds; but it 
inspired generations of future astronauts and scientists. Dr. Goddard, 
recalling his childhood curiosity for physics wrote: ``I imagined how 
wonderful it would be to make some device which had even the 
possibility of ascending to Mars. I was a different boy when I 
descended the tree from when I ascended, for existence at last seem 
purposive.''
  Robert Goddard would come to be known as the Father of Modern 
Rocketry. And I know Dr. Goddard would be pleased to know that the 
exploration of Mars is within our grasp.
  By prioritizing human space travel, we are trying to maintain the 
United States as a leader in space exploration and aeronautics. 
Projects such as the International Space Station encourage worldwide 
efforts in science, and it is important that the U.S. continue to 
participate. Through these missions, we will be able to explore the 
long-term effects of space travel on humans, collect data regarding 
life on other planets, and gain greater knowledge of the universe.
  Mr. Speaker, the safety of our astronauts must remain our top 
priority. So I am pleased that the committee has included funding in 
this bill for the Crew Exploration Vehicle. This vehicle will serve as 
a backup should problems arise with the International Space Station.
  The spirit of Robert Goddard and NASA inspires children of all ages 
to imagine what is beyond the blue sky above. In my own district, 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute has received $1.5 million in the last 5 
years for aerospace research projects.
  WPI has also sent 150 undergraduate students to the Goddard 
Spaceflight Program, where they researched and developed products in 
gravity studies and contamination prevention. With ongoing partnerships 
with facilities across the country, WPI has formed a multidecade bond 
with NASA. The knowledge gained from these undergraduate programs 
fosters not only a love of learning, but also offers careers at NASA 
and other leaders in the aeronautics field.
  NASA has always been a leader in educating young people about the 
wonders of space and aeronautics. Through outreach programs, NASA is 
able to engage students and encourage studies in math and science. This 
bill authorizes NASA to establish two annual Charles ``Pete'' Conrad 
Astronomy awards for amateur astronomers. The first award would be 
presented to astronomers who, using amateur equipment only, discover 
the brightest near-Earth asteroid during the past year.
  The second award would be presented to the amateur or group who made 
the greatest contribution to the Minor Planet Center catalog of near-
Earth asteroids. Each award amounts to $3,000. By promoting the pursuit 
of science through such awards, we can engage children and young 
adults. We can get them more interested in math and science, which is 
so incredibly important in the 21st century.
  In the spirit of ingenuity, I am also pleased to mention $6.9 billion 
has been set aside for science, aeronautics, and education activities. 
This will allow scientists to research such projects as hydrogen fuel 
cell-powered aircraft that would have no hydrocarbon or nitrogen oxide 
emissions, and to study ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise 
levels of commercial aircraft. Important potential markets could be 
created from these new technologies, and in a society that is 
overdependent on fossil fuels, this money is well spent. In fact, the 
research that NASA is doing can help us make the world more 
environmentally safe.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the authors of this bill for their hard 
work.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert), the distinguished subcommittee chairman.
  Mr. CALVERT. I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Boehlert); the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), the ranking 
member; and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall), the ranking 
subcommittee member.
  We have worked out a good bill. This is a good rule. This recognizes 
the importance of human exploration, robotics, science, aeronautics. 
This is a good compromise, a good bipartisan solution. Let us move this 
rule and get on to the general debate.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for allowing me to speak. I would also 
like thank the members of the committee who worked so hard to craft a 
bill that was strong enough to pass through the committee unanimously.
  When most people think about NASA, they think about space 
exploration, and rightly so, with such a rich history. NASA has given 
us Projects Mercury and Gemini in the 1960s, followed closely by the 
Moon landings of Project Apollo. They gave us Skylab in the 1970s, and 
finally, the Space Shuttle beginning in the 1980s and sunsetting in the 
coming years. And of course the Hubble telescope has given us decades 
of groundbreaking information about deep space through its spectacular 
visual images. Several of those images, I might add, adorn the walls of 
my own office.
  But NASA's contribution to America is far more than space flight 
alone. Its satellites have allowed NASA to pioneer the science of 
remote sensing, which enables us to perform incredible analyses of the 
Earth from space. And its aeronautic research and development has 
dramatically improved our air safety, our economy, and our environment. 
National security has especially benefited.
  From surveillance systems that monitor aircraft flight paths to the 
development of secure communications systems, NASA's research has been 
instrumental in improving our national security. In addition, NASA's 
recent successful hypersonic flight, clocked at about 7,000 miles per 
hour, demonstrated that military or civilian aircraft might soon be 
able to fly anywhere in the world in less than 2 hours. Aeronautics is 
a substantial and key part of the national defense infrastructure.
  NASA's basic research is critical to their success. NASA is able to 
develop long-term, high-risk enabling technologies that the private 
sector is unwilling to perform because it is either too risky or too 
expensive. When the government-sponsored basic research yields 
information that could lead to a service or product with profit 
potential, the private sector transitions from research to development 
in order to bring it to market.

