Representatives Seek Increases in Future NASA Budgets

Several Members of Congress, concerned about projections for NASA’s outyear budgets, authored a recent “Dear Colleague” letter to House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA). The letter, signed by 201 House members, asks Gingrich to help ensure stronger NASA budgets in future years. The effort was initiated by Representatives Dave Weldon (R-FL), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), and Nick Lampson (D-TX), all of whom represent districts with NASA centers (Kennedy Space Center, Lewis Research Center, and Johnson Space Center, respectively.)

The letter calls for a 4 percent increase, AFTER inflation, for FY 1999 (to approximately $14,600 million), and 2 percent increases, after inflation, for FY 2000-2001. The Administration’s FY 1999 projection for NASA was $13,400 million. Funding for NASA has decreased for the last three years, dropping by 11.6 percent since FY 1995 in constant dollars. In 1998 dollars, NASA’s FY 1995 funding was $15,439 million; the agency’s FY 1998 appropriation is $13,648 million. (A future FYI will look at constant-dollar trends for selected science and technology agencies.) The November 1 letter to Gingrich follows:

* * * * * The Honorable Newt Gingrich Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Mr. Speaker: Many of us supported the recent balanced budget agreement, demonstrating our solid commitment to the long-term fiscal health of our country. However, we are deeply concerned about the level of funding for science, space, and technology in our federal budgeting process. In particular, NASA - despite recent challenges - serves as the symbol of our nation’s preeminent scientific leadership in the international community. NASA makes important investments that probe the boundaries of our scientific, medical and engineering knowledge, as well as motivates and inspires our children and educators. It also contributes to one of the healthiest sectors of our economy - the aerospace industry - which provides hundreds of thousands of jobs around the country. NASA has also been among the few federal agencies held up as an example to others when it comes to budget reductions and finding efficiencies. The Agency’s budget declined in real terms over the last several years - due to a mix of voluntary and mandated reductions - and NASA’s civil service workforce has consistently been reduced much more sharply than other science-related departments and agencies. These reductions threaten the space related investments we have made in capital and people. Successfully navigating the budget reductions of the past have been difficult, although we believe they have ultimately helped NASA. However, we have reached a point at which further cuts could inflict irreparable harm on the Agency’s missions and personnel, particularly NASA’s ability to plan long-term initiatives. Therefore, we ask that, as you confer with the various Committees for next year’s fiscal plan, you ensure that: o NASA’s FY 1999 budget, after adjustments for inflation, is set at 4% over its FY 1998 expenditures. o Near-term budget projections (FY 2000-2001) for NASA contain adequate funding to maintain current programs and provide for inflationary increases, plus an additional increase of 2%. o The long-term budget projections (FY 2002 and beyond) include real funding increases to demonstrate this body’s commitment to new initiatives that look to the future of our nation. We believe that our civilization’s future lies in space. As you look through history, civilizations that cease to explore and expand their technological frontiers cease to exist. Our nation and, indeed, our world, is at such a threshold. To turn away from the challenge of space now would deprive our children and their children of the drive to explore, and with them would be lost a historic opportunity for our nation. Spending on the space program is one of the few forward-looking investments that we make as legislators. We do not deny that our space program faces many difficult challenges, both technical and political, but we fear the consequences of turning our backs now on space exploration, which will send a signal to many Americans that our generation lacks a vision for the future. We believe that we can balance the budget while maintaining investments in such critical agencies as NASA, and we will continue to press NASA to operate more efficiently and reduce costs where feasible. However, the time has come for budget stability for NASA and the men and women who keep our nation at the vanguard of discovery. We look forward to your strong support for our nation’s space exploration and development efforts as you work on a bipartisan basis with the House and Senate leadership during the Fiscal Year 1999 budget process and beyond. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. * * * * *While the letter is endorsed by almost one-half of the House membership, some important signatures are missing: House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Livingston (R-LA), VA/HUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich (R-OH), Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Science Subcommittee on Space Chairman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA.) It is also worth remembering that the first step for the FY 1999 budget needs to be made by the Administration, in its budget submission to Congress early next year.

The letter, and a list of signatories, can be found on Rep. Weldon’s Web site at http://www.house.gov/weldon , for readers who wish to know if their representative signed.