Lobbying « Space Politics

A stealthy anti-HR 5781 web site

By Jeff Foust on 2010 September 8 at 7:41 pm ET

A reader informed me today about a web site called Reform Space Now whose raison d’Ãªtre appears to be to oppose the House version of the NASA authorization bill, HR 5781. The web site features a one-minute narrated video that first builds up the administration’s new direction for NASA and then states, “But to some […]

Nobel laureates and others push for restoration of White House NASA budget provisions

By Jeff Foust on 2010 September 1 at 11:32 am ET

A letter released late yesterday signed by 30 people, including 14 Nobel laureates and seven former astronauts, asks Congress to restore funding for key elements of the FY2011 NASA budget proposal. The letter, directed specifically to House Science and Technology Committee chairman Rep. Bart Gordon, specifically discusses technology development, commercial crew, robotic precursor missions, and […]

Cramer’s not a Bud of SpaceX

By Jeff Foust on 2010 August 25 at 1:10 pm ET

Earlier this year there was some concern in Alabama that former Congressman Bud Cramer, picked by local leaders to head Huntsville’s “Second to None” lobbying effort to preserve Constellation, might have a conflict of interest: he works for Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates, a lobbying firm retained by, among other companies, SpaceX, a leading […]

The Planetary Society’s concerns about NASA legislation

By Jeff Foust on 2010 August 19 at 8:10 pm ET

In a letter today to the chairs and ranking members of key House and Senate appropriations and authorization subcommittees, the leadership of The Planetary said it was “concerned about omissions and a lack of coherence” in the NASA-related legislation they have marked up in recent weeks. “[W]e are concerned that the path on which the […]

SpaceX says thanks

By Jeff Foust on 2010 August 11 at 8:20 pm ET

Last month, when it appeared the full House would vote on its version of a NASA authorization bill, SpaceX sounded the alarm with an email blast, asking readers to contact their representatives and ask them to instead support the Senate version of the bill. Late today, SpaceX sent out a followup message, thanking readers and […]

More speak out about NASA authorization bill

By Jeff Foust on 2010 July 29 at 8:23 pm ET

As the House took up legislation other than the NASA authorization bill Thursday, others spoke out against plans to rush the bill through the House under suspension of the rules. Late Thursday The Planetary Society called for a more extensive debate about the bill: “The future of the space program is too important to rush […]

Commercial space advocates regroup

By Jeff Foust on 2010 July 24 at 9:40 am ET

Meteorologically speaking, this is a good weekend to get away from Washington, DC: Saturday’s high temperature is forecast to be over 100 with a heat index approaching 110. The heat’s also been turned up recently for commercial space advocates in Washington, who have seen Congressional committees slash the White House’s budget proposals for commercial crew […]

Briefly: wish lists, space socialism, and questionable polls

By Jeff Foust on 2010 June 30 at 7:51 am ET

Earlier this week the Greater Houston Partnership and the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership issued a release this week critical of the administration’s human spaceflight plans and asking for a revised plan. They don’t ask for much: a “limited” number of additional shuttle flights, continuation of Constellation, and to “fast-track” a heavy-lift launcher starting in […]

Commercial space gets its day on the Hill

By Jeff Foust on 2010 June 23 at 1:03 pm ET

Or, at least, its morning on the Hill. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) announced today that Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) will be hosting an event tomorrow morning for senators and their staffers to discuss commercial spaceflight. Keynoting the event will be Norm Augustine, with other speakers from SpaceX, ULA, Orbital, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. The […]

Letters, we get letters

By Jeff Foust on 2010 June 23 at 6:51 am ET

In a letter to President Obama earlier this week, 62 members of Congress have expressed their displeasure with plans to cancel Constellation. “If we continue with this new space policy, including the outright cancellation of the Constellation program,” they write, “we are concerned that other countries will forge ahead of us, challenging our space dominance […]

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