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Article I of the U.S. Constitution defines the legislative branch: “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” The detailed structure of Congress was left to each chamber to develop and revise as needed over time. Here the most relevant committees, subcommittees, rules and changes within Congress for the geoscience community are described and updated. For information about specific legislation discussed in Congress, visit our current issues page.

Deadlines for Submitting Testimony to Appropriators on the FY2011 Budget (2/10)
Interested in submitting testimony to the House and Senate Appropriators on the President’s request for the fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget? If so, the subcommittees and their deadlines are listed below. More information on how to submit testimony is listed on the subcommittee web sites (look in the right side navigation bar on the House pages and at the bottom of the Senate pages).

House Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee—April 14, 2010
House Energy and Water Subcommittee—March 19, 2010
House Interior and Environment Subcommittee—March 26, 2010
House Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee—April 16, 2010

Senate Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee—April 2, 2010
Senate Energy and Water Subcommittee—April 1, 2010
Senate Interior and Environment Subcommittee—May 14, 2010
Senate Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee—April 12, 2010

Strong Science and Education Supporters Announce Retirement
Seventeen-year veteran of the House of Representatives, Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) announced he would retire from Congress at the end of this year. He has been a strong supporter of science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Congress.

Ehlers serves on three House Committees: Science and Technology (S&T), Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and Education and Labor. He has been on S&T and T&I since his arrival in Congress, helping to ensure fair funding and investments in Michigan transportation systems, leading the development of the Great Lakes Legacy Act and improving science and education in Michigan and the rest of the country. He previously served on the Administration Committee where he led the efforts to bring the internet to Congress and to create the Library of Congress’ Thomas web site. Thomas is a great online resource for all current and past legislation.

Ehlers is one of three representatives with a background in physics and holds a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. During statements on his retirement he admonished more scientists for not considering a career in Congress. At a recent Committee on Science and Technology hearing Ehlers recounted being asked by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in 1998 to oversee writing the nation’s first major statement on science policy since 1945. Colleagues at the hearing thanked Ehlers for his service to the country and lauded his career.

The House Science and Technology Committee will also lose Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), who announced he would retire after serving in Congress for 26 years. The recent wave of retirement announcements also includes the Energy and Environment Subcommittee chairman, Representative Brian Baird (D-WA), and Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee members, Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND).

Moran Likely To Chair Interior and Environment Approps Committee 
After the sudden death of Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-PA) on February 8, the House committees are in the process of reshuffling their leadership. The current Interior and Environment Subcommittee chair, Norm Dicks (D-WA), is expected to succeed Murtha as Defense Subcommittee chair. This leaves his seat vacant, with Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) likely to move up to chair. The Interior and Environment Subcommittee is in charge of appropriating funds for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Forest Service, Smithsonian, and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Congress Raises Debt Limit and Requires PAYGO (2/10)
On February 4, 2010, Congress passed Joint Resolution 45 to increase the statutory limit on the public debt from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion, require pay as you go rules for new spending, and investigate duplicative or wasteful spending in government programs. President Obama signed the measure into law and it is now Public Law 111-139.

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• House Science and Technology Committee Agenda (1/10)
• Congressional Calendars for 2010 (1/10)
• Congress Is Tweeting Away Says CRS Report (10/09)
• Lobbying Firm Involved in Forged Clean Coal Letters (9/09)
• Congress returns for a busy fall schedule (8/09)
• Democrat Al Franken Declared Winner of MN Senate Race (6/09)
• Update on Key Cabinet and Executive Branch Positions (4/09)
• Update on Congressional Subcommittees (2/09)
• Update on Congressional Committees (1/09)
• Update on Members of the Senate (1/09)
• Update on the New House Members– Committees Taking Shape (12/08)
• House Science and Technology Committee Outlines 2009 Agenda (12/08)

House Science and Technology Committee Agenda (1/10)
Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) announced the agenda for the House Science and Technology Committee for the second session of the 111th Congress. Topping their list of priorities is the re-authorization of the America COMPETES Act, a law that called for a doubling of physical science research at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Energy Department’s Office of Science and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Some of the other priorities on the agenda include:

• Make certain the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) promotes new markets and technologies as well as spurring advances in the commercial space industry.
• Strengthen science, technology, engineering and math education to produce a skilled workforce for future high-tech jobs.
• Expand research and development (R&D) of alternative energy as well as nuclear energy and nuclear waste containment.
• Complete legislation to support R&D to mitigate damage from earthquakes and windstorms.
• Guide R&D for greater safety, cleanliness and reliability of pipelines.
• Ensure technologies to monitor and verify greenhouse gas emissions.
• Maintain support for atmospheric and ocean research within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and establish a NOAA Organic Act.
• Align R&D at the Environmental Protection Agency with its mission and needs.
• Consider geoengineering and climate engineering R&D.

