Business meeting to consider S.933

Good morning. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will come to order. When a quorum assembles, we will move forward with the votes, but we're going to start with opening statements. Today we are considering two consequential reauthorization bills: the NASA Authorization Act of 2026 and the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026. The United States finds itself in an intensifying space race with the People's Republic of China. Later this spring, NASA will launch astronauts to circumnavigate the moon on Artemis 2. This mission, which is the next step in the agency's Moon to Mars program, will be the first crewed lunar flyby in 50 years. America is prepared to lead in exploration, secure the ultimate strategic high ground, and shape the rules of the 21st century space economy. Yet NASA faces a series of challenges: rising program costs, supply chain vulnerabilities, and transition risks, especially as we move beyond the lifetime of the International Space Station. Those challenges culminated in an announcement last Friday that NASA was making major changes to the Artemis missions and our eventual return to the lunar surface. Today, the Commerce Committee will help guide those changes with the NASA Authorization Act. Our bill authorizes critical funding for and gives strategic direction to the agency, in line with the priorities of Administrator Isaacman and the Trump administration. It also builds on the $10 billion investment this committee gave to NASA in the Working Families Tax Cut Act. The bill has dozens of priorities backed by members on both sides of the aisle, from supporting hypersonics research to embracing nuclear propulsion. Let me touch on a few highlights of the NASA Authorization Act. The bill directs NASA to create a permanent moon base so that we can get there before China does. It keeps American astronauts in space, extending the ISS through 2032 and requiring the launch of two independent commercial space stations before the ISS can be retired. It protects against disclosure of NASA tech secrets to Chinese spies. It restores fiscal discipline while modernizing NASA's workforce through public-private partnerships. Space is not just symbolic; it is strategic. The NASA Authorization Act ensures that America, not China, will lead the next era of exploration. Now a word about the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026. Boy, that's a lot of words. The Weather Act, much better title. Someone pulled out their thesaurus and we needed reauthorization, modernization, innovation. We're doing all of that. I like the Weather Act better. The Weather Act updates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research and forecasting programs, ensuring that the agency remains focused on its core public safety mission. The bill is aimed at improving the accuracy and actionability of forecasts and weather warnings, as well as modernizing weather systems. It addresses hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, landslides, droughts, and atmospheric rivers. It will go a long way towards modernizing radars and satellites, leveraging commercial data, and integrating artificial intelligence capabilities into NOAA programming. I'm also happy to say that the bill will reform the NOAA Weather Radio program, a critical safety system that I worked to improve following the tragic floods that we saw in Texas last July. All told, the Weather Act packages multiple bipartisan pieces of legislation, many of which have previously passed out of this committee and five of which passed the Senate last session. I want to end by thanking both the majority and minority staffs, member LAs, and the committee clerks who spent countless days and evenings and weekends moving these major pieces of legislation. And both majority and minority were here the entire weekend working to get these ready this last weekend. Thank you for that. Thank you for your dedication getting these bills across the finish line. And a special word of thanks to Dave Turner, space lead for the minority, who will soon be enjoying a well-earned retirement. With that, I recognize Ranking Member Cantwell for her opening remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for today's markup on two very important pieces of legislation. I too would like to thank the hard-working minority and majority staff for working on these bipartisan priorities for literally years. First, we will consider the NASA Authorization Act, and I want to say that both of these pieces of legislation represent, I believe, critical green lights that use science to basically move the United States forward on technology and innovation so that the United States can lead in both space and weather. The NASA Act from myself and you, Senator Cruz, also with help by Senators Duckworth, Moran, Peters, Lujan, and Schmitt. And you and I first introduced this in 2024 as a one-year transition bill to provide direction to NASA to maintain America's leadership in aeronautics and exploration. And since we first introduced this, we have worked exclusively with other members of the committee, NASA, and stakeholders to make important improvements and to reaffirm our support for NASA's mission and its workforce at this pivotal point. The state of Washington, I know the state of Texas as well, plays a leading role in the nation's aerospace economy. Aerospace is a $71 billion industry in my state and supports more than 250,000 jobs with more than 1,500 companies forming a robust aerospace