WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his opening statement at today’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee nominations hearing, Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) praised Matthew Anderson, nominee to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as a strong leader who will work with Administrator Isaacman to ensure the Artemis program succeeds and America beats China back to the Moon. Aided by the $10 billion that Chairman Cruz secured for NASA in the Working Families Tax Cut Act, Mr. Anderson and Administrator Isaacman will be well positioned to execute NASA’s deep-space exploration goals and sustain operations in low-Earth orbit. 

Sen. Cruz also welcomed Arvind Raman to the Committee. Raman has been nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Sen. Cruz praised President Trump’s vision to return NIST to its intended non-regulatory mission and promote AI research grounded in objective science.   

Here are Sen. Cruz’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning.  The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will come to order. 

“Today, we are considering the nominations of Matthew Anderson, to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Arvind Raman, to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

“The 21st century will belong to the nation that can innovate the fastest.  NASA and NIST are integral to that effort. 

“Let’s start with NASA, which has long been at the forefront of human exploration and scientific discovery.  In 1969, that meant being the first nation to put a man on the Moon.  Today, it means returning there and staying there. 

“Mr. Anderson is well-equipped to execute that mission.  During his 24 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Anderson logged nearly 5,000 flight hours.  He commanded the Department of War’s only airlift nuclear squadron and led “no fail” missions transporting nuclear weapons around the world.   

“Since retiring from the Air Force in 2021, Mr. Anderson has served as Vice President at CACI International, overseeing the company’s Space Force and Air Force portfolio.  

“Mr. Anderson joins NASA at a crucial moment.  Artemis 2 is set to launch this spring.  It will bring American astronauts closer to the Moon than at any point in the last 50 years.  Our nominee will work with Administrator Isaacman to ensure a safe and successful launch for Artemis 2.  But his work will not end there.  Congress has provided a clear vision and significant funding for NASA.  The Working Families Tax Cut Act committed nearly $10 billion to specific components of the space program, giving NASA the resources it needs to lead in low Earth orbit and explore deep space.  The NASA Authorization Act, which we passed out of committee yesterday, outlines a strategic direction for the agency.  I am confident that, should it become law, Mr. Anderson will implement the law faithfully. 

“Let’s now turn to Arvind Raman, our nominee for Director of NIST.  NIST establishes voluntary measurement standards and technical guidelines to advance American innovation.  Mr. Raman knows these standards are valuable because they give industry a trusted, common framework for measurement and interoperability. 

“Under the Biden administration, however, NIST was diverted from its objective, science-based mission.  It put out the AI Risk Management Framework, which focused on left-wing social engineering and speech codes, undermining the institute’s reputation for impartiality.  I was encouraged by President Trump’s decision to replace Biden’s AI censorship regime with the new AI Action Plan.  My sincere hope is that Mr. Raman will execute President Trump’s plan and return NIST to its intended non-regulatory function. 

“A UC Berkley-educated engineer, Mr. Raman serves as John A. Edwardson Dean of Purdue University’s College of Engineering, one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation.  There, he helped turn Purdue Engineering into a private investment magnet, bringing in billions in new R&D facility investments.  At NIST, he can apply these skills to advance American industry by supporting the measurement standards, research, and technologies that underpin it. 

“I look forward to hearing from both of today’s nominees and learning how they will advance American interests in outer space and at home.” 

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