Congressional Calendars for 2010 (1/10)
The House and Senate have released calendars for the second session of the 111th Congress. The Senate calendar is available from the Senate web page. The House calendar is available from the House of Representatives web page.

Congress Is Tweeting Away Says CRS Report (10/09)
A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report analyzed congressional Twitter use during a two-week period in August 2009. Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows users to post “tweets” of 140 characters or less online that are in turn delivered to their subscribers. The report found that 29 percent of the House and 31 percent of the Senate was registered on Twitter, capitalizing on the new social networking and communication tool to increase communication with their constituency. At the time of the report, 158 Representatives and Senators were using Twitter. Now over 200 are reported “tweeters” according to Congress140.com.

The CRS data shows that nearly 1, 200 “tweets” were sent in the two-week sampling, at an average of 85 per day and most being sent on Thursday. From the report, House Republicans sent the most tweets (54 percent), followed by House Democrats (27 percent), Senate Republicans (10 percent), and Senate Democrats (9 percent). “Members' use of Twitter can be divided into six categories: position taking, press or web links, district or state activities, official congressional action, personal, and replies. The data suggest that the most frequent type of tweets were press and web link tweets…followed by official congressional action tweets during session (33 percent) and position-taking tweets during recess (14 percent).”

Refer to http://www.congressional140.com/ or http://tweetcongress.org/ to find members of Congress on Twitter.

Lobbying Firm Involved in Forged Clean Coal Letters (9/09)
Bonner and Associates, a Washington lobbying firm, has been determined to be the source of fourteen forged letters to congressional offices in support of clean coal. The firm has been working for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. The coalition claims no responsibility and the firm blames the letters on a single Bonner employee. The letters make pleas for coal and clean coal technology to be included in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) and are forged so that they appear to be coming from various constituent groups within given states and districts.

The fourteenth letter (PDF), drafted to look as if it were penned by a Rocky Mount Virginia American Legion Post representative, argues from a veteran’s perspective that “we need to use our readily available resources and focus on using new technologies to make coal more efficient.”

The House bill, H.R. 2454, would set-up a cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA), passed the House in May and is awaiting discussion in the Senate. The committee investigating the forgeries is also chaired by Markey.

A PDF of the letter is available from the Washington Post.

Congress returns for a busy fall schedule (8/09)
Congress will return from a long and tiring August recess next week. The issue of health care reform has overwhelmed policy matters and will likely require significant work in September. The passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), the third longest serving senator and a key legislator on health care, education and other issues, creates a working gap and power vacuum that may affect progress on key bills. Massachusetts must hold a special election for a new senator which will take some time, so the Senate will once again have a vacant seat. The Democrats will lose a vote needed for the ever-elusive supermajority that they have never obtained in practice. Given the frail health of Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), the Democrats will likely be down by two votes for most of the fall leaving any measures that are split on partisan lines difficult to pass.

Beyond health care reform there are many other massive legislative efforts with far reaching implications for the nation that Congress will attempt to wrestle with this fall. Key measures of particular interest to the geosciences community include climate change and energy.

The House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) in June and the Senate is now working on the measure. The Senate did not favor large parts of the House bill, so they are working on crafting their own version of a cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Environment and Public Works Committee chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and the Finance Committee chaired by Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) are taking the lead and hope to meet Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) September 28 deadline for a floor vote in the Senate. Both committees have tentatively planned public hearings for the week of September 14 and markups of the drafts for the week of September 21.