supply chain and including over 40 Artemis suppliers. At a hearing in September, four witnesses told this committee that returning astronauts to the moon and establishing a presence there is a vital national interest. But we also learned that NASA's plan, with its dependence on a single human lander for the Artemis 3 mission, was not going to get us there before China. This legislation supports the path forward for our safe return to the moon that will get us there as soon as possible. And for the first time, our bill establishes a program to develop a permanent moon base and reinforces existing efforts related to lunar surface power and lunar exploration vehicles. We also extended the operation of the International Space Station for additional two years, and will allow that operation to NASA will follow to an end operations on ISS and successfully shift to utilizing one or more commercial space stations. We require NASA to evaluate existing potential crew rescue capabilities for the return of astronauts from orbit and from the moon in emergency and non-emergency scenarios. This legislation also maintains research into the U.S. competitiveness, including the development of safe development of safe and energy-efficient hydrogen-powered and electric propulsion aircraft. In addition, we support the flight demonstrator program, developing the efficient thin-wing design for future commercial aircraft. The authorization also supports the Hi-CAM program. This is a high-rate composite aircraft manufacturing project that has strong partnerships with the Aerospace Materials Tech Hub. And finally, our bill authorizes funding levels for NASA that far exceed what the president's request was, and I think this is important for us to continue to show how enthusiastic Congress supports this. We refuse to accept cuts, and Mr. Chairman, you played a leading role in getting NASA funding in other vehicles, and so we want to continue to keep our focus on this. Many members of the committee contributed to this final product. Just two examples: the bill implements an active debris remediation project consistent with ORBITS Act from Senators Hickenlooper, Wicker, Lummis, and myself, and it incorporates the ASCEND Act from Senators Hickenlooper and Cornyn. Administrator Isaacman likes to say that NASA should take on challenges that are nearly impossible. To do this, NASA needs robust funding to support an ambitious agenda for exploration, science discovery, and technology development, and I think the bills that we're putting forth today will help us accomplish that. Next, Mr. Chairman, the Weather Act, as you mentioned, there's a lot packed into the Weather Act, but it has a short title, but we should not underestimate how important this is to our nation's continued success in letting our citizens know how important science is to determining where we put resources and how we help our citizenry. The 2026 Act from you, Mr. Chairman, myself, Senator Blunt Rochester, Senator Sullivan, Schatz, Moran, Rosen, Sheehy, Klobuchar, and Budd, I believe is a great product similar to the NASA bill. It was introduced in 2024 and we continue to work on modernizing our nation's weather forecasting infrastructure and increasing preparedness in the event of extreme weather. In the state of Washington, we know firsthand how extreme weather has become costly and dangerous. In December, Western Washington endured back-to-back atmospheric rivers that dumped nearly five trillion gallons of rain, causing massive devastating floods. Over 70 landslides were reported, blocking major transportation routes, disrupting communities, threatening lives and livelihood. The devastating floods in Kerrville, in Asheville, the fires in the Palisades and Lahaina, and too many other natural disasters have shown us that providing Americans with more timely and accurate weather information can avoid billions of dollars in property losses and save lives. In 2025 alone, weather disasters cost the United States $115 billion. That is why this bill matters. It establishes an atmospheric river forecast improvement program, modernizes hazardous weather alerts, radio infrastructure as the chairman mentioned, strengthens landslide preparedness, and helps rural farmers plan for drought and bring new tools to better forecast wildfires, hurricanes, and heat waves. This legislation advances many of the recommendations in a five-point plan I outlined last year to the president and to NOAA. That plan we need to continue to make more progress on, but the Weather Act will ensure that America's weather enterprise is nimble, innovative, and equipped to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century. I just want to almost every member of the committee has contributed to this legislation, including Senator Schatz and Sheehy's TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfire Act, Senator Wicker's Tornado Act, Senator Sullivan and Baldwin's HAB legislation. Senator Baldwin, what is that HAB legislation? Okay, we'll find out. And Senator Markey's Forecast Act. I also want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Chairman, I do want to bring up, I know we were going to do a Coast Guard nominee, Jesse Millard. I want to enter into the record a letter we received from a whistleblower about how this Commander Millard retaliated against this individual, and I'd like to enter that into the record. We, in the advent of what we've seen with Fouled Anchor, need to take these issues very seriously. And so I would ask that be entered into the record.

