NASA Receives $18.2 Billion in CJS Markup, $486 Mission Less Than Requested

Rep. Alan Mollohan, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science (including NASA), released a statement that the subcommittee approved $18.2 billion for NASA for FY2010. While the statement says that it is an increase of $421 million over last year’s level, it is a cut of $486 million from the President’s request for FY2010 — $18.686 billion. A table showing changes to each NASA budget account is available on the committee’s website. Rep. Mollohan said:

“For NASA, the bill provides a total of $18.2 billion, an increase of $421 million over last year’s level. Investments have been made in Earth science to further the decadal surveys. The recommendation, however, acknowledges that the Administration has established a blue ribbon panel, led by Dr. Norm Augustine, to review the current vision for human space flight. Funds are provided in the bill to continue investments in human space flight at the same level as provided in fiscal year 2009. Reductions from the budget request should not be viewed as a diminution of my support or that of the Subcommittee in NASA’s human space flight activities. Rather, the deferral is taken without prejudice; it is a pause, a time-out, to allow the President to establish his vision for human space exploration and to commit to realistic future funding levels to realize this vision.

The Subcommittee looks forward to receiving the findings of Dr. Augustine’s panel and the recommendation of the Administration on the way forward. I do believe, however, in order to avoid continuing cost increases and further delays in the initial operating capability of our Nation’s next generation of human space flight architecture to follow the Shuttle’s successful and impressive run, it is imperative that the Administration and Congress provide the necessary resources to meet that policy directive – in the annual President’s budget and the annual Congressional budget process. When President Kennedy said we would put a man on the moon, the Nation followed – in spirit and with the resources to get the job done. We collectively should do no differently today.”