The House bill (H.R. 2454) calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a cap and trade system and revisions to the Clean Air Act, but it also addresses the nation’s energy portfolio as a way toward emissions reductions. The measure contains sections related to energy efficiency and conservation, carbon capture and storage and the development and deployment of clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. The House Republicans countered with the American Energy Act (H.R. 2846). While the two bills have similar energy measures, the emphasis of the American Energy Act is on the creation of jobs while developing renewable, nuclear, and biomass energy sources, as well as producing more domestic oil and natural gas. The Republican bill does not have enough votes for passage, however, parts of it might be considered in other measures that are progressing.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has crafted a separate energy bill, which was approved by the full committee in June and now awaits a vote by the full Senate. The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 (S.1462) contains legislation to help improve energy efficiency, energy security and energy market information. Some contentious issues include greater access to offshore oil and natural gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, a national renewable electricity standard and new federal electricity transmission siting authority. Details of the bill of particular interest to the geosciences community include measures for: clean energy technology development, energy innovation and workforce development, to increase domestic production and assessment of oil and natural gas, to increase production of renewable energy on public lands, to assess nuclear waste management and to understand and develop strategies regarding the energy-water nexus.

So the stage is now set for the Senate to finish their version of climate change legislation, try to schedule a vote on a climate change bill and consider a vote on the energy bill. The Senate could also consider combining the climate change and energy measures into one bill for a full Senate vote.

If and when the Senate completes their work on these measures, the legislation would be compared with the Waxman-Markey bill and differences would be hammered out between the House and Senate. Should a compromise bill emerge, then both chambers would need to vote on the final legislation before it could be sent to the President.

Democrat Al Franken Declared Winner of MN Senate Race (6/09)
Democratic challenger Al Franken was declared the winner of the election for the Senate seat in Minnesota by the Minnesota Supreme Court on June 30, 2009, eight months after the election. Hours later, the Republican incumbent Norm Coleman, conceded the election and stated he would abide by the court’s decision. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that Franken had won the election by a very slim 312 votes out of about 2.9 million cast.

Governor Pawlenty is expected to sign the certificate on July 1 and Franken will need to submit the certificate to the Senate in order to be sworn in as the junior senator from Minnesota. He will join Senator Amy Klobuchar, the now senior senator from Minnesota. The Senate is on recess until July 6th, so Franken will have to wait a few more days before he can officially begin work in the U.S. Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has indicated that Franken will serve on the Health, Education and Labor Committee and the Pensions and Judiciary Committee.

Once seated, Franken gives the Democrats a supermajority of 60 possible votes in the Senate, the largest majority they have had in decades, if one counts the two independent party members, Senators Bernard Sanders (VT) and Joseph Lieberman (CT). If the Democrats and Independents remain united in their votes, then the majority party would have just enough votes to end filibusters and move legislation forward without the need for support from Republican senators. Such a supermajority may help the Senate approve of legislation on climate change, energy and health care, while also making it easier to approve of nominations, such as the currently pending nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for U.S. Supreme Court Justice. It may also make it easier for the Senate to ratify treaties. There are of course no guarantees that the Democrats will always unite for 60 votes as many concerns do cross party lines.

Update on Key Cabinet and Executive Branch Positions (4/09)
In a flurry of activity this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director, and the Secretary of Commerce were all confirmed. The Deputy Secretary of the Interior was approved in committee, but still awaits Senate confirmation. President Obama announced additional nominations for leadership at the Department of Energy.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco and Dr. John Holdren have been waiting since their relatively non-controversial hearings on February 12. After various holds were placed on the confirmations for reasons unrelated to their qualifications, they were confirmed on March 19 as the new NOAA Administrator and OSTP Director respectively.

The third nominee for Secretary of Commerce, Washington Governor Gary Locke, was quickly ushered through the confirmation hearings and successfully voted the new head of the Department of Commerce (DOC) on March 24. Locke will take over a department with vast jurisdictional areas. Most of the DOC budget goes towards NOAA, but the DOC also monitors everything from business development to the census. Locke pledged to make clean energy technology, climate change, and the environment priorities within his primary goal of “creating jobs for the future.” At the confirmation hearing his financial statements were happily deemed “boring,” and his nomination was sent to the full Senate where he was confirmed by a voice vote. Locke has been touted as an environmentalist with a bipartisan reputation.

The Deputy Secretary of the Interior nominee, David Hayes, was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee on March 12. At the confirmation hearing, he pledged that harnessing renewable energy potential on public lands, better understanding climate change impacts on public lands, and determining how those lands can play a role in combating climate change will be the highest priorities at Department of the Interior (DOI). A full hearing write-up is available on our federal agencies page.

