Senate Commerce Committee schedules Nov. 18 vote on two NASA nominees

The Senate Commerce Committee announced Nov. 11 that it will hold a Nov. 18 vote on naming Joshua Shoemaker NASA’s chief financial officer and Robert Steinau inspector general, with approved nominees advancing to the full Senate. SpaceNews reported the announcement after the panel held a confirmation hearing on Nov. 10.

Shoemaker and Steinau represent two of the four NASA jobs requiring Senate confirmation; administrator and deputy administrator are the others. The committee weighed posts at the Nov. 10 hearing, but this pair handles the agency’s finances and watchdog duties. Approval would send the nominations to a full Senate confirmation vote.

NASA has gone without a Senate-confirmed chief financial officer since January 2025, when the Trump administration began, dating the vacancy to the start of that administration. The White House put forward Greg Autry for the post in spring 2025, yet the Senate sent the nomination back without action at the end of 2025.

Since Paul Martin left in late 2023, NASA has been without a Senate-confirmed inspector general. Steinau has served as the office’s senior official since December 2024 while awaiting confirmation, with no Senate-confirmed inspector general in place.

Shoemaker works as an accountant and brings more than 20 years from the private sector and Mississippi state government. He joined NASA’s Mission Support Directorate in August after leading finances for the Republican National Committee, where he served as controller.

Steinau joined NASA’s Office of Inspector General in 2009 and has spent his NASA career at the watchdog office. Earlier, he worked at the Energy Department’s inspector general’s office and the U.S. Secret Service.

Shoemaker said his priorities would cover financial accountability, clearer insight into NASA program finances, transparency with Congress on performance, and updates to NASA financial systems. He also said the chief financial officer ought to give agency leaders and Congress a clear and timely view of NASA’s financial condition.

Steinau said his oversight priorities would include lunar return, the move from the space station to commercial outposts, and cybersecurity. He said at the hearing that the agency is moving with urgency and accountability must keep pace with ambition. “NASA is moving with urgency, and it is imperative that accountability keep pace with ambition,” he said.

Shoemaker deferred questions on specific programs and on the proposed U.S. Space Academy, saying a presidential commission led by NASA is studying it and that the president will pick its location. He made the remarks at the Nov. 10 hearing.

During the Nov. 10 hearing, neither Shoemaker nor Steinau faced many questions because senators concentrated on Danielle Thumann’s nomination to the Federal Communications Commission. The panel heard from the nominees for just over an hour, with most of the time devoted to Thumann’s nomination.