There are several reasons why this Committee of high standing Norwegian politicians visited Texas. Houston is currently the fourth largest city in the US and is soon expected to surpass Chicago to become the third largest. Houston is both the energy and the space capital of the world, and the Texas medical center located in Houston is the largest of its kind, with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities worldwide. Texas has a vibrant business environment and several top-ranked educational and research institutions. These are all together reasons why the City of Houston is of particular interest to decision-makers of Norwegian foreign and defence policy.
During the visit the Committee discussed the dynamic business environment in Houston with representatives from Norwegian companies, and companies with strong ties to Norway, located in Houston. The topic of visa difficulties for Norwegians working in the US was raised along with the important job the Consulate General does for these companies. At the Greater Houston Partnership, the Committee met with the founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, John Hoffmeister, who gave a presentation on energy security and supply. Craig Richards, Chief Economic Development Officer, spoke of NASA’s importance to Houston’s economy, and by doing so prepared the committee for their visit to the NASA Johnson Space Center the next day.
Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis briefed the Norwegian Parliamentarians on Texas politics and current developments, raising the topic of the upcoming presidential election, where two Texan republicans are currently in the raise. This discussion was continued at the Baker Institute, where the Committee also received information about homeland security and terrorism, the importance of energy security to a nation’s foreign policy and the US policy in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
Immigration and Nationality Law Specialist Charles C. Foster Co-Chairman of FosterQuan, LLP, illustrated how the immigration issue influences US politics on a daily basis and how the issue is often misunderstood in the political debate. The Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence also visited Houston Mayor, Annise Parker, who shared some of her visions for the City with the Norwegian delegation.
The Committee at the NASA Johnson Space Center, here in the control room from the moon landing in 1969Before they left Houston the Committee members had almost a whole day visiting the
NASA Johnson Space Center and the Texas Air Force Joint Reserve Base. At NASA the Committee was briefed about the future of the US space program by the Associate Director, who highlighted the fact that the NASA Johnson Space Center is still highly operative despite the shutdown of the shuttle program. The US space program will be more internationally oriented in the future and the Committee met with one of the future US astronauts who currently is training with astronauts from European and Asian counterparts.
Air force innovation was the last topic of the Parliament Committee’s program. The visit to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base gave the opportunity to see the US Air Force’s Predator and to experience how the aircraft is operated at long distance.