The AP reports that final negotiations over the FY2005 budget may have resulted in some extra money for NASA. According to the report, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay won an extra $300 million for the space agency—part of an increase in the across-the-board cuts on other non-defense and non-homeland security programs from 0.75 to 0.83 percent—bringing its budget to around $16.2 billion for FY05. This is the same amount that President Bush originally requested, although presumably the new budget includes extra funding for shuttle RTF and Hubble repair work not in the original budget. Still, that $300 million could make a significant difference in supporting programs linked to the Vision for Space Exploration in the coming year.
