Rep. Wolf "Taken Aback" by Security Challenges at NASA

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) says that he was “taken aback” at security challenges identified at NASA by an independent report commissioned by NASA at Wolf’s request.  The report was led by former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh under the auspices of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA).

Eleven months ago, Wolf blasted NASA for what he termed a “management culture that turns a blind eye, or in some cases may outright encourage, violations of security regulations.”   He laid out seven steps he wanted NASA to follow to rectify the situation and recommended that NASA ask an independent entity like NAPA to conduct a study chaired by someone like Thornburgh.   Wolf chairs the House appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA.    The agency followed that direction.

Wolf’s statement yesterday was in response to the resulting report, which has not been made public.  He said: “Frankly, I was taken aback at the breadth and depth of security challenges identified across NASA and I am deeply disappointed the agency has restricted access to the report.  The report should be made public as soon as possible, with any necessary redactions in the interest of national security, because it confirms not only the serious security challenges that need to be addressed, but a persistent organizational culture that fails to hold center leadership, employees and contractors accountable for security violations.  This must change.”

Wolf has expressed deep concern over the past several years about NASA’s Langley Research Center and Ames Research Center, in particular, with regard to allowing foreign nationals — especially Chinese — to have access to their facilities.