House Debates FY 2006 NASA Budget

House GOP Defends DeLay, Rejects NASA Cut, AP

“By a 230-196 vote, the House rejected an amendment by Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., to transfer $200 million from the space agency to two Clinton-era grant programs that President Bush wants to phase out.”

‘Space nut’ DeLay advises group how to lobby NASA< Houston Chronicle

“The space community still needs every bit and every dollar of help it can get,” said DeLay, long an ardent supporter of space exploration who now represents the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, thanks to the congressional redistricting effort of 2003.”

Editor’s note: H.R. 2862, “making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes” is being debated on the House floor.

Rep. Obey (D-WI) has introduced an amendment to cut $200 million from NASA’s exploration budget. Rep. Calvert (R-CA), Rep. Weldon (R-FL), Rep. Wolf (R-VA) and others are fighting this effort. As part of this cut, Obey wants to cut $160 million would come from Project Prometheus to restore funds cut from law enforcement. Rep. Wolf read a letter from Mike Griffin with regard to Obey’s amendment. In the letter, Griffin said that he “opposes” Obey’s amendment and reiterated his support for fully funding the VSE.

Obey’s Amendment failed by voice vote but a final, formal vote has been postponed.

So much for everyone’s hopes that moving NASA from VA HUD to a new Subcommittee would stop the NASA Vs Veterans arguments. Now its NASA Vs. Police.