Political Quotes

“I rise today to express my concern about the nomination of Congressman Jim Bridenstine to be the NASA Administrator. I will oppose his confirmation when the Senate votes this afternoon. While the nomination is problematic due to Congressman Bridenstine's lack of relevant qualifications and the importance of this position to our Nation, I am deeply concerned about this nomination because it is further evidence of a much deeper problem. I am concerned that this administration does not respect science--especially science in government institutions. So now let's look at the data. The Office of Science and Technology Policy, or OSTP, has four positions requiring political appointment, including the Director, who also serves as the President's Chief Science Adviser. The President has made zero--zero--nominations to OSTP and has now taken significantly longer than any other modern President to name a science adviser. Let's look at how the President's delay compares to past administrations on both sides of the aisle. Presidents Kennedy, Nixon, and Clinton all named a science adviser before they even took office. Presidents Reagan, Carter, and George H.W. Bush all named their science adviser within 4 months of taking office. President George W. Bush waited the longest, but he still chose to pick a physicist to fill the role by June of his first year in the Presidency. When it comes to prioritizing science in the executive branch, President Trump is not normal.…”