Shelby Goes It Alone

Shelby throws a sharp elbow in NASA fight, Orlando Sentinel
“If the debate over NASA’s future was a mob war, then U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby took the fight to the mattresses on Monday when the Alabama Republican called for an investigation into how federal lobbyists influenced a presidential space panel. In a letter dated Monday, Shelby contends that federal lobbyists “tainted” the findings of a presidential space panel that suggested scrapping NASA’s Constellation moon rocket program in favor of approach that favored commercial rockets and stronger international partnerships.”
Sen. Richard Shelby announces increased NASA money in government spending bill, Huntsville Times
“Shelby managed to restore over $600 million to the program that was cut in the House-passed FY 2010 CJS Appropriations bill, his office said in a prepared statement. Shelby included language that limits NASA’s ability to terminate or alter the current Constellation program. This will require the Obama aministration to work with Congress and wait for approval prior to changing any current human exploration plans, Shelby said.”
Spending bill causes Senate split, Huntsville
“A $1.1 trillion federal spending bill put Alabama’s Republican senators at odds this week, with U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby voting for the act in defense of NASA funding and U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions casting a nay vote because of bloated spending.”