National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010

I thank the chairman very much.

I served 12 years on the Science Committee, and I want to add my appreciation to Chairman Gordon for his service to the Nation and his service and his hard work for providing for America's competitive edge, not only in space but technology. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you to the ranking member. Thank you to Ralph Hall for his leadership. Thank you to the subcommittee chair for her great leadership and friendship to this agency.

I rise today, as reluctant as my friends on the floor, the chairman and ranking member, to support this particular bill. But I'm glad to be able to be here to say to the NASA family that we are saving jobs, 10,000 potentially in the State of Florida, many others in the other States, and 6,000 in NASA Johnson.

I am delighted to be able to say that this bill, the Senate bill, though I don't like the process, provides for immediate development to begin on a heavy lift launch vehicle, stops the termination of technical workforce and valuable contractor jobs, provides funding to support the development of commercial crew services, and funds additional technology development to lower costs of long-term space exploration.

In addition, NASA Johnson will continue to provide the astronauts for the space station. We will be looking for the robotic research work that will address the question of space exploration. We'll also be doing the work for cargo and crew on the commercial side. And then as it relates to the issue of minorities, I want to ensure that as we hire or as we fire, if we have to, that those who are minorities who are last in are not the first out.

I'm delighted to work with Senators Nelson and John Rockefeller to save the STEM program and the MUREP program. These cuts are unacceptable for the Minority University Research and Education and the STEM program. I'm delighted, however, that we'll be working with Senator Nelson and Senator Rockefeller to ensure that this program is included in the America COMPETES reauthorization and the funding for the STEM program. We have to save jobs in America but we have to stay at the cutting edge of science, and I believe this bill will help us make one step.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3729, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010. Although I share the concerns of some of my House colleagues regarding the process with which this legislation came to the House from the Senate, especially those colleagues I served with on the House Science Committee for 12 years, I nevertheless do support this compromise legislation as the best way forward to strengthen NASA for the present and the future. I also believe this legislation will protect American jobs, drive innovation, and ensure that our Nation's youth are encouraged to pursue careers in science, exploration, engineering, technology, and math.

Despite my concerns about the Administration's proposal to eliminate NASA's Constellation Program, I have concluded that we need to have this NASA reauthorization legislation in place to avoid a complete dismantling of the manned space program. Although I advocated strongly for preserving the Constellation program, it is important to adopt this compromise in order to save more than 6,000 jobs in Texas and 10,000 in Florida, which would be in jeopardy without this legislation. This legislation will speed development of the heavy lift rocket crucial for reaching beyond low-Earth orbit and essential to keeping Houston's Johnson Space Center at the heart of future manned space operations. This compromise would also help bolster small contractors in the greater Houston area who serve as sub-contractors for the major aerospace firms involved in NASA contracts.

I have also had extensive discussions with Administrator Bolden who has communicated NASA's intention to work with the Congress to make the transition of the Constellation program smooth and effective. NASA and the space industry are critical to Houston's economic success in both the short and long term. According to the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, NASA accounts for nearly 16,800 direct federal jobs and serves as the engine for another 3,100 civilian jobs that together supply more than $2.5 billion in payroll into Houston's regional economy. Protecting the Johnson Space Center is of paramount concern to me, and I will continue to advocate on its behalf.

This bill will authorize NASA appropriations for FY 2011-2013 with the same top-line budget values as the President's request to Congress. The bill would grow science, aeronautics, and space technology and define expanding human presence in space as the goal for human space flight beyond low-Earth orbit. Key objectives for human space flight would include full utilization of the International Space Station (ISS), maximizing the role of space exploration and technology in current and future missions, advancing knowledge and inspiring young people into higher education, and building upon international partnerships.

Initially, I was concerned that the Senate version of the NASA Authorization Act could have led to cuts in funding for the Minority University Research and Education (MUREP) and STEM programs. This is because the legislation increased funding for the NASA Space Grant and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR) while keeping the topline authorization for education fixed, which could have led to other education programs such as MUREP and STEM being cut to provide for necessary offsets.

