Committee InfoDescriptionGreetings representatives and welcome to the House Committee on Science and Technology. The S&T Committee itself is divided into five subcommittees: (1) Technology and Innovation; (2) Energy and Environment; (3) Investigations and Oversight; (4) Research and Science Education; and (5) Space and Aeronautics. Each subcommittee hosts a number of bills annually. The Committee is currently comprised of 26 Democratic Representatives, including the chairman Bart Gordon, and 17 Republican Representatives, such as Ralph M. Hall, the Ranking Republican Member. As of now, there is one vacancy seat in the Committee. In total, the Science and Technology Committee has jurisdiction over all non-defense scientific research and development as well as NASA, the EPA, the Dept. of Energy, FEMA, and numerous other federal agencies.Recently, the Energy and Environment Subcommittee has been concerned with harmful algal blooms, which can cost industries a whopping $82 million annually. According to Subcommittee Chairman Baird, “We need to use our research and advances in our understanding of these blooms to better monitor, mitigate, and control these occurrences and hopefully prevent them.” During this current session of Congress, the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee has been evaluating scientifically flawed formaldehyde health consultations by FEMA that left tens of thousands of Katrina and Rita survivors living in regions possessing high levels of the chemical. Chairman Brad Miller has said, “For the last two years, this Subcommittee has heard story after story about problems at ATSDR [Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry]; problems that threaten the health and safety of the American public. Fixing ATSDR requires a cultural shift of the agency. If ATSDR’s leadership doesn’t make changes and make them soon, Congress needs a ‘Plan B’ to protect the public health.” Understanding that science and technology cover an extremely wide range of topics, the legislation produced by this committee is varied and concerns many government agencies. For example, recent legislation has covered topics from cyber security to natural disaster response programs to alternative sources of energy. Such bills covering these issues include the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009, the Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2009, and the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. All three bills are still under discussion. Members in this committee are not only expected to perform regular Congressional duties but to remain knowledgeable about the ongoing problems in science and technology and to become informed of the newest developments in those areas. For years, the Committee has been concerned with two ongoing problems: the energy independence initiative and an emphasis on education and research. With regard to energy independence, the S&T Committee is one of 11 House Committees that aims to find a solution to America’s reliance on limited sources of energy. The House believes that this independence will eventually allow for job growth, lower energy prices, and a more environmentally friendly society. Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) has been outspoken on this issue, saying, “Our future lies in our ability to develop a wide range of energy technologies using the cleanest natural resources from the sun, the oceans, and the earth.” On the topic of education and research, it is the belief of the Committee that innovation is a necessity, for it creates progress that will allow the U.S. to stay competitive in the global economy. Keeping all of this in mind, it’s no surprise that much of the debate in the Committee does not divide across party lines; most of it is, in fact, bipartisan. If you are interested in learning more about the House Committee on Science and Technology, view their website http://science.house.gov/default.aspx, or the Library of Congress’s website at http://www.loc.gov/index.html. ----------------------------------- Hey guys, my name is Chris Longobardo; I am from Bergen County in New Jersey. I'm a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. I chaired last year and am really looking forward to having an even better time this year. If you want to ask me some preliminary questions about bills or anything else please email me at clongo@sas.upenn.edu Hi representatives! My name is Andrew Jakubowski, and I am a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. My major is very much undecided, and although my primary focus lies within the sciences, I hope to pursue a minor or two outside of the discipline. I graduated last year from Lenape High School in Medford, New Jersey, where I was president of the Model Congress club and competed at Princeton Model Congress (the inferior PMC) multiple times. I am also involved in the Penn Bioethics Society and Journal, a few branches of student government, and Kite and Key. My email address is ajak@sas.upenn.edu, and please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments that you may have about Penn Model Congress or Penn in general. I look forward to meeting you all in February and having a great time at PMC ’10. My name is Ian Bussard, and I am a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences here at the University of Pennsylvania. Although I have not yet declared a major, I am leaning towards one in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics); however, I am currently working towards minors in both French and music. I graduated from Moorestown High School in southern New Jersey in 2009. During my years in high school, I participated in many model congresses (including this one) as a delegate. Here at Penn, I am a member of PMC’s Conference Preparation Committee as well as the University’s Symphony Orchestra, of which I am the assistant principal violist. If you have any questions about this committee, potential bill topics, parliamentary procedure, the conference, or life at Penn, don’t hesitate to contact me at ibus@sas.upenn.edu. As a former delegate, I know how rewarding participating in model congress can be; I’m just as excited to be one of your chairs as you are to debate! I’ll see you all in February! Chairs
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Account LoginConference DatesMarch 31 - April 3, 2011 RegistrationRegistration is now closed. InformationClick here for more details about PENNMC 2011! Check us out on Facebook!
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