Judy Chu was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2009. She represents the 27th Congressional District, which includes Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley of southern California.
Rep. Chu currently serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation pertaining to taxes, revenues, Social Security, and Medicare. In that Committee, Rep. Chu is a member of the Subcommittees on Health, giving her oversight over healthcare reform and crucial safety net programs, Worker and Family Support, and Oversight.
Space exploration is critical to our understanding of the universe around us, and investment in NASA has spurred innovation and cutting-edge new technologies that create whole industries here on Earth. I believe we must continue to support space exploration because it is crucial for advancing science, which means economic growth and skilled job creation at home.
Space exploration is not just far-off science fiction for my constituents and me. It is a major economic driver here in the San Gabriel Valley, thanks to the work of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Caltech is an unparalleled center of education and innovation. It attracts the best talent and produces the brightest minds in the world. It is also a major generator of spin-off technologies that not only boost our economy, but also help solve some of our most pressing questions and needs. JPL, which is run by Caltech for NASA, is one of the bedrocks of our community, and a global leader in space exploration. JPL’s 5,000 employees help propel our national economy through scientific, technological and engineering inventions. That is why I am committed to supporting the vital, cutting-edge work that JPL conducts for NASA, like its missions to Mars.