Supporting Funding For The Constellation Program

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, since the President announced his budget on February 1, disapproval of a plan to drastically change the current NASA human space exploration mission has been almost unanimous on both sides of the aisle. The President proposes to add $6 billion to NASA's budget for the next 5 years, but over those first 4 years the exploration account decreases by $5.7 billion.

Human space flight and exploration beyond Earth is the very reason that NASA was put into existence. The President's plan moves funds to unproven proposals and costs the government $2.5 billion to shut down the Constellation Program. Ares I and Ares V overlap technologies, and there is zero budget proof that the administration's new plan will give us those capabilities with less money.

The innovative scientists and employees at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, have done a great job in leading space technology in the world.

Mr. Speaker, when the President speaks tomorrow at the Kennedy Space Center, both Democrat and Republican Members hope that he will make a commitment to properly fund the Constellation Program.

Source