NASA "Misunderstood" Congressional Ban on Visiting Chinese Scientists

Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA)
(Image: radio.foxnews.com)

NASA recently found itself in the middle of a mindless congressional diktat involving Chinese scientists. According to a story in the BBC, the issue was not the scholars as much as a regulation initiated by a zealous, right-wing Virginia representative who controls NASA's budget. The GOP lawmaker, Frank Wolf, crafted legislation that forbids Chinese nationals from visiting any NASA facility. Supposedly, NASA "misunderstood" the intent of Rep. Wolf's directive; he asserted it did not include scientific gatherings, such as an upcoming conference on the Kepler Space Telescope at NASA's Ames Research Center.

Bullshit. Wolf provided his "interpretation" only after the Chinese raised official hell over the incident and prestigious American scientists prepared to boycott the high-profile event in protest over its evident discrimination. Meanwhile, Wolf still calls the People's Republic of China a communist country. He's not entirely wrong on that score, in fairness. However, there are other ways to maintain American security besides embarrassing political stunts that principally serve to diminish our legitimate national pride in our political values.