the comments of the new chair of the House Committee on Science

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

Date: Fri, 16 Dec 94 12:19:29 EST
From: fyi () aip org (AIP listserver)
Subject: FYI#169 - Walker Agenda


The New House Science Committee Chairman Sets Agenda


FYI No. 169, December 16, 1994


Wednesday afternoon, the incoming chairman of the newly-renamed
House Committee on Science held a briefing to explain his
committee's agenda for 1995.  At the end of the hour-long
presentation, it was clearly evident that Robert Walker (R-PA) has
a clear view of where he wants to take his committee.


Rep. Walker's views are important from a number of perspectives: as
chairman of the House Science Committee, vice chairman of the House
Budget Committee, and as a key player in the House Republican
leadership.  Because of the great interest in the direction of
science policy and funding in the new Congress, this FYI is of an
extended length.  Topics are shown in capital letters.


Walker began by noting current chairman GEORGE BROWN's (D-CA)
presence, saying "we intend to work in close cooperation on
developing the agenda of this committee, as we have done in the
past...I assure you that our continued working relationship will
serve the best interests of science and the country."


Addressing the COMMITTEE'S NEW NAME, Walker said that dropping the
words "technology" and "space" is not an indication that the
committee was diminishing the importance of these areas.  He noted
that it was keeping its current jurisdiction, and was adding energy
research, oceanography, and other responsibilities.  The NEW
SUBCOMMITTEE NAMES (Space and Aeronautics, Basic Research, Energy
and Environment, and Technology) "reflect what the true priorities
of this committee will be over the next couple of years."


Walker said FULL COMMITTEE HEARINGS will be "related to the
future."  An early January hearing will receive testimony from
relevant cabinet members asking them "to look at the next century,
and tell us what they think their various agencies and departments
should be doing to prepare us for the new economy and the new
culture...."  NASA has already agreed to participate.


The SUBCOMMITTEES will work "aggressively" on MULTI-YEAR
AUTHORIZATION bills for NASA, DOE, NSF, and NOAA.  Walker hopes for
better cooperation from the Senate in passing these bills than
there has been in the past.  This should help, he later said, to
place science policy decisions back in the authorization
committees.  The subcommittees will also be charged with doing "a
lot" of oversight activity.


"As chairman of the committee, what I'd like to do is engage in a
DIALOGUE with the American people, the SCIENCE COMMUNITY, and with
my colleagues which reasserts the value of science as a means for
bringing our country a future of sustained growth built on new
discoveries, and based upon improved technology that's derived from
those new discoveries," Walker said.


The new chairman predicted that his committee will highlight how
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT and reduced regulations will nurture an
environment conducive to being able to "invent our ways out of
crises."  As an example, he plans to act soon on the House-passed
HYDROGEN RESEARCH BILL, which died upon adjournment.


"In my view, real science is not something that should be used to
confirm a political agenda," Walker stated.  He predicted early
hearings on MISSION TO PLANET EARTH, the GLOBAL WARMING PROGRAM,
and a number of other programs where he said there have been
"concerns raised about whether some of the science being done is
more in tune with politics than it is with real scientific
measurement."  Walker said he wants to ensure that the Mission to
Planet Earth program is "going in the right direction."


In fulfilling the committee's portion of the Republican Contract
with America, Walker said that he would act "very quickly" on RISK
ASSESSMENT LEGISLATION.


Regarding the SPACE STATION, Walker described himself as an
"enthusiast," and said the committee will move "aggressively on"
the program.  He later said, "As far as I am concerned, it's
certainly safe," adding  "Republicans have always been pretty
supportive of space station...."  Walker supports incentives for
commercial space activities, and has already talked with the new
House Ways and Means chairman.


Asked about future NASA FUNDING, Walker replied, "I believe that
the space program, if it is going to maintain its ability to be a
technological driver in our society, has to at least get resources
enough to allow it to keep up with inflation."  Walker wants to get
more nongovernmental space funding, saying, "I don't think that
everything we do in space has to come through the front door of
NASA."  He later expressed support for the "small sat" program.


