Feb 17 2005
From The Space Library
The U.S. House Committee on Science held a hearing to discuss NASA's FY 2006 budgetary request and priorities. Committee Chair Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-NY) expressed doubt that NASA would receive the full US$16.45 billion it had requested. Committee members questioned Deputy Administrator Frederick D. Gregory on several topics: NASA's long-term plan to return to the Moon and to send a human mission to Mars; its projected cuts to science and astronautics programs; its decision not to fund a servicing mission to the HST; and its plans for its workforce. The committee also questioned the US$858 million NASA had designated for Mars and lunar exploration, while reducing spending in other space science programs, including that of the HST. The committee questioned budgetary proposals based on plans for 28 Shuttle flights to the ISS and no flights to repair the HST. Representative Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI) remarked that that the HST was capable of conducting more and better scientific research in one week than the ISS could produce in its entire lifetime. Boehlert reminded NASA officials that the U.S. Congress had never endorsed or even discussed the President's January 2004 declaration urging NASA to return humans to the Moon within 15 years and, ultimately, to launch human missions to Mars and beyond. Representative Bart Gordon (D-TN) remarked that Congress had no consensus regarding the proposed changes in NASA's priorities, changes that he described as “almost staggering in terms of magnitude.” (James Janega, “House Science Panel Questions NASA Officials about Budget,” Chicago Tribune, 18 February 2005; Jim Abrams, “Lawmakers Question White House on NASA,” Kansas City Star (MO), 18 February 2005; U.S. Congress, House of Representatives, Committee on Science, NASA 's Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Proposal, 1 09th Cong., 1st sess., 17 February 2005.)
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