When the Congress takes up the FY 2006 budget proposal due to be released today, it’s still uncertain what subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee will deal with NASA’s budget. As previously noted, the House is considering a proposal, backed by majority leader Tom DeLay, that would eliminate three of the existing 13 appropriations subcommittees, including the VA-HUD subcommittee whose jurisdiction includes NASA; the space agency would be moved to the energy subcommittee. The Senate, however, shows no desire to make a similar change, which could make it difficult to reconcile House and Senate versions of budget bills.
Monday’s Huntsville Times reports that one of the affected members, Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL), is as unclear as anyone about the fate of the reorganization and his place in it. Cramer, whose district includes MSFC, is on the VA-HUD subcommittee as well as two others, and assumes that under a reorganization he would lose his post on one subcommittee. The article notes that the full committee is slated to appoint subcommittee chairs this week, which should offer the best clue yet whether and how this reorganization will occur.