Despite a majority of the committee approving Hayes, Senator Bob Bennet (R-UT) is disappointed with some of Hayes’ responses and has stated that he will hold up the nomination on the floor. Bennet felt that Hayes gave him contradictory information regarding the sale of Utah oil and gas leases. Until he gets a better response from DOI, he will oppose the nomination. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who voted for Hayes in committee, says she might side with Bennet on the floor. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and John McCain (R-AZ) have also expressed concerns with the nomination, but are not predicted to block the nomination on the floor. Hayes previously served as Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1999-2001.

There was also movement on filling key leadership positions at the Department of Energy (DOE). President Obama nominated BP chief scientist Steven Koonin to be undersecretary for Science and Brookings Institution policy analyst David Sandalow to be assistant secretary for Policy and International Affairs. The president also announced that Steve Isakowitz will remain as DOE’s chief financial officer.

Koonin was professor of theoretical physics and provost of the California Institute of Technology over a 30-year period before moving to BP to focus on alternative and renewable energy. He worked with Steven Chu, when Chu ran the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to initiate the Energy Biosciences Institute at the lab, a 10-year, $500 million research partnership with BP, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Illinois.

Sandalow served as assistant secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science under President Clinton and as senior director for Environmental Affairs on the National Security Council. He also served as an executive with the World Wildlife Fund and as chairman of the Energy and Climate Working Group of the Clinton Global Initiative after leaving government. Sandalow authored "Freedom from Oil: How the Next President Can End the United States' Oil Addiction" in 2007 and supports alternative and renewable energy.

Update on Congressional Subcommittees (2/09)
With all the committee assignments made, the final subcommittees and their chairs were released. There has been some shuffling in key committees for the geosciences, including in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In the Senate, the Environment and Public Works Committee has reorganized its subcommittees to fit with its projected priorities. The previous Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, and Children’s Health Protection Subcommittee been dissolved. Global warming issues will now be handled by the full committee and each of the later two topics is a separate subcommittee. Wildlife protection and water quality are now linked together and will be covered by the new Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, chaired by ocean, water, and wildlife advocate Senator Ben Carbin (D-MD) A completely new subcommittee, Green Jobs and the New Economy, will be chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) who is a longtime proponent of green jobs and renewable technology.  The Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health subcommittee will be taken over by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) who is praised by environmentalists for his interest in Superfund issues.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee also reorganized its subcommittees. The Science, Technology and Innovation Subcommittee with join the Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences Subcommittee to become the Science and Space Subcommittee chaired by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). Separate subcommittees for Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion and Communications and Technology Subcommittee were also created with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) as the respective chairs.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee makes some big changes to its subcommittees. Of the four subcommittees, three get new chairs. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will chair the Energy Subcommittee, steering its priorities towards looking at energy’s role in climate change, renewable energy, smart grid technology, research labs, market regulations, and nuclear waste cleanup. Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), with strong support from environmental groups and an interest in mining reform and a carbon cap and trade system, will head the National Parks Subcommittee. The newest committee member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who is heralded as a protector of the Great Lakes from drilling, invasive species, water diversion and the adverse effects of climate change, will be in charge of the Water and Power Subcommittee.

In the House, Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) will chair the new Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This new subcommittee joins the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and the Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. It will be the starting point for the climate legislation Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) wants to get to the house floor this year.

Update on Congressional Committees (1/09)
The House Appropriations Committee has several changes to Republican leadership of subcommittees that handle geoscience issues. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) will be the new Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, where he is considered to be a swing vote who leans in a pro-environmental direction. Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID) will be the new Ranking Member of the Interior and Environment Subcommittee. His past voting record according to the League of Conservation Voters leans against environmental groups. Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) will be the new Ranking Member of the Commerce and Science Subcommittee. Wolf has supported science in the past and there is optimism that he will try to support science within the subcommittee.

The Senate Appropriations Committee does not have any major changes to subcommittee leadership among the Democrats while the Republicans are still deciding on leadership roles. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) is a relatively high ranking member of the committee and given that he has now been nominated for Commerce Secretary, the Republicans may wait until he is confirmed to decide on subcommittee leadership.

Several new members have been added to the Appropriations Committee from both parties. The new Democrats on the committee are Mark Pryor (AR) and Jon Tester (MT). The new Republicans on the committee are Susan Collins (ME), George Voinovich (OH) and Lisa Murkowski (AK). All of the new members have been generally supportive of science in the past, but they must each deal with the direct responsibility of setting budget priorities among many important programs.

