UPDATE: Subcommittee staff explained after the markup that funding for the various mission directorates was not cut, but that funds for labor costs were shifted into the Cross-Agency Support line. Also, the restrictions on spending for exploration do not apply to the COTS commercial cargo activity since that it already authorized.

UPDATED STORY: The House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee marked up the FY2011 CJS bill today. It includes funding for NASA and NOAA. The subcommittee recommended $19 billion for NASA, the same as the request, but there were changes in allocations within that top level number including a cut to the request for the exploration program. Most importantly, none of the funding for exploration (other than for COTS) could be spent until Congress passes and the President signs into law an authorization bill detailing what that program should be.

Subcommittee chairman Alan Mollohan (D-WV) made it clear that he considers the Constellation “program of record” unexecutable from a fiscal standpoint, but said that the subcommittee takes no position on the President’s proposal. Instead, he feels that this should be determined through the authorization process and therefore no funds could be spent until Congress deliberates on an authorization bill, passes it, and the President signs it into law.

This is just the first step in the appropriations process. The subcommittee recommendations go to the full appropriations committee and then, technically, to the floor of the House for debate. A Senate bill would go through the same process and the two chambers would then reach a compromise under normal procedures. However, little about the congressional appropriations process follows the typical steps these days.

The explanatory language was not available at the markup, but the dollar numbers are as follows:

• Science, cut $301.1 million
• Aeronautics and Space Research and Technology. Split into its two components, with $375 million for aeronautics and $512.1 million for space technology. That’s a total of $887 million, compared to the $1.152 billion requested
• Exploration, cut $699.9 million
• Space Operations, cut $427.2 million
• Education, increased $59.4 million
• Cross-agency support, increased $1.522 billion
• Construction and Environmental Compliance and Remediation, increased $111.4 million
• Inspector General, no change

Subcommittee staff explained after the markup that funds were not cut from the various mission directorates, but money in those accounts for labor costs were transferred into Cross-Agency Support.

The top level number for NOAA, $5.54 billion, was cut $29 million, but it is not clear whether the cut is related to NOAA’s satellite programs.

The White House released a new national space policy today. Its tone is markedly different from that of the 2006 policy released by President George W. Bush, reaching out to industry and international partners. In a written press statement, the President said that “above all, this policy is about the boundless possibilities of the future…We do not fear the future; we embrace the future. Even in times of trial, we do not turn inward; we harness the ingenuity and talents of our people, we set bold goals for our nation, and we lead the world in new frontiers….”

The following events may be of interest in the coming week. For more information, see our calendar on the right menu or click the links below. Times, dates, and witnesses for congressional hearings and other activities are subject to change. Check the relevant committee’s website for up to date information. All times are EDT.

During the Week

Rumors are rampant that the White House will release a new national space policy this week, perhaps on Monday, perhaps later in the week. Check back with SpacePolicyOnline.com for updates.

Tuesday, June 29

• House Science and Technology subcommittee hearing on polar weather satellites, 10:00 am, 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
• House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the Commerce-Justice-Science FY2011 appropriations bill (includes NASA and NOAA), 3:30 pm, H140 Capitol

Wednesday-Thursday, June 30-July 1

• NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Heliophysics Subcommittee meeting, NASA Headquarters
  • June 30, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
  • July 1, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Andy Pasztor at the Wall Street Journal has a story about what he’s heard about the new national space policy.

The Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to markup the CJS bill on Tuesday, June 29, at 3:30 pm in Room H140 Capitol. That bill includes FY2011 funding for NASA and NOAA.

Whenever it is formally released, President Obama’s new national space policy will have a very different tone than his predecessor’s.

Rumors remain rampant that the new policy will be released on Monday, but some of those in the know say that it more likely will be later in the week. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley intimated on Wednesday that it might even be longer than that.

Nevertheless, a one page summary of the policy’s “Top Level Messages,” dated June 25, is making the rounds. It says that the two major principles of the policy are “responsible use of space” and “nurturing the U.S. space industry.”

“Responsible use of space. The United States considers the sustainability, stability, and free access to, and use of, space vital to its national interests. It is the shared interest of all nations to act responsibly in ways that emphasize openness and transparency, and help prevent mishaps, misperceptions, and mistrust.

“Nurturing the U.S. space industry. A robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovative entrepreneurship.”

