|
For the 18th year in a row, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership’s Citizens for Space Exploration (CSE) Committee descended on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with a singular purpose - to support an adequately funded human space exploration program that encompasses the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Constellation programs. The group also expressed support for a long-term goal of investing 1% of the federal budget annually in NASA compared to the .5% currently received.
From May 18-21, 2009, 115 CSE travelers representing 24 states visited a record 341 congressional offices. They met individually with members of Congress or their staff. The CSE trip has grown to be the nation’s largest (i.e. most congressional offices contacted) pro-NASA, pro-space exploration grassroots annual trip to Washington. CSE is comprised of a diverse group of small and large business representatives, “Gen Y” students and teachers, and county/municipal officials and employees who support America’s investment in NASA and human space exploration. “CSE’s tremendous success is due to a total team effort by the CSE Steering Committee and many others who play valuable supportive roles,” stated Bob Mitchell, BAHEP president.
The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is home to the CSE-Texas Committee, chaired by Joe Mayer, senior manager of Business Development for Lockheed Martin. One of the priorities of the CSE is to inform elected officials of the importance their constituents place on the space program. Among these constituents are 26 undergraduate and graduate students, from colleges and universities across the nation, who traveled as part of the CSE group. BAHEP’s Aerospace Advisory Committee, Barrios Technology, and The Boeing Company sponsored the students whose majors include planetary geology and astronomy, aerospace engineering, astrophysics, aviation business administration, mechanical engineering, math and physics. The future of the space program and its many initiatives relate directly to their future careers. The students wanted to ensure that their representatives were aware not only of their support of NASA but also of the electoral influence that they and their fellow students and faculty carry.
Interaction between the elected officials and the CSE extended beyond congressional offices when they gathered for a CSE-sponsored Congressional Reception on Tuesday, May 19. Attending were: Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC-1), Rep. Al Green (D-TX-9), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX-29), Rep. Parker Griffith (D-AL-5), Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL-24), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH-10), Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX-22), Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX-2), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL-15), and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA-5). In addition, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ-8), chair of the House Science and Technology Committee’s Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, held an early morning meeting with some of the CSE travelers on the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday, May 20. Mitchell noted, “The significance of CSE’s annual visit to Washington cannot be underestimated. By meeting personally with these decision makers in Washington, we are better able to impress upon them NASA’s scientific, technological, and economic impact that affects us in so many positive ways.”
David Braun, BAHEP’s aerospace marketing manager, after spending months organizing the details of the CSE 2009 visit to Washington, added, “Once again, I feel as though our considerable efforts to inform members of Congress on the importance of NASA were well received. Education, jobs, and national security were prominently mentioned as positive effects of NASA and space exploration. However, it was felt that Congress and the general public are not aware of the many benefits of NASA. We all need to continue our efforts in filling this information gap in order to generate the support needed for adequate funding of NASA’s human exploration program.”
For more information on the work of the CSE-Texas Committee, contact Braun at 281.486.5535 or send an email to david@bayareahouston.com.
2009 Trip Report (Word Document)
2009 DC Presentation (PowerPoint Presentations)
2009 Washington DC Trip Slideshow
2008
DC Trip Report
2008
Washington Presentation
2008
Summary Assessment Report
2008 Washington DC Trip Slideshow
2007
DC Trip Report
2007
Washington Presentation
2007
Summary Assessment Report
2007
Congressional Office Visits Slideshow
2007
Congressional Reception Slideshow
2007
Traveler's Briefing Slideshow
2007
DC Sights Slideshow
2006
DC Trip Report
2006
Washington Presentation
2006
Summary Assessment Report
2006
Washington Slideshow
2006
Washington Video
2006
US Space Exploration Video
2005 Washington
Presentation
2005
Summary Assessment Report
2005
Washington Slideshow
2004 Washington
Presentation
2004
Summary Assessment Report
2004
Washington Slideshow
2003 Washington
Presentation
2003
Summary Assessment Report
2003
Washington Slideshow
2002 Washington
Presentation
|
