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Senate committee advances NASA and NOAA nominations again
While you were being distracted by tweets:
Senate committee advances NASA and NOAA nominations again
by Jeff Foust — January 18, 2018
WASHINGTON — A Senate committee voted on party lines Jan. 18 to advance the nominations of individuals to lead NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, although with no clear indication of when, or if, they will be confirmed by the full Senate.
The Senate Commerce Committee voted 14–13 to advance the nomination of Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) to be NASA administrator, and by an identical margin advanced the nomination of Barry Myers to be NOAA administrator. In both cases all the committee Republicans voted for the nominees, and all the committee Democrats voted against them.
It was the second time that the committee voted to advance their nominations to the full Senate. The committee voted on Bridenstine’s original nomination Nov. 8, and Myers’ nomination Dec. 13. The nominations also advanced along party lines in those earlier votes.
....
Although the committee considered seven nominations in the same session, the vast majority of comments by members focused on Bridenstine’s nomination. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), ranking member of the committee, again expressed his opposition to the nomination, arguing that Bridenstine was unqualified to lead the space agency. ... “The facts of this nomination have not changed,” he said of Bridenstine. “He has no experience managing a large organization or program, no background in science or engineering, and a history of political divisiveness.” The agency, he concluded, “needs a unifying force and a qualified space professional.”
by Jeff Foust — January 18, 2018
WASHINGTON — A Senate committee voted on party lines Jan. 18 to advance the nominations of individuals to lead NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, although with no clear indication of when, or if, they will be confirmed by the full Senate.
The Senate Commerce Committee voted 14–13 to advance the nomination of Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) to be NASA administrator, and by an identical margin advanced the nomination of Barry Myers to be NOAA administrator. In both cases all the committee Republicans voted for the nominees, and all the committee Democrats voted against them.
It was the second time that the committee voted to advance their nominations to the full Senate. The committee voted on Bridenstine’s original nomination Nov. 8, and Myers’ nomination Dec. 13. The nominations also advanced along party lines in those earlier votes.
....
Although the committee considered seven nominations in the same session, the vast majority of comments by members focused on Bridenstine’s nomination. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), ranking member of the committee, again expressed his opposition to the nomination, arguing that Bridenstine was unqualified to lead the space agency. ... “The facts of this nomination have not changed,” he said of Bridenstine. “He has no experience managing a large organization or program, no background in science or engineering, and a history of political divisiveness.” The agency, he concluded, “needs a unifying force and a qualified space professional.”
