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Planetary News: Space Policy (2007)NASA Budget Increase Clears Senate Appropriations CommitteeBy Amir AlexanderJune 29, 2007
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday cleared legislation to increase NASA funding to $17.46 billion for fiscal year 2008. The sum is $1.2 billion higher than the NASA’s 2007 budget, and $150 million higher than the administration’s request for 2008. In voting for the budget the full Committee approved without change a June 26 proposal by the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science. The legislation will next come up for a vote before the full Senate at a date still to be determined. The new funding includes a $138 million increase for the Science Missions Directorate above the Administration’s request, bringing its total 2008 budget to $5.65 billion. This is good news for NASA science, which has suffered severe budget cuts over the past two years, leading to the cancellation and postponement of several groundbreaking missions. The Senate Committee’s action comes two weeks after the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies proposed an even larger increase to NASA’s 2008 budget, including $180 million for science above the Administration’s request. This proposal must still be cleared by the House Appropriations Committee next month, before coming to a vote before the full House. The funding increases for NASA are still a long way from becoming law. After the two versions of the bill are approved by the full House and Senate respectively, they must then be reconciled in a joint committee, and the resulting bill approved by both branches of the legislature. The bill will then be sent to the White House, where the President still might veto it. Nevertheless, the progress so far seems promising. Over the past two years The Planetary Society has conducted a grassroots campaign called SOS ("Save Our Science") to combat the shrinking of NASA’s science budget. The Committee’s approval of the increases to NASA’s budget is a sign that our voices and concerns are being heard on Capitol Hill. “The Society welcomes the Committee’s action to increase funding for NASA in general and science projects in particular” said Bruce Betts, the Society’s Director of Projects. Did you like this article? Send
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