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Campaign Update: House Appropriations Committee Endorses Sub-committee Recommendations

June 23, 2006

On Tuesday, June 20, 2006 the House Appropriations Committee endorsed the sub-committee recommendations from June 14 including a restart for a Europa mission .

Louis Friedman, the Executive Director of the Planetary Society, issued the following statement regarding the Committee action:

"The House Appropriations Committee this week endorsed fully the revisions to the NASA fiscal year 2007 budget recommended by its Subcommittee last week. This is terrific news. The revised budget helps restore science to its proper place in NASA's program, with funds specifically allocated for several science programs, including $15 million for exploring Europa. While the additional funds help, 80% of the Administration's cuts to NASA's science budget remain.

The Planetary Society will continue to fight for the restoration of more space science funds in the final Appropriations bill to be approved by Congress this year. We thank the thousands of Society members who have already participated in the Save Our Science campaign as well as the strong support shown in the scientific community. We will continue to harness public and scientific community support to turn the tide in this budget battle."

the Campaign To Date

Click to enlarge > Don't Trash Space Science The Planetary Society's "Don't Trash Space Science" print advertisement in The Washington Post signed by Senator Barbarba Mikulsky – "To The Planetary Society- Many thanks for being in the right orbit."

Congressional Presentation Organized
The Planetary Society organized a presentation in the House Science Committee hearing room on May 25, 2006. Titanic director James Cameron, Society Vice-President Bill Nye (the Science Guy), planetary scientist and Society board member Heidi Hammel and Louis Friedman, presented the virtues of space science and planetary exploration to scores of congressional staff. Congressman John Culberson (R-TX) came into our presentation to strongly assert his objections to the Administration’s budget and his determination to add funding for a Europa mission.

Barbara Mikulski, a Senator from Maryland, expressed her strong support. Senator Mikulski invited representatives of The Planetary Society to a private dinner meeting in her office and described a proposal she has originated to seek emergency funds for the shuttle program to recover from the Columbia accident.  Emergency funds were provided after the Challenger accident, but no such funds were offered post-Columbia, despite the costly set of changes that have been made over the past three years.

Petitions Delivered
While in Washington, we delivered petitions signed by over 5,000 members and supporters, urging the Appropriators to restore the science funding that the Administration wants to eliminate. We delivered the petitions in person to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

"Don't Trash Space Science" Advertising Campaign Launched
The Planetary Society launched an ad campaign, calling on Congress to preserve funding for space science. Prominent advertisements, featuring a trash can and the slogan "Don't Trash Space Science!" appeared on on that date in the Washington Post, in Congress's own Roll Call, and on the website Space.com. The provocative campaign is endorsed by leading members of the space community, scientists, visionaries, and celebrities, as well as by the thousands of Planetary Society members and supporters who have signed our petition against funding cuts to space science.