Rockefeller Statement on House FAA & Surface Transportation Extensions

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV issued the following statement today after the House passed a “clean” extension of surface transportation programs for six months and also made certain funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would continue into next year:

Rockefeller Praises First Responder Proposal in White House Jobs Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today said that President Obama’s jobs plan includes proposals to spark job growth and economic development by creating a new interoperable radio network for first responders—similar to legislation awaiting consideration by the full Senate.

Rockefeller Honors First Responders

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today submitted the following statement into the Congressional Record to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 and to urge Members of Congress to pass legislation that would provide the nation’s brave first responders with the spectrum they need to communicate during emergencies:

Sen. Hutchison, Sen. Nelson Issue Statement on Campaign to Undermine America’s Manned Space Program

SEN. HUTCHISON, SEN. NELSON ISSUE STATEMENT ON CAMPAIGN TO UNDERMINE AMERICA’S MANNED SPACE PROGRAM Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) issued the following statement: “A just-completed, NASA-commissioned independent cost assessment by Booz Allen Hamilton found that development of the Space Launch System, Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and complementary ground […]

Rockefeller Statement on 9/11 Unfinished Business Cited by Bipartisan Policy Center

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV released the following statement on the “Tenth Anniversary Report Card: The Status of the 9/11 Commission Recommendations,” which was released today from the Bipartisan Policy Center. The report card details nine major unfinished recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, including the need for public safety spectrum and interoperability.

ICYMI: Let the Games Begin

When presidential candidate Barack Obama first mentioned his stance on space policy, he spoke of the NASA budget as a perfect offset for additional education spending. Later, when he realized that he had to win Florida, he changed his tune. But it came as little surprise to those of us watching this issue that the […]

Rockefeller and Hutchison to FCC: Take Necessary Steps to Secure Communications Infrastructure During Emergencies

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the East Coast braced for the impending landfall of Hurricane Irene, Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison asked that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) work to make sure the nation’s communications infrastructure is secure during emergencies. In the letter sent Friday to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Rockefeller and Hutchison noted that police and firefighters nationwide are still without a dedicated interoperable communications network putting lives at undue risk. The letter was sent on the heels of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that shook most of the eastern seaboard and caused significant communications failures.

Failure of Russian Resupply Mission Underscores Need to Sustain America’s Leadership in Space

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) today issued the following statement regarding the failure of the Russian Progress resupply mission and NASA’s implementation of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010: “Today we received word from NASA […]