Without objection. I will note on the Coast Guard nomination that the facts concerning Jesse Millard are highly contested, and I believe our Democrat colleagues are being very unfair and maligning an honorable Coast Guard guardsman. We will be taking up his promotion in a subsequent markup and we can discuss the merits of it then, but I will say I think the facts are markedly different from what was just suggested.

Well, Mr. Chairman, I know if I could one second. The DHS OIG conducted an independent investigation and found Commander Millard retaliated. So we should have this larger debate somewhere, but appreciate not being on the agenda today.

Mr. Chairman, I want to also express my concerns about the Millard promotion, but on a lighter note I wanted to answer the question of what HAB stands for, which is Harmful Algal Bloom legislation.

Okay.

Okay. I will now recognize Ranking Member Cantwell for a motion.

Mr. Chairman, I move that S. 933, the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 as amended by the Cruz-Cantwell substitute, as modified by Budd-Lummis 1, as modified by Budd 2, Capito 1, Hickenlooper 1, as modified by Hickenlooper 3, as modified Hickenlooper 4, as modified Hickenlooper 5, as modified Lujan 1, as modified Moreno 1, Moreno 2, as modified Moreno 3, Peters-Moran 1 as modified, Schmitt 1, Schmitt 2 as modified, Schmitt 3 as modified, Schmitt 5, Sheehy 1 as modified, and Wicker 1B favorably reported.

Is there a second?

Second.

Is there any discussion? If there's no further discussion, the question is on Senator Cantwell's motion. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

We do have one discussion point, Mr. Chairman.

Oh, I yep. Senator Sheehy.

I'd like to call up Sheehy amendment number two as modified, an amendment to S. 933. My amendment would strike sections that would tie NASA's hands, a requirement that NASA provide specific statutory justification every time it has to redact a report, a requirement that NASA use electronic technology to submit all reports, briefings, and requests, which NASA tells us would inhibit in-person briefings, requirements for a chief scientist, chief economist, and chief technologist, redundant positions that NASA says they do not need and has not asked for and would cost more taxpayer dollars. Many of these requirements are micromanagement at a time when NASA needs to have a singular focus on beating China back to the moon, and Director Isaacman needs flexibility to do his job. We are here to enable NASA's leadership, not stop it, and to return to NASA's real mission, which is American spaceflight dominance. Given assurances we've received from the committee and our distinguished chairman, I will work to rectify the problems in these sections as it continues down the bicameral process. I withdraw my amendment. I look forward to staff cooperation with my team and NASA to help resolve these issues.

Thank you, Senator Sheehy. I appreciate that. If there's no further discussion, the question is on Senator Cantwell's motion. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say no. The motion is agreed to and the bill is ordered to be reported favorably. I now recognize Ranking Member Cantwell for an additional motion.

Mr. Chairman, I move that S. 3923, the Weather Research Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 as amended by the Klobuchar-Lummis 1, Rosen 1 as modified, Sullivan-Cantwell 1 as modified, and Wicker 1 be favorably reported.

Is there a second?

Second.

Is there any discussion?

Yes, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to thank both of you for including my amendment with Senator Lummis to codify the Aerial Snow Survey Program. I think you all know Minnesota has a lot of snow, as does Wyoming, and much of the state drains into large slow-moving the snow river systems including the Mississippi and the Red River, and it is really important that we keep tracking that because it affects floods and the lake. So we appreciate your inclusion of this amendment.

I seem to remember Senator Klobuchar's presidential launch speech in the midst of a blizzard, which I I will say was was impressive.

Thank you. Appreciate that. It was cold.

I believe you. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say no. The motion is agreed to and the bill is ordered to be reported favorably. I ask for unanimous consent that staff are authorized to make technical and conforming changes without objection so ordered. Are there mem...

Mr. Chairman, if I could just, thank you so much for mentioning David Turner and his work on this bill. He is retiring in a long career both at State and here focusing on space issues and we appreciate getting this bill over the goal line. Thank you.

Are there members wishing to make remarks on the agenda items?

Mr. Chairman, I just want to note for the committee that the House is moving forward on COSA. I know we have waited for them to take an action, they are doing their version of a bill today. And since there are so many co-sponsors of COSA, we've got 75 in the Senate now, and I would hope that we would move forward so that we can move quickly into a conference with the House to get this finished.

And I look forward to doing exactly that, passing COSA. We did it in the last Congress, but but the House did not concur and I'm hopeful we can get both chambers to move and get this passed and signed into law.

Thank you. Thank you for your leadership.

And thank you for yours. That concludes our executive session for today. If there are no further comments, the committee is adjourned.