NASA names assistant administrator for legislative affairs

Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs

Headquarters, Washington Jan. 05, 2004

(Phone: 202/358-1898/1600)



RELEASE: 04-006



NASA NAMES ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS



NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today named D. Lee

Forsgren as the agency's new Assistant Administrator for

Legislative Affairs, effective immediately. Forsgren succeeds

Charles T. Horner III, who will continue to serve the agency as

a special assistant to the Office of NASA Administrator.



Before joining NASA, Forsgren was a partner and Special Counsel

with the Government Relations Team in the Washington office of

Adams and Reese LLP, a Gulf Coast-based law firm of more than

260 attorneys. Forsgren also served the Bush-Cheney transition

team on the new administration's Transportation Advisory

Committee.



"We are fortunate to have someone with Lee's impressive

credentials join the NASA family during this important time for

the agency," said Administrator O'Keefe. "His working

relationship extends across both parties in a bipartisan manner

that will make him an effective liaison between NASA and

Congress."



Forsgren has been with Adams and Reese since 1999. He provided

legal and policy guidance to an array of clients related to

maritime policy, transportation policy, logistics, toxic

cleanup, contaminated sediments management, natural resource

management, and federal appropriations. He has represented

clients before both Houses of Congress, numerous federal

agencies, and the White House.



Before that, he served five years as Majority Counsel on the

Water Resources Subcommittee of the House Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure, and was Assistant Majority

Counsel for the House on the Coast Guard Maritime

Transportation Subcommittee. Forsgren also served as the

Maritime Legislative Assistant in the office of Congressman Don

Young of Alaska.



orsgren earned his bachelor's degree from the U.S. Merchant

Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., in 1983 and a law degree

from George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Va., in

1990.



Horner joined NASA in January 2002 as Deputy Assistant

Administrator for Legislative Affairs and was named Assistant

Administrator in May 2002.



"Charlie has been a tireless advocate for NASA since he first

joined the agency," added Administrator O'Keefe. "He has an

extensive background in resource and appropriations management

and his counsel to my office will be vital in the time ahead."



Horner is a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, having served

as a forward observer with an infantry company in Vietnam. In

1984, he served as an Army Inspector General, and in 1986

Horner was the principal liaison for the Army with the

Congressional Appropriation Committees for all procurement

accounts.



During his career, Horner also has served as special assistant

to various comptrollers for the Department of Defense for all

matters involving the budget and Congress. He was selected in

1992 by the Secretary of the Navy to serve as Special

Assistant. Before joining NASA, Horner was the Principal Deputy

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management.



The Office of Legislative Affairs has responsibility for

devising and implementing the legislative strategy to carry out

NASA initiatives requiring congressional action. Similarly, the

Office of Legislative Affairs articulates the views of the

agency, including its components, on congressional legislative

initiatives. The office responds to requests and inquiries from

congressional committees, individual members of Congress, and

their staffs.



For more information about NASA on the Internet, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov




Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info