I'd like to offer further comments regarding the current status and strategy of legislative efforts to secure relief for the sport rocket hobby.
- Even during this Congressional recess, John Kyte remains hard at work meeting with staffers in both houses. John has also provided assistance to NAR members who have met with their representatives locally as opportunities arose. Anyone who wants to take advantage of his considerable experience and expertise should contact me directly via email and we'll get you connected to John. At least one of these contacts has resulted in positive progress in the House.
Suggestions that John's assistance has harmed our effort simply aren't supported by facts. People need to be reminded that John's an HPR certified rocket guy, too, with a couple of young sons he'd like to leave fun hobby to. Keep that image in mind when you read something about how John's out there screwing things up for you. There's simply nothing behind any of the accusations made here and in other places about John's work other than petty rocketry power struggles.
- Within the couple of weeks, the NAR and TRA will release the results of a multi-week technical analysis of the DOJ views letter. House and Senate staff made it clear to us that the Views letter was received very seriously by Congress. They said only solid, third party research would work to counter the issues raised by that letter in the minds of staff and members. Our technical team, led by NAR Vice President Trip Barber, used the results of multiple professional, military and government studies, not hobby rocket work, to factually refute every point raised in the Views letter. Portions of the analysis have already been put to use in John Kyte's meetings on the Hill.
- The best chance of successfully passing legislation remains first to pass S724 out of the Senate. Failure to do so will be fatal to the effort. Suggestions that our efforts there are out of synch with the Senator's wishes and direction on this are completely off base. Suggestions that a new bill or further amended versions of S.724 might be coming are also unfounded. These suggestions lack any practical means to move such legislation through a very crowded fall agenda in the Senate.
- The House path remains to launch a companion bill which addresses the issues raised around the amended S.724. We continue work with multiple House members on preparing such a bill for introduction in the fall session. That work includes contacts with staff for sponsors, co-sponsors and key committees.
- For those readers interested in strictly rocketry related politics, these final points.
5b. Additionally, both the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and the National Space Society (NSS) have been fully supportive and cooperative, and continue to volunteer the resources of their organizations in our support.
5c. Suggesting that the NAR and TRA are outside the primary strategy loop, that there are other strategies being actively pursued by members of Congress, or some other legislative strategy afoot are all smoke and mirrors, folks.As always, NAR members are welcome to offer their comments, ideas, suggestions and questions directly via email at mbundick - at - earthlink - dot- net.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Mark B. Bundick mbundick - at - earthlink - dot - net NAR President www - dot - nar - dot - org