Space Vision Funding hits roadblock
21 July 2004: Bush’s NASA Plan Hits Speed Bump, Wired
“Despite these concessions, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) called the cuts “unacceptable” and suggested that he would stop the bill from being passed if it remains in its current state. “Yes, we are at war, just as we were when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. And yes, the budget is constricted,” said DeLay in a statement. “But for four decades, America’s mission in space has been one of the surest economic investments the federal government has made.”
21 July 2004: Congress cuts funds to Bush’s space plan, Houston Chronicle
“However, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, the Sugar Land Republican whose district includes NASA’s Johnson Space Center, called the cuts “unacceptable,” then warned: “It would be very hard to get this bill to the floor if it’s unacceptable to me.”
21 July 2004: Panel Cuts Bush’s Budget Request for NASA, Washington Post
“The committee made it clear in its as-yet-unpublished report on the proposed legislation that it did not fully agree with the president’s priorities: “While the committee is supportive of the exploration aspect of NASA’s vision, the committee does not believe it warrants top billing over science and aeronautics,” said the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post.”
20 July 2004: Highlights of the FY05 VA-HUD Appropriations Bill, House Appropriations Committee
“NASA is funded at $15.1 billion, $229 million below last year and $1.1 billion below the request. The bulk of these savings come from the elimination of funding for new initiatives. The reductions include $30 million for technology maturation efforts; $230 million from Project Prometheus related to Jupiter Icy Moon Orbital; $438 million resulting from delaying the Crew Exploration Vehicle; and $100 million from Space Launch Initiatives by accelerating the termination of activities. The bill fully funds shuttle operations at the requested level of $4.3 billion. The committee fully funds Mars programs at the requested level of $691 million.”
20 July 2004: Big Cuts to NASA’s Budget Ahead?
Editor’s note: According to CongressDaily AM “The House Appropriations Committee is planning to cut as much as $1 billion from President Bush’s budget request for NASA, as part of a $92.9 billion FY05 VA-HUD appropriations bill to be marked up today …. That total is $2.1 billion over last year’s enacted levels for the dozens of programs and agencies under the measure’s jurisdiction, and a $2.5 billion increase is pledged to veterans’ healthcare programs alone.”
