Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Approves $19.5 Billion for NASA

The Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee approved $19.5 billion for NASA in FY2018 according to a committee press release.  The figure was rounded, but the press release also said it is $437 million more than President Trump requested and $124 million less than FY2017.  That would make $19.529 billion a more precise figure.

The request was $19.092 billion. NASA’s FY2017 funding level is $19.653 billion.

The House Appropriations Committee was more generous, approving $19.872 billion. The bill has not gone to the House floor for debate yet.

Only a few details were released by the Senate committee following the markup today.  More information will be available after the full committee marks up the bill on Thursday.

The press release highlighted these programs:

• Space Launch System (SLS):  $2.15 billion, $212 million above the request.  Includes $300 million for the Exploration Upper Stage.  The House committee approved the same amounts.
• Orion:  $1.3 billion, $164 million above the request.  The House committee approved $1.35 billion.
• Science:  $5.6 billion, $140 million below the request.  The House committee approved $5.859 billion.
• Commercial crew:  $732 million, the same as the request.  The House committee did not specify funding for this program.
• Space Technology:  $700 million, $21 million above the request.  The House committee approved $686.5 million.
• Education:  $100 million, including $18 million for EPSCoR, $40 million for Space Grant, $32 million for MUREP, and $10 million for STEM Education and Accountability Project (SEAP).   The House committee approved $90 million for the first three programs, divided the same as the Senate, but none for SEAP.   The request was for $37 million to close out all these programs and eliminate the Office of Education.