These are the issues that touch us every day. They hit us where we live, affecting our jobs, our companies and organizations, and the future of our industry and profession.

Our convenient Policy Watch updates and archives let you follow legislation of interest – from the committee room to the President’s desk.

Policy Watch Week Ending 26-Jun-2009

• This week the FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations legislation passed the Senate Committee on Appropriations by vote of 30-0, the Committee Mark-Up can be heard at http://appropriations.senate.gov/.    More info >

Policy Watch Week Ending 19-Jun-2009

• This week the House Armed Service Committee passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Defense Authorization bill. The legislation, H.R.2647, would, among other things, set spending levels for all DoD and DoD-sponsored research and development programs for the next year. The bill is now set to be considered by the House of Representatives. A competing bill in the Senate is scheduled for mark up on 23 June in the Senate Armed Services Committee.    More info >
• his week the FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations legislation passed the full House on June 18 by a vote of 259-157. Amendments and changes passed on the Floor have yet to be posted and will come shortly.    More info >
• June 18, 2009 the House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aerospace held a hearing entitled “External Perspectives on the FY 2010 NASA Budget Request and Related Issues.” More info and testimony can be seen by visiting http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2493.    More info >
• June 17, 2009 the House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing entitled “Continuing Independent Assessment of the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System.” More info and testimony can be seen by visiting    More info >
• On June 17, 2009 The Review of Human Space Flight Plans Commission held their first public hearing in Washington, DC. The Commission heard comments from commercial interests, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL and former astronaut), and heard a statement from Rep, Ralph Hall. Public Comments were heard and can be submitted to the Commission. The next public hearing is scheduled for July 28, 2009 in Huntsville, AL. To see the hearing and to get more info visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/hsf/home/index.html.    More info >
• Both the House Committee on Science and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held hearings on the President's FY 2010 Budget Request for NASA. The hearings sole witness was Christopher Scolese, Acting Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In light of the impending shutdown of the Shuttle program and the newly announced Blue Ribbon Commission, Members focused questions on the future of human space exploration . Hearing testimony and web casts can be found at:House: http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2466    More info >

Policy Watch Week Ending 05-Jun-2009

• On June 4, 2009 at 9:00am the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science, and Justice voted out of the Subcommittee the FY 2010 appropriations bill for Commerce, Science, and Justice, which includes NASA and NOAA. The bill included $1 billion for STEM education, $2 billion for Climate Change, $4.6 billion for NOAA which is an increase of $129 million over the President’s request, and $18.2 billion for NASA which includes a reduced level of funding from the President’s request while the Augustine Blue Ribbon Commission conducts the investigation into the direction of human space flight. More info can be attained at the Subcommittee website    More info >