However, I have worked with Senator John Rockefeller, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Senator Bill Nelson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science and Space, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to ensure that funding for MUREP and STEM will be protected. The Senate is including language in the NASA title of the America COMPETES Reauthorization ensuring that funding for STEM programs are preserved and protected. Furthermore, Chairman Nelson has agreed to work with the Senate Appropriations Committee to ensure funding for MUREP is continued at existing levels. Administrator Bolden has also assured me that they will continue their active support of not just MUREP and STEM programs, but also continue their existing efforts to increase the participation of minority serving institutions in the NASA Space Grant and College Fellowship Program as well as the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. These agreements are crucial to ensuring that minority serving institutions and minority students are an integral part to NASA's future.

The United States space program has existed for over half a century and this legislation reaffirms the ever growing and changing role of NASA, providing resources to carry the agency forward with its ambitious agenda of research, exploration, and discovery. Mr. Speaker, today's legislation will allow NASA to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, keeping our Nation on the forefront of innovation and exploration. It is the responsibility of this Congress to ensure that the future of NASA is one of continued progress. Space exploration remains a part of our national destiny. It inspires our children to look to the stars and dream of what they too, one day, may achieve. Space exploration allows us to push the bounds of our scientific knowledge, as we carry out research projects not possible within the constraints of the planet Earth.

Today, NASA is the nations' primary civil space and aeronautics research and development agency, and its current activities employ over 18,000 Americans. Today's legislation emphasizes the importance of NASA leadership in a range of endeavors by investing more in NASA; extending the life of the international space station; launches a commercial space transportation industry; fosters the development of path- breaking technologies; helps create thousands of new jobs; and embarks on a fundamentally more ambitious strategy to expand our frontiers in space. Passage of this bill represents an important step forward towards helping NASA achieve key goals that President Obama has laid out, such as placing the U.S. space program on a more sustainable trajectory and inspiring a new generation of Americans to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This important change in direction will not only help NASA chart a new path in space, but also reshape itself for the industries and jobs of the future that will be vital for long term economic growth.

As a Nation, we have made tremendous strides forward in the pursuit of space exploration since President John F. Kennedy set the course for our nation when on May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed: ``I believe this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.'' Over the next 50 years, NASA has been involved in many defining events which have shaped the course of

human history and demonstrated to the world the character of the people of the United States.

The success of the United States space exploration program in the 20th Century augurs well for its continued leadership in the 21st Century. This success is largely attributable to the remarkable and indispensable partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its 10 space and research centers. One of these important research centers is located in my home city of Houston. The Johnson Space Center, which manages the development, testing, production, and delivery of all United States human spacecraft and all human spacecraft-related functions, is one of the crown jewels of the Houston area.

Always on the forefront of technological innovation, NASA has been home to countless ``firsts'' in the field of space exploration. America has, countless times, proven itself to be a leader in innovation, and many technologies that have become part of our everyday lives were developed by NASA scientists. The benefits of NASA's programming and innovation are felt far beyond scientific and academic spheres. Space technologies provide practical, tangible benefits to society, and NASA provides valuable opportunities to businesses in our community.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation, and in support of the future of American innovation, exploration, and jobs.

Will the gentleman yield?

Minority institutions and the STEM program are also to be protected, as we come back and we are able to work with the appropriations process and work with the Senate on protecting these programs that are very important to Historically Black Colleges.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to recognize Chairman Gordon for his outstanding leadership chairing our full committee. We are going to miss you, Mr. Chairman. It has been an outstanding experience for me the last couple of terms. And as well, to Ranking Member Hall and Ranking Member Olson for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to S. 3729, the Senate's NASA authorization bill.

As chair of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, and along with the other members of the subcommittee and full committee, we care deeply about the future of NASA and the future of our Nation's civil space program. NASA defines us as a Nation, who we are--our defense, our innovation, our inspiration, our ability to explore. We care deeply about the role that Congress needs to play to ensure that NASA will embark on an executable and a sustainable path for the future.