The Senate has also determined the membership of other key geoscience-related committees. On the Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Democrats Jon Tester (MT) and Daniel Akaka (HI) will leave the committee while Evan Bayh (IN), Deborah Stabenow (MI), Mark Udall (CO) and Jeanne Shaheen (NH) join the committee as new members.

On the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Tom Carper (D-DE) leaves, while Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Mark Begich (D-AK)  and Mike Johanns (R-NE) arrive as brand new senators and members of the committee. The new chair is Jay Rockefeller from West Virginia.

On the Environment and Public Works, the new Democrats are Tom Udall (NM), Jeff Merkley (OR) and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY). All three are likely to be aligned with Democratic efforts to develop a climate change bill in the committee.

Over in the House, there are not many changes in the leadership of key geoscience-related committees. The Democratic Caucus has completed their committee membership selections, however the Republicans have announced committee leaders but not all of their committee members yet.  Committee web sites and member web sites will be updated as membership is settled or updated.

The House Natural Resources Committee does have some changes of particular note. First two subcommittees will be combined into one covering Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo (Guam) will be the chair. Second, the Ranking Member of the full committee has changed from Don Young of Alaska to Doc Hastings of Washington. Hastings served on the Natural Resources committee many years ago and is returning to the committee after giving up his leadership of the House Ethics Committee. In his press release about the change, the Congressman notes: “Of importance to Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest, the Committee oversees the Bonneville Power Administration, Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects (Columbia Basin Project and Yakima Project), endangered species recovery, federal hydropower projects, Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes (PILT) payments and firefighting on federal lands.”

For a list of Senate committee assignments please go here.
For a list of House committee assignments as a PDF file go here.

Update on Members of the Senate (1/09)
After an unusually chaotic start in the U.S. Senate, the Senate has almost reached its full membership. After much debate, Roland Burris was sworn in as the new junior Senator from Illinois, filling the seat vacated by President Obama. He is expected to vote with the Democrats on most issues, however, his positions on many policies are unknown because he has been out of public office for awhile.

Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from a more conservative and rural region of New York, was chosen by New York Governor Paterson to replace Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the new Secretary of State. Gillibrand at 42 years of age becomes the youngest Senator in the chamber, after spending two years as a Representative in the House. She is considered a moderate Democrat and is very close to a centrist position based on analyses of her two-year voting record in the House. Of particular interest to geoscientists, she will serve on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Both committees will have a role to play in climate change legislation, other environmental legislation, water issues, soil issues and other matters.

Denver Public School Superintendent, Michael Bennet, was chosen by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to replace Senator Ken Salazar, the new Secretary of the Interior. Like Burris and Gillibrand, Bennet was considered a long shot for the seat and the 44-year old Democrat, who has never campaigned or held public office, was a bit of a surprise. Ritter, in announcing his choice stated “Our challenges are so serious that it will take a new generation of leaders, a new way of thinking and a bold new approach to problem-solving to steer us through this.” Although Bennet has no record in public office, he is expected to vote with the Democrats and given his background will likely be an advocate for education. He has stated that the No Child Left Behind Act should be mended rather than ended.

The court battles continue in the saga of the next senator from Minnesota after a 225 vote victory by Al Franken. Al Franken was declared the winner by the Minnesota state canvassing board, but he has not been certified by the state. Norm Coleman has a lawsuit challenging the results while Franken has petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court to certify him as the winner. Both have spent time at the U.S. Senate and confer regularly with their senatorial party caucuses. On February 3, a Minnesota court ruled that almost 5,000 rejected absentee ballots could be reviewed as requested by Coleman. It could take a very long time to consider each ballot and Franken still has almost 1,000 different rejected ballots that he may seek reconsideration for.

In an interesting twist, President Obama has nominated Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) for Secretary of Commerce. If Gregg is confirmed, then the Democratic Governor of New Hampshire, John Lynch, will choose a replacement. After much behind the scenes discussions between Gregg and Lynch, it appears that Lynch will likely choose Republican Bonnie Newman to replace Gregg. Newman is a former Gregg chief of staff and former Reagan White House staffer. She is expected to finish Gregg’s term and not run for re-election in 2010, thus opening the seat to a non-incumbent race. The promise to appoint a Republican would keep the Democrats one seat shy of the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster however the promise to only serve for two years would open the seat to competitive new candidates from both parties. Time will tell if this plan will work for all.

