House Committee on Science

Committee on Science
SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, CHAIRMAN
Bart Gordon, Tennessee, Ranking Democrat
Press Contacts:
Heidi Mohlman Tringe
Jeff Donald
(202) 225-4275

HOUSE PASSES ASTEROID LEGISLATION AND BILL TO HELP NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS


WASHINGTON, D.C., March 3, 2004 - The House of Representatives approved two Science Committee bills today. The House voted to reward amateur astronomers for discovering near-earth asteroids, and to help non-profits across the country by adding the category of "Non-Profit" to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The bills are described in more detail below.

H.R. 912, The Charles 'Pete' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act
H.R. 912, the Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Act, named for the third man to walk on the moon, establishes awards to encourage amateur astronomers to discover and track near-earth asteroids. The bill directs the NASA Administrator to make awards, of $3,000 each, based on the recommendations of the Smithsonian Minor Planet Center. Earth has experienced several near misses with asteroids that would have proven catastrophic, and the scientific community relies heavily on amateur astronomers to discover and track these objects.

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