The new chairman wants the committee to be "dramatically involved"
in EDUCATION, citing its jurisdiction over the National Science
Foundation.  He continued, "I believe in UNIVERSITY-BASED
RESEARCH," saying that some federal science centers should move to
a university association.  He cited NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory as a model.


Walker characterized Rep. Brown's moves against academic EARMARKING
as courageous.  "That is work we will continue in this Congress."
Walker will work for a way to penalize academic institutions
seeking earmarks.  "They need to know that if they try to by-pass
us, there may be a penalty for them in so doing."  He will work
with the appropriations committee to prevent earmarking.


During a question period, Walker was asked about NIST's TECHNOLOGY
PROGRAMS.  He said he was supportive of NIST's core program "that
provides a very, very important role for our country," citing
standards-setting.  "I am less than enthusiastic about some of the
places where they have moved toward becoming the font of national
industrial programs; the ATP Programs [Advanced Technology Program]
and some things of that type.  I would rather divert some of the
monies that are headed in that direction toward the core
program...."  He later said he favors the ultimate elimination of
ATP.


"We are probably going to look at the ELIMINATION OF SUCH
AGENCIES," Walker said, when asked about a Republican Budget
Committee staff memo suggesting that USGS and the Bureau of Mines
be eliminated.  In regard to specific agencies, Walker said, "I
don't know."  Insofar as the Office of Technology Assessment, he
declared, "I have an open mind on that; I believe that they have
done some valuable work."  He wants the office restructured to "be
more relevant to the legislative process."  Walker later added that
his committee will work closely with the appropriations committee
if any programs are defunded.  He was "not prepared" to discuss
specific programs.


Walker indicated his continued support for a new cabinet-level
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE.  He is awaiting the administration's plans
for downsizing the federal government.  Such a department would
"ensure that there is a voice for science at the cabinet table."


When asked about FUSION PROGRAM funding, Walker replied: "I think
we need to take a look at the money we have been spending in the
fusion area.  It's certainly an area that we have to look at in
hearings; the Department of Energy may be coming forth with some
recommendations in that area....  What we can't afford to do is to
have massive cost overruns in that program.  It is a program where
there has been a lot invested over a period of a lot of years.  And
I think it now needs to be examined very, very carefully in light
of a lot of budget constraints that we're going to have."


Later in the briefing, discussion returned to the DOE FUSION
PROGRAM, and Tokamak funding.  "I am concerned about the fact that
that particular project has gone up in cost by about 50%, and as a
result, has captured my attention," Walker exclaimed.  He said he
"was not prepared to make that kind of judgement" when asked about
shutting down magnetic fusion research.  Walker supports
international cooperation for expensive programs.


The new chairman was also asked about the NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION.  "I will tell you that my own bias with regard to NSF
is toward having NSF be essentially a basic science agency, rather
than an applied science agency.  I believe that too much of NSF
money is getting diverted these days toward applied research.  And
I would like to see NSF be far more concentrated on being a basic
research kind of agency, supporting basic research at the
university level."  When asked about a Republican Budget Committee
staff suggestion to limit budget increases for NSF, Walker replied,
"I don't know.  I'm not familiar with the staff document.  I wasn't
on the Budget Committee at that point."  He then spoke of his, and
incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich's (R-GA) long-standing desire
"to see these programs move forward.  I don't think that has
changed.  How much we are able to do with the constraints...and the
need to approve our balanced budget, I'm not sure yet."  Walker
said that his service as Vice-Chairman of the House Budget
Committee will be important in this regard.


At the end of the briefing, Walker spoke of a commonality of
science and technology interests with the WHITE HOUSE.  He
advocated cooperation between his committee and White House policy
makers on moving programs forward.


###############
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
Contact: Richard M. Jones
fyi () aip org
(301) 209-3095