Update on the New House Members– Committees Taking Shape (12/08)
The House of Representatives has fewer membership problems than the Senate. One vacant seat exists in the 5th district of Illinois as Rahm Emanuel resigned on January 2 to become White House Chief of Staff. Illinois will complete a special election on April 7. As of January 6, the House begins its session with 256 Democrats, 178 Republicans and 1 vacant. Democratic Congresswoman Hilda Solis (32nd, CA) is expected to resign if she is confirmed as the new Secretary of Labor and then California will proceed with a special election in that district.

The House is focused on setting up committees, passing some rule changes, working on an economic stimulus package and finishing the fiscal year 2009 budget before the continuing resolution expires on March 6.

House Democrats added members to key committees. Eight relatively junior members were added to the Energy and Commerce Committee including: Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands; Kathy Castor of Florida; John Sarbanes of Maryland; Zack Space, Betty Sutton and Chris Murphy of Ohio; Jerry McNerney of California; and Bruce Braley of Iowa. All except Christensen were elected to Congress in 2006.

House Science and Technology Committee Outlines 2009 Agenda (12/08)
Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) released an agenda overview for the House Science and Technology Committee. The committee plans to “work on issues including energy technology development, climate and weather monitoring, math and science education programs, nanotechnology, the space program, aviation research, and technical standards for industries from energy to health care to telecommunications.”

The committee plans to work with the incoming Administration to secure full funding for the America COMPETES Act and to implement the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E). They will also provide oversight to ensure that authorized energy technology programs (such as geothermal and carbon capture and storage) are implemented and review programs at the Energy Department’s Office of Science to ensure they are integrated with applied research and technology transfer. The committee will address new energy challenges, such as nuclear reactors and pipelines for new fuels and carbon dioxide.

With regards to the environment, the committee will address needed technologies for climate change monitoring, affect more coordination of Federal research on water quality and quantity and conduct a “wholesale review” of weather and ocean research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including work on ocean acidification. In the area of risk reduction, the committee plans to “Review and refocus Federal disaster mitigation research programs related to fire, wind and earthquakes” and to make sure that Department of Homeland Security aligns research priorities with security needs.

Turning toward space, the committee plans to work with the new Administration on a multi-year authorization for NASA and review the “capabilities of emerging space-faring nations and explore an expansion of international space collaboration”

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There are several key committees in the House and Senate that handle legislation that affects the geoscience community. Below is a list of those committees, followed by more detailed information about each committee, key subcommittees, and links to the official websites.

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Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Thomas Harkin (D-IA), Chair
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Ranking Member
The Agriculture Committee separated from what was essentially the Commerce Committee in 1825 after senators argued that agricultural interests were distinct from and not always best served when included with Commerce. Today this committee also handles legislation covering forests, logging, and nutrition. Geoscience-related issues include investments in agricultural research primarily related to soil science, land use issues, water resource issues, and research and land use related to the Forest Service, all of which are included in the Department of Agriculture, but overlap with many agencies within the Department of the Interior.

Key subcommittees include:
Energy, Science and Technology (Kent Conrad (D-ND), Chair and John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member).

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Senate Committee on Appropriations
Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Chair
Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Member
The Appropriations Committee has jurisdiction over discretionary spending legislation in the Senate. Discretionary spending, as opposed to direct spending, requires an annual appropriation bill to disperse the funds to the different federal agencies and programs. About 40 percent of total government spending is discretionary so these committees can yield a great deal of power and control over federal priorities. Key federal agencies of interest to the geosciences include the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and programs within the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior. Click here to find out more about geoscience appropriations and the budget process. Below are the key appropriations subcommittees that handle geoscience funding.

Key subcommittees include:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chair and Robert Bennett (R-UT), Ranking Member)
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (Barbara Mikulski, (D-MD), Chair and Richard Shelby (R-AL), Ranking Member)
Energy and Water Development (Bryon Dorgan (D-ND), Chair and TBD, Ranking Member)
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chair and TBD, Ranking Member)

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Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Chair
Kay Bailey-Hutchison (R-TX), Ranking Member
This committee covers all matters related to the Department of Commerce, which includes legislation related to programs, projects, and research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. The committee also has jurisdiction over independent agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  The committee covers much of the Earth and space sciences, which should help the legislators to integrate the work between these agencies and programs.