In contrast to supporters of the Senate bill who will say that today they reluctantly support the Senate bill because it is better than doing nothing, I have no reluctance in telling you that this is a bad bill. It will do damage to NASA if enacted, and it should be voted down tonight.

Now, I know that Members have a lot of different issues on their minds today. Certainly most Members didn't even know that a NASA authorization bill was coming up for a vote today. So for Members who are making up their minds on whether to support this bill today, I would like to offer a couple of reasons why you should oppose it.

If you are a member of the Blue Dog Coalition or a member of the Republican Study Committee, you should oppose this bill because it lacks serious budgetary discipline. To be specific, the bill contains an unfunded mandate to keep the shuttle program going through all of fiscal year 2011, even after the shuttle is retired, which, by NASA estimates, will cost NASA more than one-half billion dollars for 2011, and it doesn't have that money. It will bust the budget for the shuttle and jeopardize NASA's other important science, aeronautics, and technology programs.

It also contains a rocket designed not by our best engineers but by our colleagues over on the Senate side. By NASA's own internal analysis, they estimate this rocket will cost billions more than the Senate provides.

And, finally, if you are a Blue Dog or a member of the Republican Study Committee, or any Member of Congress, you should strenuously oppose a $58 billion funding bill that is being brought up on the last day before adjourning with no House input on its creation and no opportunity for amendment by Members of the House. This is not the functioning bicameral legislature that our Founding Fathers fought to create.

Next, if you are a Member who cares deeply about STEM education or minority education programs, you need to know that this bill is written in a certain way that NASA's STEM education programs and Minority University Research and Education programs will be cut in excess of 30 percent.

What does this mean? Well, it means if you represent a Historically Black College or University or Hispanic-serving institution, a tribal college, this sort of institution, you will be affected by these cuts.

In addition, if you care about the future of NASA's human spaceflight program, you should oppose this bill. As I mentioned earlier, this bill contains provisions that will force NASA to build a rocket designed by Senators and not by engineers. Contrary to assertions that this bill's supporters talk about, this rocket will be too large to economically serve as a backup commercial crew transport to the space station. It may also prove to be too small to effectively undertake human missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Not only do NASA's own internal studies indicate that it will cost significantly more than the Senate is budgeting, but they also estimate that it will become operational years later than the Senate plan assumes.

So we are looking at this gap and, in short, the Senate bill forces NASA to build a rocket that doesn't meet its needs, with a budget that is not adequate to do the job, and on a schedule that NASA's own analyses says is unrealistic. That is not my idea of the executable and sustainable human spaceflight program that we all desire.

And, finally, if you care about corporate responsibility, if you care about safety, and if you want to prevent us

from being in the position a few years down the road of having to choose between sending more money to Russia or bailing out the would-be commercial crew and cargo providers who fail to perform in budget and on schedule, you should oppose this Senate NASA bill. The Senate bill gives an additional $1.6 billion to would-be commercial cargo and crew transport companies who have yet to demonstrate that they can do either. There is no obligation that these commercial companies put any ``skin in the game'' of their own, and the safety requirements on their rockets are vague at best.

Since the Senate bill provides no credible government backup capability to the would-be commercial providers, approving the Senate bill today would inevitably put NASA in the position of relying on these companies that will become too big to fail. The American taxpayers will then have to bear the responsibility and the burden of bad public policy if we vote on this bill tonight. I think that the public deserves better.

Now, I know that in the Senate there is a lot of debate, and some Members will fall back on the argument that they have to approve this tonight before the end of the fiscal year because the contractors are facing layoffs. And no one has more sympathy than members of our subcommittee about the workforce, but the reality is different. It is different than the rhetoric.

Aerospace jobs are tied to funding, and funding for NASA for the balance of this calendar year will be set by the continuing resolution that we will be voting on tonight, not this authorization bill. Funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 will be determined by the appropriations bill that we enact after we return for a lame duck session, not by this authorization.

