United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. More specifically, the committee has complete jurisdiction over the following federal agencies: NASA, NSF, NIST, and the OSTP. The committee also has authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy, the EPA, FAA, NOAA, the DOT, the NWS, the DHS and the U.S. Fire Administration.^[1]

House Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Standing committee
Active United States House of Representatives 119th Congress
History
Formed	January 3, 1959
Leadership
Chair	Brian Babin (R) Since January 13, 2025
Ranking member	Zoe Lofgren (D) Since January 3, 2023
Vice chair	Vacant
Structure
Seats	40
Political parties	Majority (22)   Republican (22) Minority (18)   Democratic (18)
Jurisdiction
Oversight authority	NASA, NSF, NIST, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Website
science.house.gov (Republican) democrats-science.house.gov (Democratic)

History

In the wake of the Soviet Sputnik program in the late 1950s, Congress created the Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration on 05 March 1958, chaired by majority leader John William McCormack. This select committee drafted the National Aeronautics and Space Act that created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A staff report of the committee, the Space Handbook: Astronautics and its Applications, provided non-technical information about spaceflight to U.S. policy makers.^[2]

The committee also chartered the permanent House Committee on Science and Astronautics, which officially began on January 3, 1959, and was the first new standing committee established in the House since 1946. The name was changed in 1974 to the House Committee on Science and Technology. The name was changed again in 1987 to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. After the Republican Party gained a majority in Congress in 1994, the name of the committee was changed to the House Committee on Science. With the return of control to the Democrats in 2007, the committee's name was changed back to the House Committee on Science and Technology.

During the 112th Congress, which was in session from 2011-2013, Committee Chairman Ralph Hall added "Space" back into the committee's name: "The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology" – a nod to the committee's history, broad jurisdiction, and the importance of space exploration in maintaining American innovation and competitiveness.^[3]

Members, 119th Congress

Majority

Minority

Brian Babin, Texas, Chair Randy Weber, Texas Jim Baird, Indiana Daniel Webster, Florida Jay Obernolte, California Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee Darrell Issa, California Claudia Tenney, New York Scott Franklin, Florida Max Miller, Ohio Rich McCormick, Georgia Vince Fong, California David Rouzer, North Carolina Keith Self, Texas Pat Harrigan, North Carolina Sheri Biggs, South Carolina Jeff Hurd, Colorado Mike Haridopolos, Florida Mike Kennedy, Utah Nick Begich III, Alaska

Zoe Lofgren, California, Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Haley Stevens, Michigan Deborah K. Ross, North Carolina Andrea Salinas, Oregon Valerie Foushee, North Carolina Emilia Sykes, Ohio Maxwell Frost, Florida Gabe Amo, Rhode Island Suhas Subramanyam, Virginia Luz Rivas, California Sylvester Turner, Texas Sarah McBride, Delaware Laura Gillen, New York George T. Whitesides, California Laura Friedman, California April McClain Delaney, Maryland Josh Riley, New York

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (R), H.Res. 44 (D)

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair[4]	Ranking Member[5]
Energy	Randy Weber (R-TX)	Deborah Ross (D-NC)
Environment	Scott Franklin (R-FL)	Gabe Amo (D-RI)
Investigations and Oversight	Rich McCormick (R-GA)	Emilia Sykes (D-OH)
Research and Technology	Jay Obernolte (R-CA)	Haley Stevens (D-MI)
Space and Aeronautics	Mike Haridopolos (R-FL)	Valerie Foushee (D-NC)

Committee chairs, 1959–present

Chairmen since 1959^[3]

• Overton Brooks (LA), 1959–1961
• George P. Miller (CA), 1961–1973
• Olin E. Teague (TX), 1973–1978
• Don Fuqua (FL), 1979–1987
• Robert A. Roe (NJ), 1987–1991
• George Brown, Jr. (CA), 1991–1995
• Robert Smith Walker (PA), 1995–1997
• Jim Sensenbrenner (WI), 1997–2001
• Sherwood Boehlert (NY), 2001–2007
• Bart Gordon (TN), 2007–2011
• Ralph Hall (TX), 2011–2013
• Lamar S. Smith (TX), 2013–2019
• Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX), 2019–2023
• Frank Lucas (OK), 2023–2025
• Brian Babin (TX), 2025–present

