As reported in prior FYIs, the FY 2006 appropriations bill for Science,
State, Justice, and Commerce (H.R. 2862) is currently on the House floor.
This bill, and its accompanying report (H. Rept. 109-118), provide the
House Appropriations Committee's recommendations for NASA funding as
well as funding for a number of other departments and agencies. Under
this bill, the total NASA budget, as well as the budgets for NASA's
science programs, aeronautics, and exploration would all be increased
slightly from FY 2005 funding. House appropriators, headed by Science,
State, Justice, and Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Frank
Wolf (R-VA), expressed support for President Bush's space exploration
initiative, but not at the expense of other core NASA programs. Stating
that "The Committee is very concerned about the reductions to NASA's
science programs especially the drastic reductions to earth science
programs," the committee report language recommends increasing
funding for science programs above the Administration's request, while
reducing the Administration's proposed funding for exploration capabilities.
Selected quotations from the report are provided below. For the complete
text of the report, see http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app06.html.
According to the report, total NASA funding would grow by $274.7 million,
or 1.7 percent, from $16.197 billion to $16.471 billion. The Administration's
request was $16.457 billion. The report states, "The Committee
is supportive of NASA's new vision and mission for space exploration
and the recommendation includes funds for the Administration's priorities
for these activities. The Committee is very concerned about the need
to maintain the nation's leadership in science and technology. To this
end, the Committee has not agreed to the Administration's proposed reductions
to the aeronautics research program or science programs, and has fully
restored aeronautics to the fiscal year 2005 level and partially restored
the proposed reduction to science programs. However, given the serious
nature of the budget deficit facing the nation the Committee was forced
to make a number of difficult choices in allocating the scarce resources
available to NASA and has proposed what it believes is a more balanced
budget that both supports the new vision but does not abandon NASA's
other core functions."
SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS AND EXPLORATION:
The Committee recommends $9.726 billion, an increase of $265.1 million,
or 2.8 percent, over FY 2005 funding of $9.461 billion. The Administration's
request was $9.661 billion.
According to the report, "Increases above the budget request include
$40,000,000 for science programs of which $30,000,000 is for the Glory
mission and $10,000,000 is for the Space Interferometry Mission; $53,900,000
for aeronautics research programs; $2,000,000 for education programs;
and $50,000,000 for other initiatives terminated in the request. Reductions
to the budget request include $25,000,000 from exploration systems research
and technology; $25,000,000 from human systems research and technology;
and $31,050,000 from corporate administrative costs of which $10,000,000
is from the Office of Advanced Planning and Integration, which is being
eliminated."
Earth Science: "The Committee is very concerned about the
reductions to NASA's science programs especially the drastic reductions
to earth science programs designed to provide a better understanding
of our planet. To paraphrase the National Academy of Sciences concerning
these science programs, decades of research has improved health, enhanced
national security, and helped generate economic growth by providing
critical environmental information. While the National Academy is currently
undertaking a decadal review of NASA's earth science programs, at the
behest of the Congress the National Academy has provided an interim
report detailing what it believes are short-term urgent science requirements."
Glory mission: "Within the funds provided for science,
$35,000,000 is included for the Glory mission, an increase of $30,000,000
above the budget request. Without this additional funding, the amount
designated in the fiscal year 2006 budget request would clearly have
resulted in the unraveling of Glory as an integrated mission and resulted
in a certain delay in the launch of key instruments several years beyond
the planned launch date. NASA's Glory program is a key Global Climate
Change Research Initiative (CCRI) mission and critical to the achievement
of CCRI's science goals."
Hubble Space Telescope: "The Committee applauds the decision
by the Administrator to reassess a fourth servicing mission to the Hubble
Space Telescope (HST). The Hubble Space Telescope has made numerous
and extraordinary contributions to the field of science and has inspired
a new generation's interest in space and space science. This mission
is not only essential to maintaining the capability of the most scientifically
successful space astronomy mission to date, it also provides for the
least expensive approach to service Hubble and at the same time provides
for the deorbit capability that will assure HST's safe reentry. Repairs
and upgrades made during the fourth servicing mission would continue
the telescope's dramatic discoveries that will serve as a legacy for
NASA and our Nation."
Space Interferometry Mission: "The Committee continues
to support the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) and is providing an
additional $10,000,000 over the budget request for this mission. NASA's
search for planets and life beyond our solar system is having increasing
and dramatic success with over 150 planets now discovered. SIM is expected
to examine 2000-3000 stars for planetary systems to fulfill a critical
step in the search for Earth-like planets."
Jupiter Icy Moons: "The National Academy of Sciences Solar
System Exploration Decadal Survey of planetary scientists concluded
that the highest priority of the scientific community is an orbiter/lander
mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. The Administration supported just
such a mission, and had proposed that the first or second mission of
the Prometheus Nuclear Systems and Technology Program would be the Jupiter
Icy Moons Mission (JIMO). NASA no longer plans a JIMO mission for Project
Prometheus because of funding and technical considerations, and because
the NASA Administrator has determined that funding is needed for near-term
nuclear power requirements to implement the President's vision for space
exploration. Recognizing that these deep space missions usually take
a decade to complete from design to orbit, the Committee supports NASA
moving forward with a conventionally powered mission to Jupiter. The
Committee urges NASA to consider incorporating a non-nuclear Europa
mission as part of its fiscal year 2007 budget request."
The Committee also includes $50.0 million for continuation of "Congressional
priority programs that were terminated in the NASA budget request."
EXPLORATION CAPABILITIES:
The Committee recommends $6.713 billion, an increase of $8.5 million,
or 0.1 percent, above FY 2005 funding of $6.704 billion. The Administration's
request was $6.763 billion.
The report states, "Decreases below the budget request include
$10,000,000 for the International Space Station (ISS). The Committee
believes that this small reduction is appropriate given the uncertainties
surrounding the nature and scope of the science to be conducted on the
ISS. In addition, the Cargo and Crew Services program is reduced by
$10,000,000. The Committee is very supportive of this program, but delays
associated with program implementation will result in a significant
percentage of the funds provided in fiscal year 2005 being carried forward
into this fiscal year.... Reductions to this portion of the budget also
include $10,000,000 from Rocket Propulsion Testing, $10,000,000 from
Space Communications, and $10,000,000 from Launch Services. The reduction
to Launch Services should not be taken from the Small Payload Launch
program."
Below are additional quotations from the report that might be of interest
to readers:
Crew Exploration Vehicle: "The Committee supports the Administrator's
plan to accelerate development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)
to minimize the gap between the retirement of the Space Shuttle and
the first operational flight of the CEV. To help achieve this goal,
the Committee supports the proposed ‘non traditional' competitive
acquisition of a United States ‘earth to orbit' crew and/or cargo
transfer capability. The Committee believes this approach offers affordable
and credible risk mitigation for accelerating post-shuttle United States
human spaceflight."
Science Portfolio: "[T]he Committee supports NASA's objective
to rebalance the content of its overall science portfolio to ensure
appropriate resources among planetary science, Earth science, solar
physics and astronomy. The Committee understands that NASA is currently
reviewing the implications of these objectives and directs NASA to report
to the Committee on the outcome of these reviews as soon as possible
after their completion."
Public Awareness: "The Committee directs NASA to engage
in a national awareness campaign...to articulate missions, recent accomplishments
and recruitment efforts to young Americans. This will also provide a
mechanism by which to excite and encourage our young people to enter
the fields of science, math, and engineering and in doing so help maintain
America's leadership in these fields."
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