Key subcommittees include:
Communications and Technology (John Kerry (D-MA), Chair and John Ensign (R-NV), Ranking Member)
Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion (Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chair and Mel Martinez (R-FL), Ranking Member)
Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard (Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ranking Member)
Science and Space (Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chair and David Vitter (R-LA), Ranking Member)

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Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chair
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction and legislative responsibilities for all domestic energy policy, international energy affairs, emergency preparedness as it relates to energy, nuclear waste policy, privatization of natural resources, mining policy, territorial policy (including issues affecting Antarctica, the Outer Continental Shelf, and drilling leases), reclamation projects, and groundwater resources. It provides most of the jurisdiction for the Department of Energy and Department of the Interior.

Key subcommittees include:
Energy (Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member)
Public Lands and Forests (Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair and John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member)
Water and Power (Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair and Sam Brownback (R-KS), Ranking Member)

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Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair
James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member
The committee covers a wide range of environmental legislation and issues, including: policy, research and development, nuclear safety, air pollution, toxic hazards other than pesticides, solid waste disposal, environmental aspects of the Outer Continental Shelf, and water quality. The committee has oversight of all public works projects, including: flood controls and improvements, federal levee systems, dams, and bridges. In addition, the committee is responsible for issues related to job creation through the development and deployment of “green” technologies and practices. The committee has major oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Key subcommittees include:
Clean Air and Nuclear Safety (Thomas Carper (D-DE), Chair and David Vitter (R-LA), Ranking Member)
Green Jobs and the New Economy (Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair and Kit Bond (R-MO), Ranking Member)
Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health (Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chair and Arlen Specter (R-PA), Ranking Member)
Transportation and Infrastructure (Max Baucus (D-MT), Chair and George Voinovich (R-GA), Ranking Member)
Water and Wildlife (Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chair and Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member)

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Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chair
Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member
The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions manages most science education and workforce legislation in the Senate. The committee’s education priority is to meet the need for a highly skilled workforce in the changing global economy. The committee has jurisdiction over education and workforce development, including: Head Start, the No Child Left Behind Act, Higher Education, and Job and Vocational Training and the Workforce Investment Act.  It has jurisdiction over most of the Department of Education.

Key subcommittees include:
Children and Families (Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Chair and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Ranking Member)
Employment and Workplace Safety (Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Agriculture
Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chair
Frank Lucas (R-OK), Ranking Member
The Committee on Agriculture has a varied set of responsibilities, many of which interest the geoscience community. The issues include renewable energy, rural development, disaster assistance, conservation, agricultural research and development, and forestry. In particular, the Conservation Subcommittee is committed to soil, water, and resource conservation, watershed programs, and bioenergy. The Oversight Subcommittee includes jurisdiction over forestry and forest reserves.

Key subcommittees include:
Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research (Tim Holden (D-PA), Chair and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Ranking Member)
Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry (Joe Baca (D-CA), Chair and Jo Bonner (R-AL), Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Appropriations
Dave Obey (D-WI), Chair
Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Ranking Member
The Appropriations Committee has jurisdiction over discretionary spending legislation in the House. Discretionary spending, as opposed to direct spending, requires an annual appropriation bill to disperse the funds to the different federal agencies and programs. About 40 percent of the total government spending is discretionary so this committee can yield a great deal of power and control over federal priorities. Key agencies of interest to the geosciences receiving funding from these committees include the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and programs within the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior. Click here to find out more about geoscience appropriations and the budget process. Below are the appropriations subcommittees that handle geoscience funding.

Key subcommittees include:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Chair and Jack Kingston (R-GA), Ranking Member)
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Chair and Frank Wolf (R-VA), Ranking Member)
Energy and Water Development (Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN), Chair and Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Ranking Member)
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (Norman Dicks (D-WA), Chair and Mike Simpson (R-ID), Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Education and Labor
George Miller (D-CA), Chair
Buck McKeon (R-CA), Ranking Member
The Education and Labor Committee is responsible for ensuring that students and workers can advance in a changing school system and a competitive global economy.
The committee has jurisdiction over education and workforce programs, including: elementary and secondary school initiatives, teacher quality and training programs, higher education programs, and job training and workforce development initiatives.
Of interest to the geoscience community, the committee has oversight over programs encouraging investment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educational and vocational fields.

