The Senate is poised to vote on the FY2007 joint funding resolution as early as Tuesday, after a cloture vote to end debate on the bill. According to reports it doesn’t seem like any effort to raise NASA’s share of the funding is getting much attention: the AP report and others have focused primarily on cuts in BRAC funding. The current continuing resolution runs out on Thursday the 15th.
The Office of Management and Budget did issue a statement of administration policy about the funding resolution on Thursday. The document does make note of the administration’s concerns about the half-billion shortfall for NASA in FY07, in particular the fact that the cut is focused principally on the exploration program. “This unbalanced allocation could jeopardize NASA’s ability to develop new exploration capabilities in a timely manner,” the document states. “The Administration strongly urges the Senate to provide NASA with the flexibility it needs to achieve the goals and timeline of the Vision for Space Exploration, while maintaining balanced programs in space science, Earth science, and aeronautics.”
I think Keith Cowling of NASA Watch put it best…
“The fact that NASA made it into the SAP [Statement of Administration Policy] demonstrates some committment from the White House to ensuring funding for the Vision. However, the language “The Administration strongly urges the Senate to provide NASA with the flexibility it needs to achieve the goals and timeline of the Vision for Space Exploration, while maintaining balanced programs in space science, Earth science, and aeronautics.” is so limp that it conveys virtually no seriousness of purpose.”
It’s pretty evident that the Administration is backpedaling on VSE, but they would prefer Congress to take the responsibility for doing it in.
Although I strongly disagree with the recommendation to retain two Shuttles through 2020, this editorial appears to agree with some of the opinions expressed here — that NASA needs to deal with the political realignment and its new budget realities sooner, rather than later:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/02/13/212002/plan-b-for-space.html
FWIW…