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Whistleblower

Issue: Science and Space

Cantwell Delivers Opening Statement at Hearing on NASA’s Budget and Priorities: “We Cannot Operate our Science Agencies on the Cheap”

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered the following remarks at today’s hearing on examining National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Fiscal Year 24 budget and priorities. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testified before the Committee. Sen. Cantwell secured the latest NASA reauthorization in last year’s CHIPS and Science Act, which authorizes the Artemis program and the extension of the International Space Station program until 2030.

Cantwell, Hickenlooper and Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Reduce Orbiting Junk That Endangers the Future Space Economy

This week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, joined U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) to reintroduce the Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a first-of-its-kind demonstration program to reduce the amount of space junk in orbit.

On this 20th Anniversary, Sens. Cantwell, Cruz Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Crewmembers Who Lost Their Lives Aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003

On the 20th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), incoming Ranking Member of the Commerce Committee, introduced a Senate resolution honoring the seven crewmembers who lost their lives on February 1, 2003. The resolution is co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Cantwell Honors Eddie Bernice Johnson on 40 Years of Service and Shaping the Next Generation of Women in STEM

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, honored Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30), Chair of the House Space, Science and Technology Committee, at a ceremony unveiling Chair Johnson’s official portrait. Chair Johnson is retiring this year after 40 years in public service. She was the first African American and first woman to chair the House Science Committee and was a key negotiator with Sen. Cantwell in passing the historic CHIPS and Science Act. In honor of Chair Johnson’s commitment to STEM, the legislation honors her with the “Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Initiative” to help increase diversity and opportunities in STEM careers.

Artemis Blasts Off Toward the Moon – With Contributions from 42 WA Companies and Funding Spearheaded by Cantwell

Today, NASA’s Artemis I mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center. This is the first uncrewed test flight of the Artemis program, which is designed to return humans on the Moon and prepare for human exploration of Mars. It is also the first flight of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, led by Boeing, and the second spaceflight of the Orion crew capsule, led by Lockheed Martin.

Cantwell: With New Federal Funding, Community Colleges Can Be “Backbone” of STEM Education

On Friday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, visited Yakima Valley College (YVC) for a roundtable discussion about STEM education opportunities. Sen. Cantwell and YVC faculty and students discussed the hands-on STEM education opportunities available at YVC, as well as new federal funding for programs aimed at Hispanic and first-generation college students unlocked by the recently-passed CHIPS & Science Act. The roundtable was followed by a tour of YVC’s STEM education facilities, including an on-campus lab where students are growing bacteria as part as an ongoing study into antibiotics.

Cantwell Says CHIPS and Science Act Key to Advancing U.S. Computing Technologies & Building the Workforce to Drive it

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, underscored the need to fully fund the CHIPS and Science Act STEM education programs and build a competitive, highly-skilled workforce – the workforce needed for American leadership in key areas like artificial intelligence, quantum science, distributed ledger technologies and the semiconductors that power the computer industry.

Cantwell Praises Dr. Prabhakar for White House OSTP Director Ahead of Confirmation

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, praised Dr. Arati Prabhakar, President Biden’s nominee to be director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), ahead of today’s Senate confirmation vote. In remarks on the Senate floor last night, Sen. Cantwell underscored Dr. Prabhakar’s exceptional qualifications, experience and commitment to advancing innovation in science and technology and to expanding STEM education and opportunities for women and girls.