Senator Murray: Maintaining Our Competitive Edge Means Investing in Scientific Discovery

"As we continue full steam ahead in our bipartisan work to return to regular order, for the first time in many years, and pass funding bills in a responsible, timely way--these hearings are really an important opportunity for us to assess what we need to keep our country competitive on the world stage, and keep folks back home safe and sound. And they are also an important reminder that defense is just one part of the equation. If we want to maintain our competitive edge, we have to stay at the forefront of scientific discovery--and NASA and the National Science Foundation both have long, storied histories of helping our country do that.

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The list of times our nation has made its mark on history, the list of ways it has established itself as a world leader is much more than a list of military achievements. It's a story of inquiry, invention, innovation, exploration, and discovery of new frontiers. Our country has seen, time and time again, how those investments really payoff: they strengthen our defense, they strengthen our economy, they strengthen our global leadership.

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Innovation and inquiry--I don't have to tell either of you--isn't just an abstract ideal--it makes our lives better, it makes our nation safer in tangible ways: cleaner energy, faster, more sustainable manufacturing methods, better understanding of new technology like artificial intelligence, or preparing us for rare but serious risks like asteroids or solar flares. And those investments also keep America competitive in ways that are harder to measure, but are very important that we don't overlook.

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The moon landing didn't just affirm our leadership in space and science, it inspired a new generation of kids to study STEM, as Mr. Nelson has told me many times, and helps us push the bounds of what was possible. Just look at how the latest photos from the James Webb telescope--it is lighting the imaginations of kids right now. So at the end of the day, these investments that we make in this Appropriations Committee really are an investment in our country's future.

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Washington state, as you know, has seen an incredible growth of space related companies, suppliers, researchers, and innovators. And those companies have really been able to capitalize on the talented workforce graduating from our universities and use the infrastructure in place to become a hub for space exploration technology. How do you see NASA expanding and partnering with companies and universities in the Pacific Northwest?"

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