Donna Edwards

I want to go back to the budget proposal because I indicated this in my opening statement about this idea of constancy of purpose for NASA.

NASA needs our constancy of purpose and direction now

Congress has done its share and funded JWST annually consistent with that rebaseline.

I just can't wait for JWST to be launched and working.

The road to building JWST has not been an easy one.

I really do want to give a special shout-out to the Federal workers at the EPA because I just think they do a tremendous job protecting our air and our water.

It has been an amazingly productive EPA.

One of my concerns today though has to do with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund because I think they are also key to maintaining our Nation's wastewater needs.

I just want you to know how much we welcome that as Marylanders because I think this fragile ecosystem that is so important to the vitality of the States and the region is on the road to recovery.

I shudder to think that every time I am driving, I have to actually look up in addition to paying attention.

We were dealing then with the aftermath and the report back from the bridge collapsing in Minnesota.

We do know that neglected problems have a way eventually of falling down on us.

And so I want to ask you, especially in some untraditional sectors, like transportation, like research and technology, how it is that we could function as a Federal Government in our oversight capacity in the Congress and try to tease out…

One of the challenges that I found on our Transportation Committee is getting reports back about how much of those significant Federal dollars went down and out to minority- and women-owned businesses.

Well, first of all, thank you very much, Senator Cardin, for being here, and particularly in Prince George's County.

Minority businesses represent 35 percent of the population but only 22 percent of the businesses.

If we deny a segment of our community its full potential, we lose the strength in our economy.

We must do a better job in allowing those creative individuals the opportunity to have the financing necessary to achieve their dream.

It is a matter of the values of America. We believe that everyone should have the opportunities of this country.

I hope that this committee will have the opportunity to discuss all of NASA's programs and plans that comprise its $18 billion budget request for Fiscal Year 2016.

I remain committed to ensuring that these systems are safe.

It is important because, you know, the public believes that the work that you are undertaking now is entirely your own, and you are entirely footing the bill.

I used to be a skeptic of commercial crew and cargo transportation to support NASA requirements. And while I am now supportive of the commercial space transportation industry's partnership with NASA, I remain committed to ensuring that…

I want NASA and its commercial partners to succeed so that NASA and the nation will regain human spaceflight access to low-Earth orbit once again.

Safety has and will continue to be a priority of this Committee, and the NASA Authorization Act of 2015 directs that safety be the highest priority of the commercial crew program.