Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine is about to get the job he has dreamed of getting….Administrator of NASA. He openly campaigned for the job since President Trump took office in January and on Friday night, the White House nominated the Republican congressman. All he needs now is approval of the U.S. Senate. But that could be a problem.
The former Navy pilot and director of Tulsa’s Air and Space Museum might encounter some opposition in the Senate where Florida Sen. Marco Rubio thinks it’s more of a political nomination of someone who doesn’t have the experience to become the 13th administrator of the national space agency.
As Newsweek reported, Rubio and Democrat Bill Nelson, also of Florida are critical of the appointment, noting that Rep. Bridenstine does not have formal qualifications in science or engineering. However, Bridenstine sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. He also introduced the American Space Renaissance Act last year but it did not pass in congress.
“I just think it could be devastating for the space program,” said Rubio. “Obviously being from Florida, I’m very sensitive to anything that slows up NASA and its mission.”
Sen. Nelson said much the same.
“The head of NASA ought to be a space professional, not a politician,” he said in a written statement.
Bridenstine openly campaigned for Trump’s presidency and ended up being interviewed twice for the job. And that’s what worries Rubio.
“It’s the one federal mission which has largely been free of politics and it’s at a critical juncture in its history,” he said. “I would hate to see an administrator held up, on partisanship, political arguments, past votes or statements made in the past—because the agency can’t afford it and it can’t afford the controversy.”