Historical membership rosters

118th Congress

Majority

Minority

Frank Lucas, Oklahoma, Chair Bill Posey, Florida Randy Weber, Texas Brian Babin, Texas Jim Baird, Indiana Daniel Webster, Florida Mike Garcia, California Stephanie Bice, Oklahoma Jay Obernolte, California Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee Darrell Issa, California Rick Crawford, Arkansas Claudia Tenney, New York Ryan Zinke, Montana Scott Franklin, Florida Dale Strong, Alabama Max Miller, Ohio Rich McCormick, Georgia Mike Collins, Georgia Brandon Williams, New York Thomas Kean Jr., New Jersey Greg Lopez, Colorado (from July 8, 2024) Vince Fong, California (from June 3, 2024)

Zoe Lofgren, California, Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Haley Stevens, Michigan Jamaal Bowman, New York Deborah K. Ross, North Carolina Eric Sorensen, Illinois Andrea Salinas, Oregon Valerie Foushee, North Carolina Kevin Mullin, California Jeff Jackson, North Carolina Emilia Sykes, Ohio Maxwell Frost, Florida Yadira Caraveo, Colorado Summer Lee, Pennsylvania Jennifer McClellan, Virginia Gabe Amo, Rhode Island (from December 13, 2023) Ted Lieu, California Sean Casten, Illinois Paul Tonko, New York

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 80 (R), H.Res. 87 (D), H.Res. 164 (D), H.Res. 179 (R), H.Res. 205 (D), H.Res. 931 (D)

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair[6]	Ranking Member[7]
Energy	Brandon Williams (R-NY)	Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)
Environment	Max Miller (R-OH)	Deborah Ross (D-NC)
Investigations and Oversight	Mike Collins (R-GA)	Valerie Foushee (D-NC)
Research and Technology	Jay Obernolte (R-CA)	Haley Stevens (D-MI)
Space and Aeronautics	Brian Babin (R-TX)	Eric Sorensen (D-IL)

117th Congress

Majority

Minority

Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas, Chair Zoe Lofgren, California Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Ami Bera, California Haley Stevens, Michigan, Vice Chair[8] Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Jamaal Bowman, New York Melanie Stansbury, New Mexico (since June 15, 2021) Brad Sherman, California Ed Perlmutter, Colorado Jerry McNerney, California Paul Tonko, New York Bill Foster, Illinois Donald Norcross, New Jersey Don Beyer, Virginia Charlie Crist, Florida Sean Casten, Illinois Conor Lamb, Pennsylvania Deborah K. Ross, North Carolina Gwen Moore, Wisconsin Dan Kildee, Michigan Susan Wild, Pennsylvania Lizzie Fletcher, Texas

Frank Lucas, Oklahoma, Ranking Member Mo Brooks, Alabama Bill Posey, Florida Randy Weber, Texas Brian Babin, Texas Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio Michael Waltz, Florida Jim Baird, Indiana Pete Sessions, Texas Daniel Webster, Florida Mike Garcia, California Stephanie Bice, Oklahoma Young Kim, California Randy Feenstra, Iowa Jake LaTurner, Kansas Carlos Giménez, Florida Jay Obernolte, California Peter Meijer, Michigan Jake Ellzey, Texas (since August 24, 2021) Mike Carey, Ohio (since December 1, 2021)

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 111 (D), H.Res. 475 (D), H.Res. 602 (R), H.Res. 826 (R)

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair[9]	Ranking Member[10]
Energy	Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)	Randy Weber (R-TX)
Environment	Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)	Stephanie Bice (R-OK)
Investigations and Oversight	Bill Foster (D-IL)	Jay Obernolte (R-CA)
Research and Technology	Haley Stevens (D-MI)	Michael Waltz (R-FL)
Space and Aeronautics	Don Beyer (D-VA)	Brian Babin (R-TX)

