Public Policy and Government Affairs
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending August 13, 2021
This week, the $3.5 trillion spending package passed the Senate. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the House will return from recess early to take up the budget resolution and infrastructure bill during the week of Aug. 23. 36th Space Symposium You can still register for the Virtual Experience at Space Symposium. Join us to…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending July 30, 2021
This week, the Senate confirmed Frank Kendall III to be the 26th Air Force secretary in a voice vote. The Senate moved forward through procedural votes on the major infrastructure bill. President Biden nominated John Plumb, chief of government relations at the Aerospace Corporation, to be assistant secretary of defense for space policy. The Space…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending July 16, 2021
This week, Richard Branson and the Unity 22 crew, comprised of Sirisha Bandla, Beth Moses, Coplin Bennet, and pilots Michael Masucci and Dave Mackay, successfully completed the first fully crewed flight for Virgin Galactic and made a giant leap towards commercial suborbital spaceflight. Next week, Blue Origin will fly the oldest and youngest people ever…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending June 18, 2021
This week the House and Senate held hearings for FY2022 budget requests. Juneteenth becomes first new U.S. National Holiday in nearly 40 years. Pam Melroy was confirmed as NASA Deputy Administrator and Rick Spinrad also passed on voice vote to become NOAA Administrator. Sign Up for Space Symposium 365 Register here to access key events…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending June 4, 2021
This week, Eric Lander was sworn in as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). NASA announced two new exciting missions, DAVINCI+ and VERITAS, to Venus at the State of NASA event. Register for the 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs this August Confirmed Speakers for Space Symposium include: Senator…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending May 21, 2021
The space community celebrated National Space Day last week. This week, the House voted on a bundle of STEM bills and held a hearing with Administrator Nelson on the FY2022 Budget for NASA. The Senate held a nomination hearing for Pam Melroy to be Deputy Administrator of NASA, and Rick Spinrad to be Under Secretary…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending May 7, 2021
This week, Vice President Harris swore in former Senator Bill Nelson as the 14th NASA Administrator. The space community celebrated May the Fourth. Register for the 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs this August This year Space Symposium will be a hybrid event, providing both live programming for in-person attendees, as well as digital access…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending April 23, 2021
This week, the world celebrated Earth Day, and NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter successfully took its first of five scheduled flights on Mars. Later in the week, the Senate held a confirmation hearing for former Senator Bill Nelson to be the next NASA Administrator, and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission successfully launched from Cape Canaveral. Also this week,…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending April 9, 2021
This week, the NASA Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was safely released from its protective housing beneath the Perseverance rover on the surface of the Red Planet, has survived harsh temperatures as low as -117ºF, and also snapped its first color photo in the leadup to its first flight, anticipated to be within the next few days.…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending March 26, 2021
This week, the House and Senate were both in session. President Biden nominated former Florida Senator Bill Nelson to be NASA administrator last Friday. Portions of Biden’s FY2022 budget request are expected to be released this week, which will allow appropriators to start on their NASA and defense budget deliberations next week. Prerelease: ‘The Space…