Hearing of the Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee - Transforming America's Air Travel

Hearing

Before we begin this morning, I want to thank Chairman Smith and my colleagues for the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the Space Subcommittee. It is truly an honor and a privilege. My district includes the Johnson Space Center and many of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) astronauts, scientists, engineers, technicians, and contractors call the 36th district of Texas home. Because of this, I am keenly aware of the opportunities and challenges facing NASA and the aerospace sector. I look forward to working with Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Johnson, and Ranking Member Edwards this Congress. I also want to thank Chairman Palazzo for his leadership during what has been a very busy spring for the Space Subcommittee. Thankfully he is moving to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science,
and Justice which has jurisdiction over NASA spending, so I am certain we will stay in touch.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics, or "NACA." Founded in 1915 to "supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems
of flight with a view to their practical solution," NACA was ultimately incorporated into NASA when
Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. That same year, Congress also
established the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) predecessor, the Federal Aviation Agency.
NACA's legacy of civilian aeronautics and aviation research and development (R&D) is now carried out
by NASA and FAA.

The aeronautics research carried out by these agencies is vital to our nation's prosperity. Aviation
accounts for $1.5 trillion in economic activity and a $78.3 billion positive trade balance. Civil and
general aviation is responsible for 11.8 million jobs in the U.S. and generates 5.4 percent of our gross
domestic product. Put simply, aviation is one of the pillars of our economy.

While we currently enjoy the benefits of our nation's early investments in aeronautics R&D, other
nations are now attempting to challenge our leadership. This is particularly troubling when the largest
growth sector is not here in the U.S., but in Asia. In order to maintain our leadership, we must
strategically prioritize our government investments, provide a competitive environment for industry, and
coordinate and clearly define public and private sector efforts to maximize efficiencies and minimize
duplication that may crowd-out investment.

If we are successful in these efforts, the potential aerospace breakthroughs in the coming decades are
promising. Advances in hypersonic flight could revolutionize the aerospace sector. Continued research
into supersonics and air traffic management could greatly reduce flight times. Structural and material
research stands to improve safety and save lives. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) R&D could
benefit agriculture, search and rescue, fighting forest fires, mapping and surveying, and even package
delivery.

In order to realize these benefits, we must be ever-vigilant. NASA and FAA will have to ensure that the
research they support does not duplicate private sector investments. For instance, industry has a
considerable incentive to develop safer, more reliable, and more efficient aircraft. Federal intervention
and support should be limited to high-risk, high-reward research that the private sector cannot or will not
do on their own. Without such prioritization, valuable resources risk being diluted among disparate
tasks. This requires a great deal of coordination between NASA and the FAA. Many of the activities
we will be discussing today are conducted by both these agencies.

In 2003, Congress established the Joint Planning Development Office (JPDO) to coordinate efforts
between NASA, FAA, and other agencies to develop the Next Generation Air Transportation System
(NextGen). JPDO functions were recently rolled into the NextGen program office, but the issue
highlights an overarching theme that Congress will have to monitor. As budgets tighten, NASA should
not be used as a piggy-bank for other agency requirements. As many have pointed out in the past, the
first "A" in NASA is "aeronautics." But we need to be clear -- aeronautics is more than just air traffic
management, aviation efficiency, and green fuels. NASA has a long and proud tradition of pushing the
boundaries of the possible, a legacy it should ensure continues into the future. Similarly, we need to
ensure FAA is focused on safety and efficiency. That clearly requires coordination, but hopefully it will
not cause wasteful duplication or sacrifice cutting-edge breakthroughs.

Aerospace and aviation research promise many benefits, but not without challenges. NextGen continues
to lack clearly defined cost, schedule, and performance parameters. Last year, the FAA Inspector
General testified that the initial cost estimate of $40 billion split between federal and private sector
investment could double or triple, and that implementation could take an additional decade. This is
unacceptable. Congress either needs better baselines and metrics to track progress, or a different plan.
In the interim, I fear that valuable R&D funding, the seed corn of future prosperity, is being used to
simply maintain World War II-era systems.

The challenges are also near-term. While Congress waits for NextGen details, reports of potential cyber
vulnerabilities to aircraft and NextGen systems proliferate in the press. While recent allegations may be
overstated, respected and knowledgeable experts, such as the Government Accountability Office and the
National Research Council, have warned that cyber security should play a more prominent role in
NextGen development.

I want to conclude by thanking our witnesses for being here today to discuss aeronautics and aviation
research. This highly esteemed panel will certainly inform the Committee's consideration of the
Research, Engineering, and Development activities at FAA. I look forward to their testimony and
appreciate their participation.

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