First Look at NASA Issues in the New Senate

Florida’s Capitol Hill Democrats ready to wield clout in committees, Palm Beach Post

“Nelson, who flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia when he chaired the House subcommittee on space in the mid-1980s, is in line to chair the Senate’s subcommittee on science and space. He said he’ll push for more money for NASA so it can complete work on the next generation of manned space vehicles to replace the aging shuttle fleet by 2012, rather than the anticipated deadline of 2014. He said he also wants to see the National Aeronautics and Space Administration pursue repairs to the Hubble space telescope.”

Switch leaves Texans in minority in Senate, AP

“Hutchison also is chairwoman of the science and space subcommittee of the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., will chair that panel. “Dianne Feinstein and I have taken care of each others priorities well on military construction … Bill Nelson and I have the same objectives in NASA, so I feel we’re going to be in good shape in Texas,” Hutchison said.”