Washington Updates

by Jillianne Pierce, Space Foundation Government Affairs AssociateAugust was a relatively quiet month in the Capitol, as Congress was in recess for the summer.On Aug. 5, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden sent a letter to notify Congress that due to reductions in funding for the agency’s Commercial Crew program over the past several years, NASA had…

The Space Foundation believes that in order to ensure a successful future for our industry, it is imperative for the current generation of young space leaders to prepare now for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. With that in mind, we created our New Generation Initiative, a series of programs designed to give young-adult…

On July 9, the Space Foundation’s Washington, D.C., team attended a briefing at the office of the European Union (EU) Delegation to the United States to learn about Copernicus, the European Earth observation and monitoring program. Officials from the EU were in Washington on that day to meet with various U.S. agencies and companies regarding…

On July 29, the Space Foundation held its second Space Power Breakfast on Capitol Hill, with featured speaker Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation at the FAA. The 50-plus attendees represented congressional offices, industry and executive branch departments and agencies. The breakfast also included remarks by Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and…

by Jillianne Pierce, Space Foundation Government Affairs Associate During the month of July, members of Congress held meetings in an attempt to reconcile differences and get budgets passed in advanced of the August recess. The federal budget is comprised of 12 separate spending bills, each with nuances on which the political parties and chambers have…

Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham visited Washington, D.C., during the first week of June, attending meetings with various government leaders, including: Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), and Congressmen Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), co-chairs of the House Space Power Caucus. Pulham and the…