Key committees include:
Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education (Dale Kildee (D-MI), Chair and Michael Castle (R-DE), Ranking Member)
Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Chair and John Kline (R-MN), Ranking Member)
Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness (Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), Chair and Ric Keller (R-FL), Ranking Member)
Workforce Protections (Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Chair and Joe Wilson (R-SC), Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chair
Joe Barton (R-TX), Ranking Member
The Committee on Energy and Commerce has a broad area of focus of which the geosciences are concerned mainly with the energy side. This committee has control of legislation that relates to general energy policy, including the exploration, production, storage, conservation, and regulation of all energy resources (conventional, unconventional, and renewable). The committee also regulates nuclear energy research and the development of reactors. This committee will play a role in drafting climate change legislation as well.

Key subcommittees include:
Energy and Environment (Edward Markey (D-MA), Chair and Fred Upton (R-MI), Ranking Member)
Communications, Technology, and the Internet (Rick Boucher (D-VA), Chair and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Ranking Member)
Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection (Bobby Rush (D-IL), Chair and George Radanovich (R-CA), Ranking Member)
Oversight and Investigations (Bart Stupak (D-MI), Chair and Greg Walden (R-OR), Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Natural Resources
Nick Rahall (D-WV), Chair
Doc Hastings (R-WA), Ranking Member
The Committee on Natural Resources has oversight of ocean, mineral, water, land, and energy resources. It has budget oversight of related programs within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Mineral Management Service (MMS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. The committee will focus on planning for the potential impacts of climate change on natural resources. Related to this goal the committee will work on protecting and sustainably using the nation’s natural resources by managing coastal areas, improving ocean governance (especially as it relates to the offshore resources), advancing innovation in ocean research and technology, reforming the 1872 Mining Law, regulating coal ash, exploring drilling and renewable energy options on the Outer Continental Shelf, examining oil shale development, developing carbon sequestration options, and overseeing water management and aging water infrastructure.

Key subcommittees include:
Energy and Mineral Resources (Jim Costa (D-CA), Chair and Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Ranking Member)
Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife (Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Chair and Henry Brown (R-SC), Ranking Member)
National Parks, Forests and Public Lands (Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Chair and Rob Bishop (R-UT), Ranking Member)
Water and Power (Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Chair and Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA, Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Science and Technology
Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chair
Ralph Hall (R-TX), Ranking Member
The Science and Technology Committee jurisdiction encompasses all non-defense federal scientific research and development. The committee covers portions of a number of federal agencies, including: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The proposed agenda for the current committee will focus on technological innovations and developments in the energy sector as a way to strengthen the economy and U.S. competitiveness, which includes helping start the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) program. The committee will could also be influential in tackling all encompassing issues facing Congress, like emissions regulations.

Key subcommittees include:
Space and Aeronautics (Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Chair and Pete Olson (R-TX), Ranking Member)
Technology and Innovation (David Wu (D-OR), Chair and Adrian Smith (R-NE), Ranking Member)
Research and Science Education (Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Chair and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Ranking Member)
Energy and Environment (Brian Baird (D-NC), Chair and Bob Inglis (R-SC, Ranking Member)

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House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
James Oberstar (D-MN), Chair
John Mica (R-FL), Ranking Member
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has jurisdiction over some geoscience related topics, including: federal management of natural disasters, flood control and improvements, pollution of coastal and inland waters, public works dams and bridges, and water power. The committee is concerned with reauthorizing the Clean Water Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and enacting a Water Resources Development Act.

Key subcommittees include:
Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Material (Corrine Brown (D-FL), Chair and Bill Shuster (R-PA), Ranking Member)
Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment (Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Chair and John Boozman (R-AK), Ranking Member)

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House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
Edward Markey (D-MA), Chair
James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Ranking Member
A select committee is created to perform a special function not explicitly covered by one of the other standing committees. It is often more investigative than legislative, and is disbanded once the duties have been met. The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming was started in the 110th Congress, and renewed for the 111th Congress. The committee cannot draft any legislation, but can hold hearings, present findings, and make recommendations. It works in conjunction with House standing committees to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources and to make substantial reductions in greenhouse emissions and other activities contributing climate change.

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Sources: AGI's Monthly Review, E&E Daily

Contributed by Linda Rowan, Government Affairs staff; Corina Cerovski-Darriau, Government Affairs staff; Maureen Moses AGI/AAPG Spring 2010 Intern, Mollie Pettit, AGI/AAPG Fall 2009 Intern; and Joey Fiore, AGI/AIPG Summer 2009 Intern

Background section includes material from the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and relevant committee and subcommittee websites.

Please send any comments or requests for information to AGI Government Affairs Program.

Last updated on March 8, 2010.

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