Thread by @SpcPlcyOnline

Senate Commerce Cmte confirmation hearing for Bill Nelson should start any moment now (10 am ET).

commerce.senate.gov or NASA TV

Cmte Chair Sen Maria Cantwell (D-WA) praises her friend Sen Nelson and his nomination as NASA Administrator.
"I have to say I was surprised last week" by the HLS announcement and I'll be asking questions about that.

They've added a third nomination to the hrg today, of Leslie Keirnan to the Gen Counsel of Dept of Commerce (which includes NOAA).

Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) also speaks glowingly of Sen Nelson and his impt role in setting goals and policy for NASA while in the Senate and this very committee.

Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL) and fmr Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) will introduce Nelson.
Rubio: No better advocate for NASA than Nelson. Inspired choice. Hutchison: I worked w/Nelson on all the NASA auth bills during our time together in Sen. President has chosen the right person.

Hutchison is going thru the work they did on the 2005 and 2010 NASA auth acts that approved cmrcl cargo and cmrcl crew as well as deep space expl.
Agency needs leader w/understanding of NASA as well as political leadership skills.
"Bill is the leader NASA needs now"

Nelson: lots of exciting things going on at NASA. Not the work of a single administration. Takes many years.
My vision is for NASA to continue to explore the heavens with humans and machines.

Nelson: lots of spinoffs from NASA technology like the camera in my smartphone. Built for earth observing satellites. Many other examples.

Nelson: want to thank Jim Bridenstine for doing such a great job as NASA Admin and being so gracious to me. Should be no partisanship when it comes to NASA.

Cantwell: NASA needs dissimilar redundancy for HLS. Will you give us plan to do that? [Blue Origin is HQ in her state]
Nelson: yes.
Cantwell: Workforce diversity impt?
Nelson: yes, urged WH to have female Deputy at NASA. Melroy and I will be team. Think CFO also will be a woman.

Wicker: I was excited about Moon landing in 2024. Update?
Nelson: I can't talk to NASA until I'm confirmed, but per HLS news conf, 2024 is still there. Ambitious, but that's what's been stated. You may be pleased that will try to adhere to that timetable, but space is hard.

Klobuchar: women and ppl of color at NASA?
Nelson: Prez wants govt to reflect all of America and we'll certainly try to do that. I think we've had good start. Nichelle Nichols reached out to women and ppl of color for first shuttle astronaut class who were there when I flew

Sen Thune (R-SD and one of the top Rs in the Senate) to Nelson: "you're the perfect person" for this job. Shows photo of him and Nelson holding a huge snake in the Florida Everglades.

Nelson to Thune: goal is to get NASA out of LEO and let it explore. Question then is lander. Just announced, and so many other cmrcl contracts to come after that. Mars is goal in 2030s. Will see dual activity continue that was set in 2010 NASA Auth Act.

Cantwell: need to have redundancy [for HLS] now, not later.

Blumenthal (D-CT) to Nelson: delighted you will have this role.
Spacesuits impt. Many small companies looking for a fair playing field. Can you source components competitively?
Nelson: yes, competition is always better than sole sourcing.

Sen Deb Fischer (R-NB): need continuity for Artemis and SLS?
Nelson: yes, very impt. Space is hard, takes long time to develop techs.

Sen John Tester (D-MT) asks questions of other nominees but ends by saying he'll support Nelson

Sen Jerry Moran (R-KS), top R on Senate Approps CJS sbcmte (was chm in last Congress), says he won't ask Q of Nelson but looks forward to working with him and wishes him well.

Sen Hickenlooper (D-CO, chair of Space and Science sbcmte): Biden wants $2.3 B for earth sci. I have a master's in earth & env sci. What will that provide?
Nelson: impt increase. Can't mitigate climate change unless you can measure it and that's NASA's expertise.

Hickenlooper: CO is one of nation's aerospace leaders. How will NASA cont to work w/cmrcl space sector?
Nelson: it's essential. 2010 NASA auth has NASA working on dual track -cmrcl companies allowing NASA to get out of LEO and will see them participate in Moon/Mars too, eg HLS.

Hickenlooper: National Space Council?
Nelson: I support National Space Council. Delighted to see Biden will keep it. Need coordination among agencies.

Sen Blackburn (R-TN): China?
Nelson: China poses threat, getting lots of our secrets, tech, invading our privacy. Working w/Russia to put humans on Moon. We need to be concerned.
Blackburn: We're going to hold you to Moon by 2024 and "Mars by 2030." [That's what she said!]

Sen Markey (D-MA): "Welcome back, Bill." How will you ensure NASA is helping solve climate crisis?
Nelson: as I said, need to measure climate change to mitigate it and NASA uniquely positioned to do that. When I flew into space....

Sen Scott (R-FL): FL and NASA?
Nelson: will see more cmrcl activities in FL, eg Blue Origin. Will be more mfg and launching from FL. Will be robust future for FL, and other states as well.
Scott: yes Bob Cabana has done great job.

Scott: Wolf amendment [that restricts NASA coop w/China]?
Nelson: that's the law and NASA will abide by it. Need to be concerned with China/Russia coop re Moon, tho long time till we see that happen.

Sen Sullivan (R-Alaska): STEM. Inspiration.
Nelson: so much we can do by igniting imagination of kids and space can do that.

[That's it for my coverage of the hearing. Gotta go.]