                              {time}  0930

  While it is not always as simple as this, it is clear that where 
there is no basic research there can be no development.
  NASA's field centers like the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, 
Ohio, in my district, are where the actual basic research is done. 
There you will find unique research facilities, some of the best 
scientists and engineers of our time, and a track record of discovery 
for the public good that is the envy of the world.
  One of the secrets to NASA's success has been its dual emphasis on 
both space and aeronautics. A successful space program is heavily 
dependent on a strong aeronautics program. Indeed, you cannot get to 
space without first navigating the atmosphere. Yet the budget proposal 
for fiscal year 2006 attempted to cut funding for aeronautics research. 
The result is that recovery would have taken decades and billions of 
dollars.
  That is why I am here on the floor to express my gratitude for the 
work that my colleagues have put into this bill. It shows that the good 
people of the committee share my own deep affinity and appreciation for 
a healthy, balanced NASA. It recognizes that a healthy NASA requires 
strong field research centers like NASA Glenn. Strong field centers in 
turn are dependent on their facilities and, most importantly, their 
talented workforce. The

[[Page H6335]]

bill, therefore, protects the jobs and facilities from cuts that are 
driven by what accountants want instead of what good scientists and 
engineers in our Nation need.
  The bill stands in defense of aeronautics in a nod to the crucial 
role that it plays in so many facets of our everyday life. The effort 
to keep NASA healthy is by no means over, but this bill represents a 
long stride in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting it.
  I want to also thank my colleagues from other committees such as the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Hobson), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Mrs. Jones), and others who have been very supportive of our 
overall efforts.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just close by saying that this is an important 
bill. It is important because our space program yields many benefits to 
the people of this country and the world.
  A lot of times people do not quite understand all that we gain from 
the space program. It is not just about rockets flying up in the sky. 
It is about improving aeronautics research. It is about communications, 
improving our communications systems. It is about protecting our 
national security. It is about learning more about science and our 
environment. It is about finding better ways to protect our environment 
here on Earth. We learn of medical breakthroughs, medical research goes 
on during these space flights. So it benefits us in multiple ways, and 
I think it is important for people to appreciate that because 
oftentimes people will ask, why do we need to spend all this money on 
the space program? The reason why is there are tangible benefits all 
around us that have been directly derived from the space program.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me again say I am grateful that this is a 
bipartisan bill, and I am grateful that there is no controversy on the 
rule. This is a unique moment because we have not had such a bill like 
this in a long time. I ask Members to support the bill and support the 
rule.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by saying that from the Apollo 
Moon landing to the first Space Shuttle to the International Space 
Station, NASA has been pushing the envelope of American science.
  NASA is not just about inventing TANG. It is about American 
achievement, American pride. As we move to consideration of the 
underlying bill, I would ask my colleagues to remember their first 
thoughts of space as a child and the wonderment they felt.
  As a child I remember looking at the stars and Moon at night and the 
sheer awe I experienced. NASA has taken that wonderment and awe and 
turned it into tangible results with legal real-life applications.
  My good friend and colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) talked 
about breakthroughs in the field of medicine where, of course, I 
practiced as a physician for almost 30 years, and NASA has been a part 
of numerous breakthroughs that do help doctors treat their patients and 
save lives.
  For instance, NASA has been directly or indirectly involved in 
digital imaging breast biopsy systems; breast cancer detection; laser 
angioplasty for blocked arteries; ultrasound skin damage assessment; 
human tissue stimulator which helps control chronic pain; cool suits 
that lower a patient's body temperature, producing a dramatic 
improvement of symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina 
bifida and others; programmable pacemakers, eye screening to detect eye 
problems in very young children; automated urinalysis, medical gas 
analyzer systems used to monitor operating rooms for analysis of 
anesthetic gasses and measurement of oxygen, carbon dioxide and 
nitrogen concentrations to assure proper breathing environment for 
surgery patients; voice-controlled wheelchairs.
  Just to list off a few more: Arteriosclerosis, hardening of the 
arteries, detection, ultrasound scanners, automatic insulin pump, 
portable x-ray devices, invisible braces, dental arch wire, palate 
surgery. I could go on and on.
  Mr. Speaker, of course the field of medicine is only one area of 
course that NASA has helped all of us. In reality that are so many, 
many more that we do not have time to mention here today. Suffice it to 
say, we are making tremendous breakthroughs in the field of science 
because of what NASA has done and how we have funded this program.
  I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the 
previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________