ISSUES ideas communicate vote act

Click here to download the full report on the hearing (PDF format).

Click here to view a short summary video of the hearing.

Media Advisory issued 9th September 2005

Programme for the Hearing on Space Security.
The following papers from the expert presenters are available for download in PDF format.

Conference paper from Ambassador Henry F. Cooper, Chairman, High Frontier.

Conference paper from Theresa Hitchens, Center for Defense Information.

Conference paper from Prof. Everett Dolman, US Air Force.

Conference paper from Dr Rebecca Johnson, Acronym Institute.

Conference paper from Faculty of Air and Space Law, McGill University.

The following additional background papers are available for download

Background paper "Strategies for Outer Space" - by Prof. Everett Dolman.

Background paper "Outer Space Uses" from McGill University.

Background paper "US Weapons in Space" by Prof. Everett Dolman.

Parliamentary Hearing on Space Security
Held on 14th Sep 2005

On September 14 the US Congress was the scene for a new departure in international politics.  A group of democratically elected legislators from ten countries held a joint parliamentary hearing and dialogue about the possible deployment of weapons in space. The meeting – which was co-sponsored by the Secure World Foundation – was webcast live to enable participation from journalists and citizens worldwide.

The possible deployment of weapons in space as part of missile defense is under consideration by the US Air Force and is becoming controversial. Proponents see such weapons as essential for the defence of satellites and other space assets. Critics argue that space-based weapons could also be used offensively, and therefore could trigger a new arms race in space.

This was the first of many international parliamentary hearings on different issues to be organised by the e-Parliament, a new global forum made up of democratic lawmakers.  The aim of the e-Parliament is to enable legislators to form international networks on issues of common interest, and to help spread and implement innovative policy ideas.

Participants in the Washington hearing on space weapons represented differing viewpoints, and included several members of the US House Armed Services Committee, as well as the Chairs of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees, or other leading legislators, from the parliaments of Australia, Brazil, Britain, Denmark, the European Parliament, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Norway.

Experts presenting to the legislators will included Ambassador Henry Cooper, former Director of the US Strategic Defense Initiative Organization; Prof. Everett Dolman of the US Air Force; Theresa Hitchens of the Center for Defense Information; and Rebecca Johnson of the Acronym Institute.

Brief information on each of the expert presenters and legislators panel is included below.

Expert presenters

Ambassador Henry Cooper

Henry F. Cooper is chairman of High Frontier. He was Director of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization 1990-1993, and before that Chief US Negotiator at the Defense and Space Talks with the Soviet Union.
Professor Everett Dolman

Dr. Dolman is Associate Professor of Comparative Military Studies at the US Air Force’s School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. His focus is on international relations and theory, and he has been identified as Air University’s first space theorist. Dr. Dolman received the Air Force’s Educator of the Year Award for 2003/04.

Theresa Hitchens

Director, Center for Defense Information, and leader of the Center’s Space Security project. Ms. Hitchens has had a long career in journalism, with a focus on military, defense industry and NATO affairs, and was Editor of Defense News from 1998 to 2000.
Dr. Rebecca Johnson

Executive Director and co-founder, Acronym Institute. Dr. Johnson is also Vice Chair of the Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and senior advisor to the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, chaired by Dr Hans Blix.
Panel of Legislators

Senator Lyn Allison

Member of the Australian Senate, representing the state of Victoria. Senator Allison is the leader of the Australian Democrats, and is a former member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
Dr. Kwame Ampofo, MP

Member of Parliament of Ghana, representing South Dayi in the Volta region.
Deputado Aroldo Cedraz

Member of the House of Representatives, Brazil. Deputado Cedraz is Chair of the External Relations and National Defence Committee.

Congressman Terry Everett

Member of the US congress, representing the second district of Alabama and is a member of the Republican Party. Congressman Everett is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

Air Marshal Lord Garden

Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom Parliament. Air Marshal Lord Garden is Defence Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat Party in the House of Lords. He was formally a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) for more than 30 years, and was RAF Assistant Chief of Defence Staff 1991-92.

Ana Maria Gomes, MEP

Member of the European Parliament for Portugal. Ms. Gomes is Vice-Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence in the European Parliament and is also a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Ms. Gomes is a member of the National Executive and Political Executive of the Partido Socialista.

Bjørn Hernæs, MP

Member of Parliament for Norway, representing Hedmark County. Mr. Hernæs is Vice-Chairman of the Defence Committee in the Norwegian Parliament. He is also a member of the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee.
Senadora Silvia Hernández

Member of the Senate of Mexico, representing the state of Querétaro. Senadora Hernández is Chairwoman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee for North America, and is also Vice-Chair of the e-Parliament Council.

Jim McDermott

Member of US Congress, representing the 7th district of Washington State, and a member of the e-Parliament Council. Congressman McDermott formally spent more than a decade working in the State Senate, and is now serving his 9th term in the US Congress. He is also a former Lieutenant Commander of the U.S. Navy Medical Corps.
Jakob Axel Nielsen

Member of the Danish Parliament. Jakob Axel Nielsen is a member of the Defence Committee and lawyer for SONOFON Holding.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

Member of the US Congress, representing the 47th district of California. Congresswoman Sanchez is the second-ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security and on the Armed Services Committee.
Congressman John Spratt

Member of the US Congress, representing the fifth district of South Carolina. Congressman Spratt is a ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. He is also Assistant to the Democratic Leader in the House, and a former Captain in the US Army.
Congressman Mac Thornberry

Member of the US Congress, representing the 13th district of Texas. Congressman Thornberry is a Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, and also of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he chairs the Oversight Subcommittee.
Congressman Curt Weldon

Republican member of the US Congress, representing the 7th district of Pennsylvania. Congressman Weldon is Vice-Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, as well as Chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. He also served six years as Chairman of the Military Research and Development Subcommittee.
Hayashi Yoshimasa

Member of the Japanese Parliament and Chair of the Security Committee. Member, House of Councillors, Tokyo; 1999-2000, State Secretary for Finance. Director, Standing Committee on Financial Affairs, Liberal Democratic Party. Deputy Chief Secretary-General, Administration Reform Headquarter
Hearing Facilitiators
Nicholas Dunlop

Nicholas Dunlop is co-founder and Secretary-General of the e-Parliament. He was previously Secretary-General of Parliamentarians for Global Action, and Executive Director of EarthAction. In 1987 he was a co-recipient of the first Indira Gandhi Peace Prize.

Jesper Grolin

Jesper Grolin is Executive Director of the e-Parliament. He has previously worked as a lecturer and researcher at Copenhagen Business School and before that as a Political Adviser on biodiversity to Greenpeace International.