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Archive: 2011 October
NASA Commercial Spaceflight Is Subject of House Hearings
Members of Congress expressed skepticism about the viability of the Obama Administration’s plan for a manned commercial space flight program at an October 26 hearing on the “Future Private Market for Human Spaceflight.” Spokespersons from NASA and aerospace companies testified before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on progress toward establishing a “purely commercial capability to fly humans to and from low-Earth orbit, with an emphasis on ferrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.” Current law authorizes $500 for development of the program, and many Members of Congress are reluctant to meet the Administration’s request for $850 million,…
Vote Nears on China Currency
Despite the Chinese Government’s warnings of a trade war, the Senate has moved toward approval of a bill designed to bring back jobs from China by targeting that nation’s currency. With 62 senators voting to end debate on the bill, it is all but certain to have the simple majority needed for passage. That vote is scheduled to occur this week. The legislation ― S. 1619, the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act, introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (OH-D) ― would direct the Obama Administration to take action against China’s alleged manipulation of the value of its currency. The U.S….
Interest High as Supreme Court Opens New Term
The U.S. Supreme Court opened what is likely to be a closely watched and potentially explosive new term on Monday. The dominant theme of this, the sixth year of the Roberts Court, is the power of the Federal government and attempts to define its limits. Although there are some cases already on the docket that are sure to generate a great deal of interest, it’s the cases that the Court has yet to grant certiorari to, but may very well decide to consider, that are generating white-hot attention. Two cases that very likely will be taken up by the Court…