Yes, probably. If he’s not selected to become Transportation Secretary, he’d remain chairman of the House T&I Committee. He has lots of seniority and no one publicly willing to challenge him–and certainly not using a relatively minor issue like this to do so.

Do we have to have a choice? I’d do whatever is in my power to make it none of the above. Get him a new committee assignment, as well as not make him SECDOT.

I’m just guessing, but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that Oberstar’s prior attempts to legislate heavier regulations on the industry were driven by a member of his staff, who may be gone by now and/or would not follow Oberstar to DoT.

“Perhaps, though, he might become interested again in a few years, such as when companies like Virgin Galactic, XCOR, and Armadillo start flying paying customers.”

The biggest threat to the emergent commercial human space flight industry is a flight accident that results in a customer fatality. Once that happens, and it will sooner or later, the regulatory gates will come down much harder than Oberstar or any other legislator or regulator could bring them down before such an accident. That’s the inevitable regulatory event that the industry needs to prepare itself for more than any other.

“Where could Oberstar do the most harm to the industry: as Secretary of Transportation, where he would try to create or interpret regulations but would be bound by existing law; or in his current role as chairman of the House transportation committee, where he could hold hearings and help push through new legislation”

Obviously the latter.

It’s also worth noting that at least one leading representative of the industry, Burt Rutan, has actually argued that the industry needs to be more heavily regulated to protect itself from potentially devastating lawsuits. Although I don’t agree with his position, he speaks from prior lawsuit experience in this area that most of us (myself included) don’t have.

FWIW…

Actually, I don’t think what Rand and Clark posted qualified as “panicking”, but there were a lot more hyperbolic comments out there.

Here’s one other thing to keep in mind: for the time being, it appears that Oberstar’s interest in commercial human spaceflight has at least gone dormant. Perhaps, though, he might become interested again in a few years, such as when companies like Virgin Galactic, XCOR, and Armadillo start flying paying customers. Where could Oberstar do the most harm to the industry: as Secretary of Transportation, where he would try to create or interpret regulations but would be bound by existing law; or in his current role as chairman of the House transportation committee, where he could hold hearings and help push through new legislation (although he’d need the cooperation of the Senate on the latter)?