



Following is the text of NASA Administrator Bolden’s reply to Rep. Frank Wolf’s October 8 letter to Bolden regarding Chinese participation in NASA scientific conferences, as circulated today by Rep. Wolf’s office.

From: Bolden, Charles (HQ-AA000)

Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 12:20 PM Central Standard Time

To:

Cc:

Subject: Response to Chairman Wolf



It is unfortunate that potential Chinese participants were refused attendance at the upcoming Kepler Conference at the Ames Research Park. Mid-level managers at Ames, in performing the due diligence they believed appropriate following a period of significant concern and scrutiny from Congress about our foreign access to NASA facilities, meetings and websites, acted without consulting NASA HQ. Upon learning of this exclusion, I directed that we review the requests for attendance from scientists of Chinese origin and determine if we can recontact them immediately upon the reopening of the government to allow them to reapply. Any of them applying and meeting the clearance requirements in place for foreign citizens will be accepted for participation in the Conference.

A formal, more detailed response to the Chairman’s 6-page letter will not be available until after the government is reopened. You may share this message verbatim with Diana and others on Chairman Wolf’s staffs.

Charlie B.