The Science, Space and Technology Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives is holding a hearing on March 19 named "Threats from Space: A Review of U.S. Government Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors, Part 1" to discuss the kind of threat that space rocks pose and how to protect the Earth against this threat with the help of agencies like NASA and the Air Force. 
 

This is the first of a series of meetings called as a result of Earth’s most recent encounters with asteroids. An example of an occurrence was on Feb. 15 when a meteor exploded over Russia on the same day that a large asteroid flew close by Earth.
 

Today’s hearing will focus on the basics of tracking a meteor or asteroid, hoping to answer many questions in regards to the tools, technology, frequency and accuracy of detecting and tracking of near-Earth objects. Three experts will take questions during the hearing:  the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Director John Holdren, U.S. Air Force Space Command current commander Gen. William Shelton, and NASA administrator Charles Bolden.
 

A second congressional hearing is scheduled aiming to focus on international efforts to monitor the sky for asteroids and meteors, but issues in detecting near-Earth objects are being called to attention as well.