Augustine Verrengia

Austin, Texas 🤘
Civil Engineer @stantec 🏗
Govt Affairs Committee Chair @texascetweets⚖️
*All tweets are my own & not the views of any organization*

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with the @TexasStandard radio program on @NPR for a quick dive into the #infrastructure issues facing Texas.

More info here: https://t.co/weM1RfWLSk

#IRC2021 #InfrastructureReportCard
@TEXASCEtweets @ASCETweets

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

FUND @NASA

[Senator Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly]

Investing in space exploration isn’t just about space. I've made this argument a lot—as an astronaut and as a senator. The pushback is always the same: why spend money up there when we have problems down here? Here's the thing: we're solving problems down here by exploring what’s up there.

In 2001, I flew on Space Shuttle Endeavour to the Space Station. We carried out studies on bone density loss in microgravity. That research contributed to the development of Prolia and Xgeva, drugs now used to treat bone loss in cancer patients. People are alive today in part because we went to space.

Two NASA engineers at Glenn Research Center developed a tiny implantable transmitter to monitor astronaut vital signs when they exercised in space. A company licensed and used it to build a monitor that warns heart failure patients of a potential crisis.

NASA needs medical diagnostics for astronauts millions of miles from a hospital. That challenge produced a portable device that tests a single drop of blood for diabetes, kidney function, and cardiovascular disease in minutes. It's now being used by Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. It exists because we‘re working to put humans on Mars.

NASA helped build the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking system. Satellites carrying this technology link emergency beacons to rescue teams worldwide. It has helped more than 63,000 search and rescue operations.

World Central Kitchen uses data from NASA's Earth Observing System satellites to build maps guiding staff distributing food and water in disaster areas. The satellites were built for science. Now, they're saving lives on the ground.

I flew four shuttle missions. I know what it costs to get humans into space.

The innovation that comes from pushing humans to the edge of what's possible finds its way back down here. Into hospitals, kitchens, and the hands of first responders. And also into yours.

That's why I'll keep fighting for NASA's budget. Not just because I believe in science and exploration. Because I know what science and exploration makes possible here on Earth.

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

Whoa.

#EverythingIsBiggerinTexas

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Terafab Texas will be the largest and most valuable building on Earth by far.

And it will be stunningly beautiful.

[Seth Moulton @sethmoulton]

I will be voting NO on tomorrow's NDAA.

I will not vote for a bloated defense bill with harmful provisions that further empowers Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth.

We must oppose Trump’s agenda and his war with Iran by all means possible. I urge all my colleagues to join me and vote NO.

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

@bilawalsidhu Amazing!

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

@TrumpDailyPosts Citizens United

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

@AlexMasonCrypto Isn’t that what the entire economy is though? I mean think about it… they’re exchanging money for goods and services..

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

The oligarchs are nervous.

In our corrupt campaign finance system, billionaire-funded super PACs are paying huge amounts to beat progressives and elect establishment candidates.

The number one political issue is ending Citizens United and moving to public funding of elections.

[Texas Policy Research @TXPolResearch]

(🧵1/9) Gov. @GregAbbott_TX has officially released his directive to the PUC and ERCOT on data centers.

The proposal would require data centers to pay infrastructure costs, add electric capacity, report water and electricity usage, repeal certain tax incentives, and address local impacts.

Let's break it down.
https://t.co/55OCKQDAnZ

[Traces of Texas @TracesofTexas]

Happy birthday to Willie Nelson, who turned 93 today and is still out on the road, performing two nights ago at the Koka Booth Amphitheater in North Carolina. He is amazing. Here's a circa 1950 photo of Willie with his grandmother, Nancy Nelson, who raised him. Willie's mom left soon after he was born and his father remarried and also moved away, leaving Willie and sister Bobbie to be raised by their grandparents, who had taught singing back in Arkansas and who started their grandchildren in music. Nelson's grandfather, Alfred, bought him a guitar when Willie was six and taught him a few chords before Alfred died in 1940. If only Alfred could have lived long enough to see what those few chords would grow into! Nancy died in 1979 at the age of 96, so she lived long enough to see Willie become a success. Maybe it's just me seeing what I want to see in this photo, but it's pretty clear that Willie and Nancy loved one another dearly.

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

Congrats to all the new @leadershipatx Essential 42 Grads! Welcome to the family <3

https://t.co/pNLOWfVKBQ

[ASCE Gov't Relations @ASCEGovRel]

There's a lot of chatter about what all to include in a comprehensive infrastructure bill. But one category is often left out of the conversation.

@ASCETweets Executive Director Tom Smith spoke with @NBCNews on the issue.
https://t.co/hML1A5bPNt

[ASCE Gov't Relations @ASCEGovRel]

Repairing the nation’s crumbling infrastructure carries a hefty price tag. But the cost of not repairing it is far greater - ⁦@CNN⁩ https://t.co/aip29aHGd1

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

Yawwwlll... Biden is supposed to release his infrastructure bill tomorrow. I'm literally salivating over here. 🤤

[ASCE Gov't Relations @ASCEGovRel]

Infrastructure is the backbone of the US economy. We must prioritize the systems that keep us running, via @washingtonpost
https://t.co/ByxePQ8p96

[ASCE Headquarters @ASCETweets]

The grades are in: America’s infrastructure earned an overall grade of C-.

Learn more about the ASCE 2021 #InfrastructureReportCard: https://t.co/8u9NAgsfBH.

[ASCE Gov't Relations @ASCEGovRel]

On our energy panel with Tom Smith @ASCETweets, Ruth Gratzke @SiemensUSA, Swati Daji @DukeEnergy, @RobGramlichDC @CleanEnergyGrid, Otto Lynch of Power Line Systems emphasized building the electrical grid for resiliency. #InfrastructureReportCard

[ASCE Gov't Relations @ASCEGovRel]

Next week we'll be unveiling our 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. How will #roads fare? #InfrastructureReportCard https://t.co/J45yQV9Tg1

[Augustine Verrengia @AAVthePE]

This is what leadership looks like. Let's get it done!

#InfrastructureNOW #BuildBackBetter

@ASCETweets @TEXASCEtweets @ASCEGovRel @GOP @TheDemocrats @PeteButtigieg

[Forbes @Forbes]

INFRASTRUCTURE: Earlier today, President Biden met with a bipartisan group of senators in Oval Office: “There are not many Democratic or Republican roads or bridges.”

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

President Biden warned that China's advancements in transportation give it an advantage, as he pitched Congress to pass an economic recovery package including infrastructure improvements. "If we don’t get moving, they’re going to eat our lunch," he said. https://t.co/3rmi31blqF