Congress, NASA

Will the Space Coast have representation on the next House science committee?

Central Florida had two of its representatives on the House Science and Technology Committee, Reps. Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas, who both served on the space subcommittee. However, both lost their reelection bids earlier this month. Will their successors also seek similar committee assignments? Only one appears interested, though, and only as a backup option.

Rep.-elect Sandy Adams, who defeated Kosmas, told the Orlando Sentinel that she’s seeking a position on the appropriations committee, which would rule out serving on other committees. Getting on the committee as a new member is a long shot, the article acknowledges, but Adams hopes that the influx of new members, plus her experience as an appropriator in the Florida Legislature, boosts her chances of winning a seat there. If she fails, though, she said she would seek alternative positions, including taking Kosmas’s seat on the science committee. Rep.-elect Daniel Webster, who defeated Grayson, said in the same article he’s interested in the transportation, armed services, judiciary, and rules committee, and apparently not the science committee.

The science committee, meanwhile, lauded the passage of a resolution congratulating NASA for its role in the rescue of 33 Chilean miners. H.Res. 1714, passed by a voice vote Tuesday, “congratulates the engineers, scientists, psychologists, and staff” of NASA for its role in the rescue and states that NASA’s experience “acquired through space flight is beneficial to human life on Earth and was critical to the successful rescue of the Chilean miners.” Notably, the resolution was introduced by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), who appears the likely candidate to be the committee’s ranking member in the next Congress.

3 comments to Will the Space Coast have representation on the next House science committee?

  • Alan Grayson was a jerk and his district wasn’t near the Space Coast anyway, so good riddance.

    The Space Coast has two Congressional districts. The dividing line runs between Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Kosmas/Adams seat has KSC, and Posey has CCAFS. That ensures the Space Coast gets two votes instead of one.

    They’ll redraw the districts soon but I doubt this “creative” gerrymandering will change.

  • “Alan Grayson was a jerk”

    I agree, however, I feel the same way about Shelby.

  • While serving in the GOP minority, Space Coast Rep. Bill Posey was limited to serving on one committee (not Science). He has a keen interest in space issues and will probably get at least one more committee assignment in the next Congress, unless he angles successfully for a seat on Appropriations (he’s got a better shot at it than Sandy Adams). I wouldn’t be surprised if Rep. Posey ends up on the Science Committee.

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