(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at a full committee markup passed three bipartisan bills which strengthen critical research partnerships and advance American aviation.
“All three bipartisan bills passed out of Committee today advance our legislative agenda and contribute to a larger effort to improve federal R&D,” Chairman Frank Lucas said. “H.R. 2980 and H.R. 2988 strengthen and secure DOE’s critical interagency research partnerships with NSF and NASA. If the U.S. wants to outcompete adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party, continuing to support these longstanding collaborations will advance groundbreaking research and ensure we lead in science and innovation. H.R. 3559 is a comprehensive bill to modernize and improve American aviation, providing for FAA research and development activities to ensure safer air travel, improve the flying experience, and secure U.S. competitiveness. This bill reflects a collection of input from both our Members and external stakeholders, and I am confident that this will be a valuable contribution to the overall FAA reauthorization. I want to thank all sponsors and cosponsors of these bills on both sides of the aisle for their collaborative efforts. Let’s continue the momentum.”
“The three bills we advanced through Committee today once again demonstrate the Science Committee’s commitment to bipartisanship,” said Ranking Member Lofgren. “H.R. 2988 and H.R. 2980 will capitalize on the impressive capabilities of DOE and advance very important partnerships with NSF and NASA. H.R. 3559 will usher in a stronger future for the FAA and bolster its R&D efforts--which is extremely important to our leadership in aviation and aeronautics. I’m very proud of these bills, and I’m especially proud of the good faith negotiations it took with both staff and stakeholders to make sure they’re perfect. I thank Chairman Lucas for his leadership and look forward to working with my colleagues to move this on the House floor.”
H.R. 2980, the DOE and NSF Interagency Research Act, supports the Department of Energy’s (DOE) longstanding partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), working on a wide range of research topics such as physics, quantum information sciences, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and workforce and education development. The bill enhances both the DOE and NSF’s capabilities to maximize its impacts by leveraging each other’s investments in research and development.
H.R. 2988, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act, improves interagency coordination between DOE and NASA. The two agencies have a long history of collaboration on fundamental and early-stage research, particularly on nuclear propulsion and power for spacecraft. Using their unique assets, DOE and NASA can work together on the critical challenges of building a lunar surface infrastructure and efficiently powering a crewed journey to Mars.
H.R. 3559, the Federal Aviation Administration Research and Development Act of 2023, provides for FAA research and development activities to ensure safer air travel, improve the flying experience, and secure U.S. competitiveness.
The Science Committee has jurisdiction over FAA’s research, engineering, and development activities, which cover a wide range of issues including reducing fuel consumption and flight times, utilizing better structural materials on aircraft and at airports, and researching the effects of flight on human health. This bill prioritizes making American aviation safer, more efficient, and more reliable.
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Chairman Frank Lucas Opening Statement at Markup of H.R. 2980, H.R. 2988, and H.R. 3559