U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Wednesday plans to visit Kennedy Space Center to talk to displaced workers and tour a science lab facility. The visit comes less than two weeks before a task force Locke co-chairs with NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden is due to provide recommendations on how to help diversify the Space Coast's economy as the shuttle program nears retirement next year.
The multi-agency federal task force, funded with $40 million, has held at least two meetings in Orlando this summer and accepted public input through July 31. Recommendations are due Aug. 15.
According to a Department of Commerce press release, Locke will meet with displaced workers to discuss administration efforts to support the area and to "listen to them about challenges they are facing -– what's working in the transition efforts and what can be improved. "
At 1 p.m. Locke will tour the Space Life Sciences Lab, a 100,000-square foot facility built with state support in 2003 that KSC hopes will serve as the cornerstone of a larger research and development complex called Exploration Park. Locke will take questions from reporters after the tour.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Charles Scales and KSC Director Bob Cabana were also listed as participants Wednesday.
IMAGE: On June 4, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, left, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden spoke to reporters during a town hall meeting at the Orlando Airport Hyatt Hotel as part of the Presidential Task Force on Space Industry Work Force and Economic Development. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller.
7 comments:
Displaced shuttle workers? What can they do outside the gates of KSC? There's many of them who have been spending 40 hours a week doing NOTHING and charging the government. They've been doing this for many months now. And I mean United Space Alliance workers!
I find it interesting that the Secretary is meeting with "displaced" workers on-site at KSC. I thought that "displaced" meant that you had already lost your job. Guess that "displaced" does not include those employees from ASRC, ATK, USA and other KSC contractors that have already been "displaced" and have no accecss to KSC in order to meet with the Secretary. Guess this is just another photo op for the Secretary.
does o bama know?
"There's many of them who have been spending 40 hours a week doing NOTHING and charging the government."
FOR MANY YEARS
He better not get too close. Some of those displayed workers might want to talk to him....the hard way!
Poor babies need to be coddled & breast-fed when they whine like spoiled children. Grow up & face reality that the many years of getting paid $$$$$$ for chair warmers has finally come to an end. Get a real job to know what it means to work an honest 40+ hrs a week.
There are many hard working people too at United Space Alliance & other areas of KSC. Sad that some probably take advantage of their job positions but that happens in most jobs not just KSC.
At least they have support from their employer after the transition unlike many displaced & unemployed workers.
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