The bill before us today cannot change the fact that the funding level for NASA's workforce, and any layoff that will result from that funding level, will be the result of the continuing resolution and subsequent appropriation bills and not this authorization. So Members should not be fooled by this red herring argument. The truth is that you will not be doing anything to stop layoffs tonight by voting for the Senate bill today.

Does the aerospace industry need certainty? Absolutely. But they need certainty in an executable and affordable program that the Senate bill does not provide.

Could the problems with the Senate bill be fixed? Of course they could. But that is what the legislative process is about, not under suspension of the rules with no amendments allowed.

The fact of the matter is that there was a compromise NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon proposed and is the direct result of lengthy discussions with the Senate and the House Members. Of course, that isn't perfect, and no bill is, but flaws can be fixed by discussion between the Chambers. But if you vote tonight positively on this Senate bill, the democratic process that has been the cornerstone of our democracy will be undermined and that will not occur.

So let's take the time to get this job done, and done the right way. Let's vote down the Senate bill tonight so we can work with Chairman Gordon, Ranking Member Hall, and the Senate on a compromise bill so that we can have a responsible NASA bill that can be acted upon when we return for the lame duck session.

In closing, if you care about budgetary discipline, protecting STEM education, minority education programs, if you care about NASA's human spaceflight program, you should vote ``no'' on the Senate authorization bill.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3729, the NASA Authorization Act, and I yield myself such time as I may require.

Let me begin by commending the Science Committee chairman, Bart Gordon; Space Subcommittee chairwoman, Gabrielle Giffords; and subcommittee ranking member, Pete Olson, for their tireless efforts conducting oversight on NASA's programs and performance. During the 111th Congress, they held 13 hearings before either the subcommittee or full committee that thoroughly examined NASA in all its aspects. During the second session especially, they helped our committee better understand the full impact of the administration's proposal to revamp our Nation's human spaceflight program.

The bill we're about to vote on is a 3-year NASA authorization that was reported by the Senate in early August. In many respects, this bill shares features similar to H.R. 5781, introduced by Chairman Gordon and cosponsored by the committee's leadership. Both bills are fairly similar in their treatment of NASA's aeronautics research and space science programs, and they authorize at the same agency top-line number. They do, however, diverge with regard to the future of NASA's human spaceflight program.

The House bill passed out of the Science and Technology Committee with almost unanimous bipartisan support. This was a good bill that keeps NASA on course to develop a new crew exploration vehicle, with safety a top priority. Unfortunately, this bill never made it to the floor for a vote. So, in the past few weeks, Chairman Gordon sought to reach an agreement with the Senate on a compromise bill that would bridge the differences. It is now clear that time has run out and that we have very few days remaining to advance a NASA authorization bill through this Congress. I see no realistic choice but to take the Senate bill because doing so will be preferable to taking no action at all.

As many of you know, this administration has taken unprecedented steps regarding NASA that has resulted in massive layoffs and created a great deal of uncertainty within the agency and in many of our communities. Without congressional approval or authorization, they have reversed the direction given by the two preceding Congresses and proposed throwing away over $10 billion and 5 years of design investment on the successor vehicle to the shuttle. The administration offered instead no substantive plans to provide a U.S.-built launch system that would be capable of taking astronauts to the international space station and put off even planning to go beyond the international space station until the year 2015. In short, the administration's proposal would have added several years of development and unknown cost before the U.S. would be able to fly astronauts on a new NASA launch system. We find this unacceptable.

The bill before us today seeks to remedy many of the problems created by this administration. It authorizes the immediate development on a heavy lift launch vehicle capable of going beyond the ISS. It advances further development of commercial cargo capabilities to service the ISS, a development that Congress has supported since the year 2005, and provides $1.3 billion to begin the development of commercial crew systems. And through the development of a heavy lift launcher, it provides a backup system to the ISS in case the commercial providers or our international partners do not meet stated goals. One thing the House bill called for was a crew escape launch abort system, and we will need to exercise extensive oversight of NASA next year to ensure that such vitally important safety aspects are not overlooked or neglected by NASA.

