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- Path: sparky!uunet!dtix!relay!diamond.nswc.navy.mil!rsherme
- From: rsherme@diamond.nswc.navy.mil (Russel Shermer (R43))
- Newsgroups: sci.research
- Subject: fyi #156: Louis Stokes Named New NSF/NASA Appropriations...
- Keywords: science, research, legislation, policy, nsf, nasa, congress.
- Message-ID: <1992Dec16.225721.10459@relay.nswc.navy.mil>
- Date: 16 Dec 92 22:57:21 GMT
- Sender: news@relay.nswc.navy.mil
- Reply-To: rsherme@chaos.nswc.navy.mil
- Organization: NAVSWC DD White Oak Det. R43
- Lines: 73
-
- Posted for:
- Public Information Division
- American Institute of Physics
- Contact: Richard M. Jones
- Phone: (202) 332-9661
- Email: fyi@aip.org
-
-
-
- Louis Stokes Named New NSF/NASA Appropriations Subcommittee
- Chairman
-
- FYI No. 156, December 14, 1992
-
- In an action which is almost certain to have consequences for the
- National Science Foundation and NASA, Rep. Louis Stokes has been
- named chairman of the House Appropriations VA, HUD, Independent
- Agencies Subcommittee. Stokes replaces Rep. Bob Traxler, who
- retired this year.
-
- It would be difficult to exaggerate the importance which this
- subcommittee, and its companion subcommittee in the Senate (headed
- by Senator Barbara Mikulski) have in controlling NSF and NASA. It
- is not only the agencies' budgets which are determined by these
- subcommittees, but in many cases their direction.
-
- Rep. Stokes is thus going to be a very important person to NSF and
- NASA, and their constituencies. A brief biography of the new
- chairman follows:
-
- "My whole career has been one of fighting for the underdog," Stokes
- commented in 1991. He has represented Cleveland's East Side (what
- is now the 11th district) for 24 years, in a district encompassing
- poor inner-city areas and some of Ohio's most liberal communities
- such as Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and portions of
- University Heights. In last month's election, the 68-year old
- congressman won 78% of the vote. His family has long been a
- dominant force in Cleveland's politics.
-
- Stokes has been a force in the House of Representatives as well.
- He has served as chairman of the House Ethics Committee, a position
- described by Republican leader Robert Michel as "the most
- distasteful job in the House." Stokes was also on the Intelligence
- Committee's panel investigating the Reagan administration's Iran
- arms sale.
-
- Stokes has been prominent and effective in his support of minority
- concerns as a member of the VA, HUD, IA Appropriations
- Subcommittee. He has worked for federal funding for black
- colleges, housing programs, and for affirmative action. During the
- last few years at the NSF appropriations subcommittee hearings,
- Stokes usually confined his questions to agency programs
- encouraging minority students to study math and science.
-
- Worth bearing in mind is this subcommittee's jurisdiction over the
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. One of Stokes's
- major responsibilities -- and headaches -- will be portioning out
- his subcommittee's budget allocations to the many agencies under
- his jurisdiction. With a district still scarred from the 1960
- riots, it would be surprising if HUD is not given more attention by
- this subcommittee.
-
- Other Democrats just named to this appropriations subcommittee are
- Rep. Esteban Torres (D-Cal.) and Rep. Ray Thornton (D-Arkansas.)
- Thornton has served on the House science committee. Republicans
- will finalize their assignments in January.
-
- ###############
- Public Information Division
- American Institute of Physics
- Contact: Richard M. Jones
- (202) 332-9661
- ##END##########
-