Steven Palazzo

I definitely agree there are international partners looking to us for space leadership, and hopefully, in the days and years and decades to come, we will be able to provide it.

Human exploration has always had its challenges, but the United States has always risen to the occasion.

If nothing else comes out of this hearing, I hope it is clear to those inside and outside the Administration that this Committee is devoted to human exploration and we intend to ensure this year's authorization reflects that commitment.

I am not convinced this mission is the right way to go and that it may actually prove a detour for a Mars mission.

We don't need another study, we need action.

We can't continue changing our program of record every time there is a new President.

Reductions in these programs make me question the Administration's sincere commitment to their success.

I am committed to the success of these assets and ensuring their continued on-time development and appropriate prioritization moving forward.

I want to thank the witnesses for their valuable testimony and the Members for their questions.

I look forward to hearing about NASA and NSF's plan for continuing exoplanet research using these unique capabilities.

This discovery has broad implications not only for the scientific community, but for all mankind.

I understand that their testimony was late because the Office of Management and Budget failed to manage their time and resources wisely.

Given its serious flaws, I have called on the agency to abandon the report and return to a collaborative effort with the State of Wyoming on how to resolve these issues around Pavillion.

Former Administrator Jackson even admitted to me during questioning at another committee that the EPA was not confident it had discovered groundwater contamination in Pavillion related to fracking.

How can we ensure, General, that programs like these that are already highly successful and are inspiring an entirely new generation of engineers don't disappear?

So just to clarify, with the reduced funding, you don't see any anticipated missed deadlines for SLS.

I am committed to making sure NASA is using its resources strategically for a cohesive exploration program that bolsters our economy, improves life on Earth and raises the bar of what humans can achieve.

I commend the NASA and contractor workforce on this progress.

I look forward, Administrator Bolden, to what I hope will be a beginning of an active dialogue.

I hope today's discussion can clarify the rationale for the proposed asteroid and capture retrieval initiative.

I commend the agency and the contractor workforce on this progress.

I have said before and I will say it again that our investments in research and development, including space, are investments in innovation, jobs and future economic growth.

I am concerned, however, that NASA has neglected Congressional funding priorities and been distracted by new and questionable missions.

Like you, I am committed to ensuring that our Nation has a robust space program that will continue to lead the world for generations.

The request for the Space Technology program this year is a 62 percent increase over the appropriation it received in Fiscal Year 2012.