Bob Jacobs

Headquarters, Washington May 10, 2002

(Phone: 202/358-1600)

RELEASE: 02-88

NASA ADMINISTRATOR TAPS NEW LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS CHIEF

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today appointed Charles T. Horner III

as Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs, effective
immediately.

Horner, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Army for
Financial Management and Comptroller, joined NASA in January as Deputy
Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs (Resources). He
replaces Jeff M. Bingham, who will become the Senior Advisor to the
Administrator for Policy and History.

"Charlie has vast experience in the legislative relations arena. As we

near the end of the traditional hearing season on Capitol Hill, and
transition to authorization and appropriations bills deliberation, this
is an important time to move the NASA agenda -- and Charlie knows how to
get it done," said Administrator O'Keefe. "Jeff has done an effective
job leading Legislative Affairs since April 2001, and he will have an
active role in helping shape the development and implementation of
future policy here at NASA."

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 1999 by the
Secretary of the Navy to serve as his Special Assistant for Financial
management.

"On top of his legislative experience, Charlie has an extensive

background in resource and appropriations management," added
Administrator O'Keefe. "Through Charlie's leadership, I am confident
NASA will continue to have strong, bipartisan support and that he will
successfully advance this agency's rapport with Congress."

In his new position, Bingham will be a senior advisor to the

Administrator on development, adoption, dissemination and
implementation of a broad range of policies and initiatives. He will
also work closely with the NASA History Office, proposing activities
and ensuring the application of historical perspective to contemporary
policy development.

Bingham has been working on a book for the NASA History Series, which
outlines the political history of the International Space Station. In
this new position, he will be able to complete that important project
and be in position to focus special attention on the evolution of the
agency's space station policies.
"We have to apply the lessons of history when charting a future course
for the agency. This new position allows us to take full advantage of
Jeff's wide-ranging experience," concluded Administrator O'Keefe. "He
will serve as a policy trouble-shooter for me, and will focus on a wide
array of policy issues across the agency and help ensure those policies
are clearly understood and consistently implemented."

Bingham first joined the Office of Legislative Affairs in 1994, where

he served as coordinator in NASA's Space Station Program Office. Before
joining NASA, he spent 17 years as Chief of Staff to former U.S.
Senator Jake Garn of Utah. In 2001, Bingham provided support to the
Bush-Cheney Transition Team and was appointed Special Assistant to NASA
Chief of Staff and White House Liaison Courtney Stadd.

Additional information is available on the Internet at:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/legaff/

http://history.nasa.gov/

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