spacetoday.net: Shuttle oversight legislation introduced

Posted: Fri, Oct 3, 2003, 10:00 AM ET (1400 GMT)
US Capitol

A leading member of Congress introduced a bill earlier this week that, if passed, would create an independent committee to oversee NASA. The Space Shuttle Independent Oversight Act of 2003 was introduced in Congress Wednesday by Rep. Ralph Hall (D-TX), ranking minority member of the House Science Committee. The bill would create an "external, independent, and technically competent committee" to oversee NASA's implementation of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's recommendations both during the shuttle return-to-flight activities and beyond. The committee members would be selected by the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering and would regularly report to both NASA and Congress. Cosponsoring the legislation are Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), chairman of the space subcommittee of the House Science Committee, and Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), ranking minority member of that subcommittee.