By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Friday, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, announced that he was a founding member of the establishment of the bipartisan House National Aeronautics and Space Administration Caucus led by Rep. Steve Knight, R-Calif., and Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Oh.
The stated mission of the caucus is to bring attention to NASA’s economic and national security importance and serve as a forum to educate policy-makers on current NASA initiatives.
“It is an honor to serve as the Congressman representing the Tennessee Valley, home to Alabama’s Marshall Space Flight Center – one of NASA’s largest field installations with nearly 6,000 civil service and contract employees,” Brooks said. “Without the contributions of the dedicated engineers, scientists, and other talented professionals we would be unable to inspire the next generation with the dream of continued space exploration. I am excited to report that there is a renewed commitment to space exploration on Capitol Hill and you can feel the excitement. The recently launched NASA Caucus will help bring to the forefront NASA’s most important endeavors, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to further America’s global leadership in space.”
“NASA’s storied history has led America to discovery and innovation unparalleled in history. Its future possibilities are endless,” U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, o-founder of the NASA Caucus, said. “As the hardworking researchers and scientists at Glenn Research Center know, for pennies on the dollar, NASA programs have fueled jobs, created new industries and inspired entire generations of Americans. Today, we are excited to announce the launch of the bipartisan NASA Caucus to honor this scientific juggernaut’s contributions to American life and to assure its continued contributions to a future further enlightened by scientific advancement.”
“There has been a lack of representation in the educational activities on Capitol Hill for many of NASA’s most important programs. Many of these programs that are critical to U.S. national interests, and there is an interest here to learn more and support them. But the current landscape does not yet support that level of interest,” Knight, co-founder of the NASA Caucus, said. “I am proud to stand up this caucus so we can bring timely information to policymakers on these important issues related to exploration, research and development, and strategic investments vital to the future of U.S. air and space competitiveness. I look forward to working with the members of this caucus to ensure this institution has the tools it needs to build on the many contributions it has made to American achievement.”
Brooks joins 27 colleagues and founding members of the caucus. He serves as the vice-chair of the Space Subcommittee on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
