The Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on NASA’s FY2024 budget request on April 20, 2023.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was the only witness and fielded many questions about what he and subcommittee members view as a “space race” with China. Although House Republican leadership is proposing dramatic reductions in federal spending that would have detrimental effects on NASA, both Republican and Democratic subcommittee members voiced strong support for NASA activities.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on April 20, 2023: NASA Wins Accolades from House Appropriators Worried About Space Race with China.

The Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the FY2024 budget request for NASA on April 18, 2023. The hearing also addressed the request for the National Science Foundation.  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan were the witnesses.

Nelson was queried in particular on how growing funding requirements for the Mars Sample Return mission are affecting other science programs. Nelson revealed that he learned just two weeks earlier than MSR needs another $250 million in the current fiscal year, FY2023, and another $250 million above the FY2024 request, to stay on track for launch in 2028. He acknowledged the funding challenges, but reminded the Senators it is only a request and Congress could add more money. Nelson was a Senator for 18 years and a member of the House of Representatives before that so is well familiar with the saying that the President proposes and Congress disposes on matters of how to spend taxpayer money.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on April 13, 2023: Mars Sample Return in Financial Bind Already.

The Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on NASA’s FY2023 budget request on May 3, 2022.  The hearing also was on the FY2023 budget request for the National Science Foundation.

Witnesses were:

• Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator
• Sethuraman Panchanathan, NSF Director

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the NASA portions of the hearing on May 3: Nelson Blasts Cost-Plus Contracts, Says Russia Not Leaving ISS.

The Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on NASA’s FY2023 budget request on May 18, 2022. The witness was NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 18: House Appropriators Praise NASA, But Worry About Overruns and Delays.

On May 12, 2022, the space subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, held a hearing on “Space Situational Awareness: Guiding the Transition to a Civil Capability.”

Witnesses were:

• Matthew Hedyuk, Senior Project Leader, The Aerospace Corporation
• Moriba Jah, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department, Mrs. Pearlie Dashiell Henderson Centennial Fellowship in Engineering, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin
• Andrew D’Uva, Senior Policy Advisor, Space Data Association
• Kevin O’Connell, Founder, Space Economy Rising, LLC and former Director of the Office of Space Commerce, NOAA, Department of Commerce
• Mariel Borowitz,  Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Georgia Institute of Technology

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 17, 2022: “As Space Gets More Crowded, House Comittee Still Questioning SSA Path Forward.”

The space subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on March 1, 2022 on “Keeping Our Sights on Mars Part 3: A Status Update and Review of NASA’s Artemis Initiative.”

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on March 1: “First Four Artemis Flights Will Cost $4.1 Billion Each, NASA IG Tells Congress.”

Witnesses were:

• Mr. James Free, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA
• Mr. William Russell, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, U.S. Government Accountability Office
• Dr. Patricia Sanders, Chair, Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel
• The Honorable Paul K. Martin, Inspector General, NASA
• Mr. Daniel Dumbacher, Executive Director, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

The subcommittee on Space and Science of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on “NASA Accountability and Oversight” on February 9, 2022.

A main theme of the hearing was the need for a new NASA authorization bill. The most recent bill was enacted in 2017.  Other topics included the status of the Artemis program and cost overruns on the James Webb Space Telescope.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on February 9: Cantwell, Wicker Press Need for NASA Authorization Bill This Year.

Witnesses were:

• Mr. James Free, Associate Administrator, NASA Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
• Mr. James Reuter, Associate Administrator, NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate
• Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate
• Mr. W. William Russell, Director, Government Accountability Office Contracting & National Security Acquisitions Team
• Dr. Scott Pace, Director, Space Policy Institute and Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University

The Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a virtual hearing on January 12, 2022 to hear from leaders of DOD’s military services (Space Force, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps) and the DOD Comptroller on the impact on national security if Congress is unable to pass the FY2022 defense appropriations bill.

No FY2022 appropriations bills had cleared Congress at the time of the hearing. The government is operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires on February 18, 2022 and there is concern that agreement will not be reached by then, either. If no appropriations bills pass for FY2022, DOD and all other government agencies will be stuck at their FY2021 funding levels and new programs cannot start and old ones cannot end.

Gen. Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, testified on behalf of the U.S. Space Force.

SpacePolicyOnline.com summarized his testimony in an article posted on January 12, 2022: Raymond Warns of Dire Consequences of a Full-Year CR.

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on October 21, 2021 on “International Collaboration and Competition in Space: Oversight of NASA’s Role and Programs.”

Despite the title, no current NASA officials were among the witnesses. Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships Mike Gold (now with Redwire Space) were at the witness table along with Mary Lynne Dittmar from Axiom Space and Patricia Sanders, chair of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP).

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on October 21: “Senate Committee Told U.S. Space Leadership Requires Continued Presence in Low Earth Orbit.“

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on May 20, 2021 to consider the nominations of Pam Melroy to be Deputy Administrator of NASA and Rick Spinrad to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of NOAA.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on May 20: Melroy, Spinrad Sail Through Confirmation Hearing.