House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Smith Addresses Commercial Space Meeting

Washington, D.C. – House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) gave the following remarks at the today’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee meeting.

Chairman Smith: “I am happy to be here to share my thoughts on human space flight, the future of commercial space flight, and space legislation before Congress.

“Human history is punctuated by great advancements in the exploration of the world around us. Within the last 60 years, we have launched our first satellites, then Apollo missions to the Moon, then robotic probes across our solar system. Using our space-based telescopes like Hubble and Kepler and with the help of breakthroughs in adaptive optics for ground-based observatories, we have detected worlds orbiting other stars.

“I am fortunate to represent a congressional district in the Texas Hill Country that five astronauts now call home. These astronauts serve as role models for students today to become future astronauts, scientists and engineers. Even if all of these students do not become astronauts, the skills and knowledge they learn can be applied to make technological breakthroughs in many other fields. These accomplishments boost our economy and keep the United States globally competitive.

“At a fundamental level, space exploration is about inspiration. This inspiration fuels our desire to push the boundaries of the possible and reach beyond our own pale blue dot. Americans are fascinated by the cosmos. There is a reason why the National Air and Space Museum is the most visited museum in America.

“Space exploration captures the imagination of people around the world and encourages future generations to dream big, work hard and shoot for the stars. This fascination is a driving force for why the American people largely support space exploration and our leading space agency, NASA.

“This support is reflected in Congress as well – on both sides of the Capitol and on both sides of the aisle. For example, the NASA Authorization Act of 2014 overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in June of this year. Over 400 Republicans and Democrats came together to endorse the consensus bill the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee developed.

“The work done by Space Subcommittee Chairman Steve Palazzo and Ranking Member Donna Edwards is an example of how bipartisanship can prevail in Congress–despite what you might read in the media. This authorization bill contains many provisions that are important to those of you in this room. We were able to strike a reasonable balance between investments in the commercial crew program and appropriate oversight of safety. Unfortunately, like many other bills reported out of the Science Committee in this Congress, the NASA Authorization Act awaits action in the Senate.

“These are anxious times for our nation’s space program.  With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, and the cancellation of the Constellation program, NASA is forced to pay Russia $70 million per seat to transport American astronauts to the International Space Station.

“As Chairman, it is one of my highest priorities to get American astronauts launched on American rockets from American soil as soon as is safely possible.

“Unfortunately, the administration stumbled badly when they canceled NASA’s Constellation Program and rolled out the commercial crew program in 2010. And it is still not clear how much of this program can be labeled “commercial” when the government is investing the vast majority of the funds.

“However I believe that this program is our best opportunity to launch American astronauts on American rockets as soon as possible and to end our reliance on Russia.

“Yesterday, NASA announced that Boeing and SpaceX will continue through the next phase of the program.  I look forward to working with NASA and these companies to ensure the United States has safe and reliable transportation to the International Space Station.

“Congress has consistently funded NASA’s human spaceflight program by more than the administration’s request. While we work to advance the NASA Authorization Act in the Senate, we also have an eye toward future legislation for new commercial space industries.

“Last week, the Space Subcommittee held a hearing on space property rights, a topic that I am personally interested in addressing through legislation. If a commercial venture like Planetary Resources, Deep Space Industries, or others want to mine an asteroid for minerals, they should know that the U.S. government won’t knock on their door and claim ownership.  The legal framework to create property rights in space for these resources needs to be established, just as Congressman Ralph Hall and I clarified the property rights for Apollo astronaut memorabilia back in 2012.

“The Science Committee also has been working to find common ground in updating the Commercial Space Launch Act (CSLA). Since the beginning of this Congress, we have held four hearings dedicated specifically to various aspects of the Commercial Space Launch Act.

“The Committee is dedicated to reducing red tape while ensuring safety for space travel. We continue to work to address the big issues in the CSLA such as license/permit flexibility, hybrid vehicle licenses, and launch indemnification. American exceptionalism is filled with stories of entrepreneurs with the ingenuity and drive to push boundaries.

“As Thomas Edison famously observed: “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” The commercial space industry knows this to be true, as you slowly, but surely blur the lines between science fiction and science fact.

“I look forward to what you all come up with next. Thank you.”