Political Quotes

“My bipartisan amendment reflects several policy recommendations that have been proposed in various forms over the last several years, including Representative Bridenstine's Space Renaissance Act. State spaceports have become increasingly important elements of our national space launch infrastructure, with States like Virginia, Florida, and Alaska contributing hundreds of millions in infrastructure improvements to launch sites to better support NASA, DOD, and commercial launch. State spaceports like the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island in Virginia, which launches Orbital ATK's Antares and Minotaur rockets, have provided new, low-cost capabilities for NASA, Defense, and commercial users, while also improving resiliency and responsiveness. The recent NASA Reauthorization Act, which passed the House Science Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote last week, included language urging NASA to fully leverage such State spaceport investments to meet infrastructure demands to support national missions. As we now consider this FAA Reauthorization Act, it is also important to note that the FAA currently plays a critical role in licensing and working with these spaceports as they grow their infrastructure and capabilities to support a variety of missions.…”