Providing for Consideration of S. 610, NASA Flexibility Act of 2003

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S. 610, NASA FLEXIBILITY ACT OF 2003 -- (House of Representatives - January 28, 2004)

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman from Florida, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the NASA Workforce Flexibility Act of 2003, as well as the rule providing for its consideration. As the majority member of the committee previously mentioned, the underlying legislation will provide NASA with greater personnel management flexibilities to provide bonuses, hiring and other management tools in order to enhance the agency's ability to recruit and retain qualified employees.

I have always been a friend and supporter of NASA and the U.S. program. I, like so many other Americans, have relished in the Earth-shaking rumbling of powerful shuttle engines launched from the Kennedy Space Center. The instant illumination of the night sky still sends a rush of excitement throughout the United States. Children and adults alike dream of the day when they will have an opportunity to see our Earth from beyond its atmosphere.

The U.S. space program has done so much for Americans, not just inspiring and educating us on space exploration, but constantly improving our quality of life. The returns on those investments are accrued all around us. Technologies of NASA's space program have had and continue to have a profound effect on the U.S. and its people. Many products utilized in our homes and workplaces and used for health, fitness and recreation are the direct result of space technology spin-offs.

It is important for Congress to be aware of the issues facing NASA when it comes to hiring and retaining the best and brightest minds of the scientific community. NASA's workforce differs significantly from other Federal agencies in that more than 60 percent of its makeup is scientists and engineers. These statistics place NASA in a difficult position as the number of graduates in the physical sciences, both under- and post-graduate, continues to decrease.

The NASA Workforce Flexibility Act allows NASA to suit up and engage in the fierce competition with the private sector for the most qualified candidates, thus allowing it to become more competitive in recruiting and retaining the kind of workforce NASA will need in the 21st century.

But while NASA suits up, so must Congress. We must provide guidance to this important Federal agency to ensure that it is recruiting and signing up the most qualified candidates from all colleges, universities and the private sector.

Our colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), offered an amendment to the underlying bill in committee that would have reinstated the Minority University and Research Programs as a division after NASA demoted it to program status. The amendment was, unfortunately, defeated. While I have been told that this program has not been stripped of any of its abilities to carry out its mission, I certainly hope that the defeat of this amendment is not the beginning of a striptease.

NASA scholarship opportunities should be equally distributed among institutions of higher education, including minority-serving institutions. Programs such as the one the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) sought to reinstate provide the necessary outreach needed to bring the most qualified and diverse candidates to the table.

Mr. Speaker, despite the progress that has been made, it is critical that we continue to move forward in diversifying the workplace. Lags have been particularly visible for minorities in the math and physical sciences. Democrats stand united and prepared to work with the majority to further ensure that Federal agencies, NASA included, are held accountable for their recruiting and hiring practices. Agencies must not only make good-faith efforts to recruit, employ, train, promote and retain members of underrepresented groups, but they must also show us results.

Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank the members of the Committee on Science, in particular the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), for their incredible work. I also want to thank the members of the Committee on Government Reform, particularly the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), for all of their good work.

As I mentioned previously, I support the underlying legislation and I will not oppose the rule. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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