Collins votes for anti-science bigot to head NASA

Maine Beacon -Senator Susan Collins last week cast the deciding vote to confirm Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) for NASA administrator in what critics are calling a “rubberstamp GOP vote” to entrust the climate change-denying politician with leading the critical science and research agency.

Collins told The Hill that she met with Bridenstine and that she had been “lobbied both for and against him. People are raising some concerns that I’m looking further into,” she said before casting her vote in favor of his nomination.

Among those concerns are Bridenstein’s denial of the fact that humans are the main driver of climate change, as well as a record of being “an outspoken opponent to the rights of LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, and women,” as Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) warned in an October 2017 letter.

“Since its creation, NASA has played a singular role in American life,” Murray wrote to Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), chair and ranking member of the committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “The agency has inspired countless young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math and has stirred curiosity in billions of individuals across the world. Rep. Bridenstine’s denial of fundamental scientific facts and long record of bigoted and hateful statements run counter to this legacy.”