It is also important to note that the annual authorizations in this bill are below the amount authorized for FY 2009 in our last NASA bill. Given that our Nation is in a tough economic climate, it is important that we are mindful of our spending.

During hearings this spring before the House Science Committee, three former Apollo astronauts, three giants--Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan, and Tom Stafford--implored Congress to retain American leadership in space by maintaining continuity and certainty in NASA's role as manager of our space exploration programs. All three opposed the administration's efforts, and they are supportive of passing a bill that advances our Nation forward.

While the bill before us today is far from perfect, it offers clear direction to

an agency that is floundering and sets us on the path toward maintaining America's leadership in space.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Olson, who is the ranking member on the Space Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California, the Honorable Mr. Rohrabacher, a very valuable member of the Science Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson).

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Houston, Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Posey).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I have.

Mr. Speaker, with my appreciation to Ms. Giffords and the chairman and everybody here that has spoken, I just want to sum it up real quickly.

The Senate bill being considered today is an attempt to provide congressional direction to a floundering agency. We simply can't let anybody continue to shut down our human spaceflight program.

Failure to reauthorize NASA provides further uncertainty to an agency in limbo, stalling efforts to develop a successor vehicle once the shuttle is retired next year, and could result in the loss of thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide.

I could vote for either of these bills. I am not in love with either of these bills. I feel like the coach's wife who was crying. He came home. He said, ``What's wrong, honey?'' She said, ``You like football better than you do me.'' And he said, ``Yeah, but I like you better than I do basketball.''

I am that way with these two programs. I like both of them, either one of them. But we have to have one go, and I urge the acceptance of this bill today and passage of S. 3729.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate here in late September that we are discussing the future of America's manned space program, because it was in late September that America's first explorers, Lewis and Clark, returned from their incredible expedition to have seen the Pacific Ocean to find that overland route. And when they returned from that totally unknown country, they lit up the country, and something that America has always been built on, dreams and thinking big. It has always been a part of our spirit, our nature to explore the unknown. And NASA, more than any other function of the Federal Government, has the ability to inspire people, to encourage young people to go become scientists and engineers and astronauts.

In fact, today, Mr. Speaker, it was just reported by scientists at the University of California that they have discovered what appears to be an Earth-like planet with water in the habitable zone of a star only 20 light years away. But if we do not act, if we do not pass this NASA authorization bill tonight, the Obama administration will succeed in shutting down America's manned space program by the end of the year. And let me make it clear: that is what is really going on here, why all of us are working together, arm in arm, to save America's manned space program from being shut down by the Obama administration and the bureaucrats at NASA.

I asked Administrator Bolden in our subcommittee, Isn't what you are proposing, to totally privatize NASA? And we are all for partial privatization to supply fuel, food, et cetera. But to totally privatize NASA, Mr. Bolden, isn't that like privatizing the Navy?

Imagine if we were to allow the contractor that built a nuclear submarine or an aircraft carrier: Excuse me, may we please rent the aircraft carrier so that we can go to the Persian Gulf and defend America's interests?

What the Obama administration has proposed, and why Congress is passing this bill tonight, is to stop the administration from shutting down America's civilian space program, to ensure that we will always maintain the ability to build rockets in the civilian workforce, which keeps the cost of rockets for the military considerably less; to preserve our leadership role in outer space, to maintain that technological and, frankly, spiritual edge

America has always had to make dreams come true, to think about the exploration of the unknown.

NASA is the one entity that can combine the best of Americans, what makes us great as a Nation, inspiring young people, allowing, making dreams come true, exploring the unknown with very tangible technological spinoffs.

If we don't pass this bill tonight, by the end of this year there will be no more manned space program because the Obama administration is systematically and aggressively shutting it down.

We all have some disagreement with this bill; we would like to see a little different bill.

I thank Chairman Gordon and Mr. Hall, for bringing it to the floor. All of us working together to get it passed tonight will ensure that America preserves our manned space flight capability, the ability to build rockets with a tremendous civilian workforce of engineers and scientists who will all be gone. They will just lose their job, and we will lose that tremendous edge we have had as a Nation to build rockets and explore outer space.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this vital legislation.

