IFPTE Welcomes Nomination of Former Astronaut and Senator Bill Nelson for NASA Administrator
IFPTE “looks forward to a productive working relationship” with Administrator-designate Nelson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 19, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) president, Paul Shearon, issued the following statement in response to today’s nomination by President Biden of former Senator Bill Nelson to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
“IFPTE thanks President Biden for turning his attention to NASA so quickly. By selecting a close former Senate colleague with considerable experience and congressional savvy, the President has indicated his strong support for the needed stability and continuity that Senator Nelson will provide in these turbulent times. We urge a bipartisan consensus in Congress to quickly confirm him and provide an increased investment in NASA to support the long-term health and capabilities of America’s aerospace agency.”
“Moving forward with Senator Nelson at the helm of NASA, it is absolutely critical for the Administration and Congress to recognize that NASA is technically stressed to the absolute maximum and urgently needs the funding to revitalize its physical and intellectual infrastructure to meet the many challenges ahead. Someday, NASA may be called upon to save the world. If we want NASA to be there for us in that moment of national and global need in response to climate change and other existential threats, we cannot afford to allow America’s young and diverse talent to be siphoned away from STEM careers in the public interest towards for-profit corporate interests. As a matter of national security, America needs to recruit and retain its fair share of talent into federal service as NASA moves into what should be a very exciting future.”
“Lastly, IFPTE has little doubt that Senator Nelson will follow President Biden’s lead in respecting NASA’s federal civilian workforce and their unions. Over the last four years, federal agencies were given the green light to ignore their legal obligations to bargain and consult with labor, and some in NASA are sadly continuing this in the absence of confirmed Administrator. We are hopeful that, once confirmed, Senator Nelson will ensure for a cohesive partnership with NASA’s unions.”
IFPTE is NASA’s largest federal union, representing upwards of 8,000 NASA civil servants.
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