House To Vote on VA/HUD Appropriations Bill Today: NASA

Today, the House is scheduled to vote on H.R. 4624, the VA/HUD/Independent Agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 1995. The full House Appropriations Committee approved, on June 22, the version of the bill sponsored by Louis Stokes (D-Ohio), chairman of the VA/HUD subcommittee (see FYI #83 for details on Stokes’ bill). Accompanying the bill is a report (House report 103-555), which spells out the committee’s recommendations for spending.

As reported in FYI #83, NASA would receive a total budget of $14.0 billion. Within this amount, the space station program is fully funded, as is the account for science, aeronautics and technology (at $5.9 billion.) The report provides recommendations on which accounts should be cut to achieve the reduction from the Administration’s request. Human Space Flight (which includes the station, the shuttle, and cooperative activities with Russia) would receive $5.6 billion, with a reduction of $127.0 million to be taken primarily from the shuttle program. Mission Support would take a cut of $113.0 million. Below are selected quotes from the report:

Space Station Program:

“The Committee is recommending the full budget request of $2,120,900,000 for the space station program. Of this amount, $1,939,700,000 is included under the human space flight appropriation and $181,200,000 is included under the science, aeronautics and technology appropriation. Of the amount in the human space flight account, $1,889,600,000 is available for the space station and $50,100,000 is available for Russian cooperation, MIR support activities. Of the amount available under science, aeronautics and technology, $61,800,000 is for Russian cooperation activities, $84,000,000 is for space station facility payloads, $10,600,000 is for space station utilization, $9,800,000 is for space station attached payload activities, and $15,000,000 is for space station experiments.”

“While providing the total request for space station, the Committee continues to have concerns with the program. These include the amount of funds to be provided to Russia and what will be received for those funds, who is to have the command and control of the space station, the amount of power available to the users for research during station assembly, and the number of hours of space walks. The Committee expects acceptable resolutions to these concerns.”

Science, Aeronautics and Technology:

“This appropriation provides for the research and development activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These activities include: space science, life and microgravity science, mission to planet earth, aeronautical research and technology, advanced concepts and technology, launch services, mission communication services, and academic programs. Funds are also included for the construction, maintenance, and operation of programmatic facilities.”

“The budget requests $5,000,000 for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The Committee recognizes the value of airborne astronomy and encourages NASA to proceed with development plans for SOFIA in 1996.”

“The Committee supports adequate funding for the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center to fully accomplish its objectives for the Wake Shield Facility.”

“The Committee commends NASA for initiating the Smallsat program that could revolutionize the way the agency designs, builds, launches, and operates small spacecraft. The Department of Defense is also commended for its accomplishments with respect to the recent Clementine mission. The Committee urges NASA to evaluate, with DOD, a potential joint NASA/DOD follow-on Clementine mission, and requests that the agency provide a report on this potential mission by December 1, 1994.” “The Committee notes that NASA has flown two highly successful SPACEHAB missions, that these laboratories have performed flawlessly, and that there has been no cost growth in the commercial mid-deck augmentation module contract. The agency is urged to consider other uses for this capability to implement NASA’s commercial and microgravity science objectives in a cost-effective manner.”