Mr. Speaker, if I could just very briefly point out to remind the Members and the people here that if we don't pass this bill tonight, there is no more manned space program.

The administration is pursuing a policy of aggressively and rapidly shutting down America's manned space program by bureaucratic order, by Executive order. It is all being done right now as we speak. If we don't pass this bill, there will not be another one by the end of the year, and by the end of the year there will be no more manned space program.

So any differences or concerns we have with this bill--and we all have concerns with it--can be fixed next year in the process. But it is essential to supersede by Federal statute, which we will pass tonight, and we will stop the Obama administration cold. We will stop them from shutting down America's manned space program so we have a program for our kids in the future.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Absolutely. All the concerns that have been raised can all be solved through the legislative process and appropriations. We will take care of them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Authorization Act of 2010. As a stalwart supporter of NASA and with the privilege of representing the world-class workers at the NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA Glenn), I strongly support the vital workforce protections included in the Senate bill. My opposition to this legislation stems from my concern for the NASA's long-term health. I am concerned that the language in the underlying bill sends the agency on a path toward privatization, and privatization undermines the agency and its workers.

I unequivocally support language in the underlying bill that provides NASA's unparalleled civil-servants with three years of protection from layoffs under a Reductions-In-Force (RIF) moratorium. For years, NASA employees have been caught in the cross-hairs of repeated program reorganizations and major cuts in in-house R&D funding--and they have paid for it with job loss and insecurity. The compromise language proposed by Chairman Gordon does not have the RIF moratorium I wanted. But it does include a RIF moratorium for a year and a half. Chairman Gordon was making progress toward a viable alternative and I believe that provisions in this bill under consideration today leave NASA employees vulnerable in the long-term and could force the agency to continue down the unsustainable path it currently finds itself on.

NASA research centers such as NASA Glenn--and the agency as a whole-- will benefit more from increased investments in Solar-Electric Propulsion, High Efficiency Space Power Systems, Green Aviation and Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer within the Aeronautics, Space Technology and Exploration programs. These programs are critical in the development of next generation technologies to support future key NASA missions over the next decade. These programs need to be funded. And they are often the first to be cut. In fact, this legislation includes a $500 million unfunded mandate to extend Shuttle operations through Fiscal Year 2011, which means that Shuttle funding will have to come from somewhere else within NASA.

The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 privatizes two key functions for NASA; transporting crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). Commercial providers have been given the opportunity to provide cargo to the space station and, according to Government Accountability Office (GAO), they have failed to meet the required safety benchmarks. The GAO also raises serious concerns about the lack of expertise at the Federal Aviation Administration to oversee the commercial space launch industry. This bill not only furthers the outsourcing of cargo transportation, but expands it to include transporting crew.

The results of privatizing government services frequently follow a pattern in which a company assumes control of a service from the government by promising lower costs. After winning the contract, the company requests more funding to do the job, and then attempts to save its own money by cutting corners through cuts in pay, benefits and safety. Our astronauts deserve better than to have their lives put at risk.

Further, if the services are privatized, those competencies among the expert staff at NASA would be effectively irreversible because it would take so much time to rebuild them. We must preserve and leverage ongoing technical work on Service Module for human spaceflight beyond Low Earth Orbit. This work will be critical to maintaining jobs and core-intellectual competencies embodied within the agency.

This legislation also fails to provide the agency with the option of a government-vehicle back-up should the commercial sector be unable to satisfactorily provide the services for which they were hired. The Augustine Commission--the Commission President Obama tasked with reviewing future human space flight plans--believed it would be too risky to rely solely on the commercial sector and suggested including a government back-up option.

Providing more money to the commercial sector without the necessary safety and regulatory safeguards could come at the expense of other in- house, long-lead research and development programs.

I cannot support legislation that provides the government with no other option than to rely exclusively on the commercial sector. I will continue to work with appropriators to preserve and protect civil servant jobs at NASA and I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.