U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing focused on the nominations of Jared Isaacman for NASA Administrator and Steven Haines for Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis.
Cantwell congratulated both nominees and acknowledged colleagues present at the hearing. She welcomed Senator Britt, noting her state's significant aerospace sector, as well as Washington state residents Bill Nye and Mr. Detrick.
Addressing Isaacman, Cantwell stated: "Mr. Isaacman, I supported your nomination the first time you came before the Committee, and I hope to do so again. I -- as the Chairman mentioned -- hope to get you in this position before the end of the year. But there is no secret that a lot of NASA changes have been made since the last time you were before this Committee, including the NASA decision to re-compete for the Lunar Lander, the release of the President's proposed NASA budget, which calls for cutting the agency's budget by nearly a quarter, its workforce, [by] nearly a third [and] the science funding cut in half."
She expressed concern about recent developments affecting NASA’s programs and budget: "So given all that, I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're here to answer questions about NASA's future, and I hope that today's hearing will show that there is bipartisan agreement, strong bipartisan agreement, that we must redouble our efforts to get American astronauts back to the surface of the moon as soon as possible."
Cantwell referenced previous committee testimony regarding delays with SpaceX’s lunar lander readiness: "At our Committee hearing in [September], we heard concerning testimony from several expert witnesses who left little room for doubt that the current SpaceX lunar lander would not be ready to put Americans back on the moon either in 2027 or 2028. And…[we] almost certainly would lose the race to China..." She noted Acting Administrator Duffy’s decision to reopen competition for a lunar lander capable of meeting earlier deadlines.
She emphasized long-term strategic goals: "To be clear, winning the race to the moon is not just about short-term token victories. It is the first step in accomplishing a very long term presence on the lunar surface... Mr. Isaacsman, I expect to hear from you today about how you will ensure we achieve these goals." Cantwell also highlighted NASA’s broader roles beyond lunar exploration.
Cantwell pointed out Washington State’s involvement in aerospace innovation: "You and I have had a chance to talk about this issue as it relates to my home state... over 1,500 companies form a robust aerospace supply chain..."
Regarding federal budget decisions impacting NASA funding, she said: "Nevertheless... OMB Director Vought has been working to gut NASA's budget... Earlier this year, multiple NASA whistleblowers provided evidence showing that OMB was pushing NASA to implement dangerous cuts requested in President's budget for fiscal year 2026..." She called on Isaacman if confirmed to advocate against such reductions.
Turning attention to Haines’ nomination at Commerce Department, Cantwell outlined expectations related to U.S. industrial competitiveness and trade analysis responsibilities: "Turning to you, Mr. Haines... you will be responsible for strengthening globe's competitiveness in U.S. industry and overseeing key trade analyses..."
She discussed ongoing work on fusion technology supply chains with Senator Risch and raised concerns about tariffs affecting affordability: "In my mind tariffs are causing Americans to be challenged on affordability issues..."
The hearing marks an important stage in reviewing leadership nominations critical for space policy direction and industrial strategy within federal agencies.