Among U.S. space goals will be expanding international cooperation and strengthening stability in space. The tone is more conciliatory towards international partnerships than the 2006 Bush Administration’s national space policy. That policy was widely criticized for what many viewed as its confrontational attitude, even though many of the specifics were very similar to prior presidential space policies.

The House Science and Technology Committee’s Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee has scheduled a hearing on “Setting New Courses for Polar Weather Satellites and Earth Observations” for next Tuesday, June 29, at 10:00 am in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building. Witnesses are: Shere Abbot, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Mary Glackin, NOAA; Christopher Scolese, NASA; Gil Klinger, DOD; and David Powner, GAO.

The House is expected to approve a budget enforcement resolution today to set limits for FY2011 discretionary spending in lieu of the 5-year budget resolution that is normally passed.

The budget enforcement resolution will cut $7 billion from the President’s request of $1.121 trillion for discretionary spending according to Congress Daily (subscription required). No word yet on where the $7 billion in reductions will be taken. About 63 percent of discretionary spending is for security (Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security). DOD’s request for unclassified space programs is $9.9 billion. NASA’s FY2011 budget request is $19 billion, and NOAA’s request for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, & Information Service (NESDIS) is $2.2 billion.

UPDATE: A typed list of the signatories has been added to this article since some of the signatures are a bit hard to decipher.

ORIGINAL STORY: Sixty-two Members of Congress sent a letter to President Obama today expressing concern that the decision to cancel the Constellation program could mean that the United States would cede its leadership in human spaceflight to other countries.

The letter calls for a human mission beyond low Earth orbit in the coming 10 years and immediate development of a heavy lift launch vehicle, saying “we see no need to prolong a decision that will result in the loss of a highly-experienced and motivated workforce.” The Members say they look forward to working with the President “to make the necessary changes to support an exploration program that continues our elite astronaut corps, preserves an irreplaceable workforce, protects our defense industrial base and ensures that the U.S. will leave low-Earth orbt within the decade.”

The letter is being distributed by the office of Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), which provided the following typed list of 62 signatories from 18 states:

Arizona:
Trent Franks (R)
Ed Pastor (D)

Ohio:
Steven LaTourette (R)
Michael Turner (R)

Maryland:
Dutch Ruppersberger (D)

New York:
Maurice Hinchey (D)

Kansas:
Lynn Jenkins (R)

Virginia:
Frank Wolf (R)

Colorado:
Ed Perlmutter (D)
John Salazar (D)

Louisiana:
Joseph Cao (R)
John Fleming (R)
Charlie Melancon (D)
Steve Scalise (R)
Rodney Alexander (R)

Alabama:
Mike Rogers (R)

Georgia:
Sanford Bishop (D)

Florida:
Suzanne Kosmas (D)
Bill Posey (R)
Alan Grayson (D)
Adam Putnam (R)
Ander Crenshaw (R)
Jeff Miller (R)
Ron Klein (D)
Corrine Brown (D)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)
C.W. Bill Young (R)
Mario Diaz-Balart (R)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R)
Tom Rooney (R)

California:
Laura Richardson (D)
Ken Calvert (R)
John Campbell (R)
Buck McKeon (R)

Oregon:
David Wu (D)

Washington:
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)

Pennsylvania:
Robert Brady (D)

Rhodes Island:
Jim Langevin (D)

Missouri:
Todd Akin (R)

Texas:
Gene Green (D)
John Culberson (R)
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D)
Henry Cuellar (D)
John Carter (R)
Al Green (D)
Ted Poe (R)
Mac Thornberry (R)
Mike McCaul (R)
Kevin Brady (R)
Ciro Rodriguez (D)
Ruben Hinojosa (D)
Solomon Ortiz (D)
Silvestre Reyes (D)
Joe Barton (R)
Charles Gonzalez (D)
Kay Granger (R)
Pete Sessions (R)
Michael Conoway (R)
Michael Burgess (R)
Louie Gohmert (R)
Kenny Marchant (R)
Lamar Smith (R)

NASA will hold a “NASA Day on the Hill” tomorrow in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building. NASA says the event is open to the public. It will feature Earth and space science programs, aeronautics research, and human space flight. Astronauts Jose Hernandez, Anna Fisher and Pat Forrester will be there. A reception will be held from 5:00-7:00 pm.