116th Congress

Majority

Minority

Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas, Chair Zoe Lofgren, California Dan Lipinski, Illinois Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Ami Bera, California, Vice Chair Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, Texas Haley Stevens, Michigan Kendra Horn, Oklahoma Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Brad Sherman, California Steve Cohen, Tennessee Jerry McNerney, California Ed Perlmutter, Colorado Paul Tonko, New York Bill Foster, Illinois Don Beyer, Virginia Charlie Crist, Florida Sean Casten, Illinois Katie Hill, California (until October 27, 2019) Ben McAdams, Utah Jennifer Wexton, Virginia Conor Lamb, Pennsylvania (since November 19, 2019)

Frank Lucas, Oklahoma, Ranking Member Mo Brooks, Alabama Bill Posey, Florida Randy Weber, Texas Brian Babin, Texas Andy Biggs, Arizona Roger Marshall, Kansas Neal Dunn, Florida Ralph Norman, South Carolina Michael Cloud, Texas Troy Balderson, Ohio Pete Olson, Texas Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio Michael Waltz, Florida Jim Baird, Indiana Jaime Herrera Beutler, Washington Jenniffer González, Puerto Rico Francis Rooney, Florida (since July 24, 2019) Greg Murphy, North Carolina (since September 26, 2019) Mike Garcia, California (since July 1, 2020) Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin (since July 1, 2020)

Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 67 (D), H.Res. 68 (R), H.Res. 73 (D), H.Res. 264 (R), H.Res. 516 (R), H.Res. 596 (R), H.Res. 712 (D), H.Res. 1037 (R)

Subcommittees

There were five subcommittees in the 116th Congress.^[8]

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)	Randy Weber (R-TX)
Environment	Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)	Roger Marshall (R-KS)
Investigations and Oversight	Bill Foster (D-IL)	Ralph Norman (R-SC)
Research and Technology	Haley Stevens (D-MI)	Jim Baird (R-IN)
Space and Aeronautics	Don Beyer (D-VA)	Brian Babin (R-TX)

115th Congress

Majority[11]

Minority[12]

Lamar Smith, Texas, Chair Dana Rohrabacher, California Frank Lucas, Oklahoma, Vice Chair Mo Brooks, Alabama Randy Hultgren, Illinois Bill Posey, Florida Thomas Massie, Kentucky Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma Randy Weber, Texas Steve Knight, California Brian Babin, Texas Barbara Comstock, Virginia Gary Palmer, Alabama Barry Loudermilk, Georgia Ralph Abraham, Louisiana Darin LaHood, Illinois Daniel Webster, Florida Jim Banks, Indiana Andy Biggs, Arizona Roger Marshall, Kansas Neal Dunn, Florida Clay Higgins, Louisiana Ralph Norman, South Carolina

Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Dan Lipinski, Illinois Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Ami Bera, California Elizabeth Esty, Connecticut Marc Veasey, Texas Don Beyer, Virginia, Vice Ranking Member Jacky Rosen, Nevada Conor Lamb, Pennsylvania (from April 17, 2018) Jerry McNerney, California Ed Perlmutter, Colorado Paul Tonko, New York Bill Foster, Illinois Mark Takano, California Colleen Hanabusa, Hawaii Charlie Crist, Florida

See also

• List of current United States House of Representatives committees

References

1. "History and Jurisdiction". House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
2. "Space Handbook: Astronautics and its Applications". NASA.
3. "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY" (PDF). United States Government. November 7, 2007.
4. "Chairman Babin Announces SST Subcommittee Rosters and Leadership". House Committee on Science Space & Technology. January 30, 2025.
5. "Science Committee Democrats Organize and Announce Subcommittee Ranking Members". U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. February 5, 2025.
6. "Lucas Announces Subcommittee Rosters and Leadership". House Committee on Science Space & Tech - Republicans. 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
7. "Ranking Member Lofgren Announces Organization of Science Committee Democrats | House Committee on Science, Space and Technology". democrats-science.house.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
8. "House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Subcommittees". House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
9. HOUSE SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ORGANIZES FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
10. Lucas Announces Republican Science Committee Leaders
11. H.Res. 6, H.Res. 51
12. H.Res. 7, H.Res. 45, H.Res. 52, H.Res. 95

External links

• Official web site (Archive)
• House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.
• Republican Science Committee website
• Works by United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at the Internet Archive