The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on U.S. leadership in space on March 13, 2019.  At the hearing, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine revealed that the agency is studying whether it is possible to launch the first flight of the uncrewed Orion spacecraft, Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), on two commercial rockets instead of the Space Launch System (SLS).  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of that aspect of the hearing on March 13, 2019:  NASA Studying Launching EM-1 on Commerce Rockets, Not SLS.

Witnesses at the hearing were:

• Jim Bridenstine, Administrator, NASA
• Kevin O’Connell, Director, Office of Space Commerce, Department of Commerce

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) held a hearing on February 26, 2019 on U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Northern Command/North American Aerospace Defense Command.  Among the topics discussed was the Trump Administration’s proposals to reestablish a U.S. Space Command and to create a Space Force as part of the Air Force.  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of those aspects of the hearing on February 26, 2019: “Hyten Enthusiastic About USSPACECOM, But Wants Some Operations To Remain in Omaha.”

Witnesses were:

• Gen. John Hyten, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command
• Gen. Terrence O’Shaugnessy, Commander, U.S. Northern Command and  Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command

The Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on September 26, 2018 on “60 Years of NASA Leadership in Human Space Exploration: Past, Present and Future.”  Witnesses were:

• Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations
• Mark Geyer, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center
• Jody Singer, Director, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
• Bob Cabana, Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on September 26:  Babin Introduces Leading Human Spaceflight Act.

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a pair of hearings on July 25 and 26, 2018 on “James Webb Space Telescope: Program Breach and Its Implications.” NASA has informed Congress that JWST will breach the congressionally-imposed cost cap of $8 billion for development and Congress now must reauthorize the program for it to proceed.  The new development cost estimate is $8.803 billion, a 10 percent increase, and the launch date has slipped from October 2018 to March 2021.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the two-day hearing on July 27, 2018:  House Hearing Gives JWST Lots of Love, But Tough Love for Northrop Grumman.

Witnesses on July 25 were:

• Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
• Tom Young, Chair, JWST Independent Review Board (IRB)

Witnesses on July 26 were:

• Wesley Bush, Chairman and CEO, Northrop Grumman (JWST’s prime contractor)
• Tom Young (appearing for a second time)

The Space, Science, and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on July 25, 2018 on “Destination Mars:  Putting American Boots on the Surface of Mars.”   Witnesses were:

• Tory Bruno, President and CEO, United Launch Alliance
• Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut
• Dava Newman, MIT professor and former NASA Deputy Administrator
• Chris Carberry, CEO, Explore Mars, Inc.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on July 26, 2018:  “Senators Insist Mars, Not the Moon, Is the Goal of Human Exploration.”

The Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology (HSST) Committee held a joint hearing on June 22, 2018 on how to transition Space Situational Awareness (SSA) responsibility for non-military users from DOD to another government agency, and discuss what agency should be in charge of Space Traffic Management.  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on June 22 entitled “Hyten, Bridenstine: No Time to Waste Getting Civil SSA Agency.”

Witnesses were:

• Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce
• Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
• Gen. John Hyten, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command

The Aviation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) held a hearing on June 26, 2018 on stakeholder perspectives of current efforts to reform commercial space launch regulations.  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on June 26, 2018 entitled “Safety Must Be Top Priority as Rockets Get Integrated into National Airspace System.”  Witnesses were:

• Captain Tim Canoll, President, Air Line Pilots Association, International
• Ms. Audrey Powers, Deputy General Counsel, Blue Origin, LLC
• Ms. Caryn Schenewerk, Senior Counsel, SpaceX
• Ms. Kelly Gareheime, Associate General Counsel, United Launch Alliance

The Space, Science and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on May 16, 2018 on Examining the Future of the International Space Station: Administration Perspectives.  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 16:  “Cruz, Nelson: Congress, and Only Congress, Will Decide When to End Funding for ISS.”  Witnesses were:

• Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations
• Paul Martin, NASA Inspector General

The House Science, Space, and Technology (SS&T) Committee held a hearing on May 17, 2018 on America’s Presence in Low Earth Orbit. The focus was on how long to continue operating the International Space Station and the likelihood that private companies will build new space stations to replace it.  SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 17:  “House Committee Struggles with U.S. Future in LEO.”   The witnesses were:

• Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations
• Bhavya Lal, Science and Technology Policy Institute, Institute for Defense Analyses
• Betsy Cantwell, Arizona State University and co-chair of the National Academies’ Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space

The Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee held a hearing on NASA’s FY2019 budget request on May 23, 2018.  It was the first NASA budget hearing for new subcommittee chairman Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and the first for new NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.  He was the only witness.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 23:  “Bridenstine Agrees Humans are Primary Cause of Climate change, Vows to Follow Decadal Surveys.”