Weldon: Democrat Leadership Raids NASA Budget

spaceref.com ^ | January 31, 2007 | Rep. Dave Weldon

[Fitzcarraldo]

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Wednesday, January 31, 2007
< Source: Rep. Dave Weldon

If Enacted, Would Be Worst Cuts to Space Exploration Since 1993

Urges Senate to Reverse Irresponsible Choice by House Dems

In a fiscal year 2007 budget released today, the new Democrat majority proposed sweeping cuts to NASA's budget that could jeopardized the future of space exploration. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, M.D. (R-FL), who represents many workers from NASA and Kennedy Space Center, called the cuts draconian, saying the Democrat leadership is using NASA and our nation's space program as a piggy bank for other liberal spending priorities.

"The raid on NASA's budget has begun in earnest. The cuts announced today by House Democrat leaders, if approved by Congress, would be nearly $400 million less than NASA's current budget," said Weldon.

"Clearly, the new Democrat leadership in the House isn't interested in space exploration. Their omnibus proposal lists hundreds of new increases, including a $1.3 billion increase‹over 40% for a Global AIDS fund, all at the expense of NASA."

Much of the proposed cuts would come from NASA's Exploration budget, which includes funding for the new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), the future replacement for the current shuttle fleet. According to Weldon, these particular cuts would jeopardize thousands of jobs in Florida, Alabama, and Texas.

Weldon today led a bi-partisan group of colleagues, including Reps. Ralph Hall (D-TX), and Tom Feeney (R-FL), in offering two amendments to the bill that would restore NASA's funding.

"Rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans alike are aghast at the treatment the Democrat Leadership has shown to NASA. To gut the exploration account in particular is clearly meant to be a stick in the eye to the President and the initiative he announced three years ago."

Speaker Pelosi is not expected to allow any amendments to today's omnibus bill, continuing the closed legislative process that has plagued the current Congress since its opening day. Consequently, Weldon said the future of NASA funding will likely hinge on the Senate.

"The Senate leadership, including Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), has yet to speak to the draconian cuts being proposed. I hope they're alerted to the message the House sent today and will propose funding in line with NASA's overall mission and the President's original request to ensure a smooth transition to the new launch vehicle."

[ASH71]

You are a fool if that is what you believe. Try typing into Google "Nasa Inventions"
Here I'll list 2 for you:
Cat Scan
Kidney Dialysis

And those are just from the Apollo missions!

[Centurion2000]

I find this the biggest waste of money the United States has ever spent.

When China holds the High Guard, will you feel vindicated?

[Gum Shoe]

"Watch China swarm outer space, watch on your Chinese satellite feed."

So the future is going to be similar to the future as portrayed in the Sci-fi series "Firefly". Better brush up on yer Chinese people! Lay Ho Ma!

[Alter Kaker]

Perhaps but there will then come a time were we might have to leave this planet, and i for one hope we have some trained people to get us moving. As well as populations on the moon. 1 asteroid can ruin our whole day.

If you're seriously worried about an asteroid strike, maybe we should consider funding asteroid detection projects (currently underfunded) for 1/100th the cost of a manned mission. The cost of coming up with a way to deflect or destroy an incoming asteroid would still be a minuscule fraction of the cost of sending some clown to Mars, let alone actually putting a permanent population on the moon.

[ASH71]

Sure would be nice but i would rather have watch stations on the moon where the glow from Earth would not affect it. Being able to do something about it though would be nice with out Nasa... Destroying one is worse because then it becomes a shotgun blast. Deflecting it is what it is all about and gee whiz, NASA is working on that right now.

[Fitzcarraldo]

China "holding the high ground" seems to now mean creating wide-ranging debris clouds to destroy satellites. Their manned program is purely for propaganda, IMO.

[Alter Kaker]

If we are to pursue "Space Manifest Destiny" goals (space colonization, etc.) basic technology will have to advance a few more steps to enable space resource processing at cost-effective levels.

Manned space travel at the current time makes no sense scientifically, politically, economically or for any other purpose that I can divine. 20 years from now, that may no longer be the case. But at the current time, the cost is prohibitive and the benefits are nil.

[af_vet_rr]

The von Braun paradigm of space exploration is about to collapse under its own weight, IMO.

Many years ago, I went to a lecture with one of the scientists who came over from Germany with von Braun.

He said the United States does not, and has never had a space program. What the United States has, is a space race.

[AdvisorB]

Dave Weldon has been telling the truth about how the RATs have emasculated the Space and Military budgets in the past, so I am not surprised that he is currently blowing the whistle on the antics of the left. While Weldon is courageously sounding the alarm, the Congressman's home paper, the Florida Today, is doing it's best to bury the story, and hide the unpleasant facts from Spacecoast voters. You wouldn't believe the half-truths, whole-untruths, omissions, and out-of-context quotes that this paper has engaged in, in an effort to deny the real facts from its readers. The dishonest mullet wrapper the Florida Today, is to the left and the RATs in this country, what Pravda once was to the bolsheviks. Leftist propaganda dressed up as the news is the order of the day.

Weldon has done a great job in the past, but this slanted publication has made his job very difficult.

[napscoordinator]

Your a fool for paying taxes on a losing endeavor. How many people have been up in space????

[napscoordinator]

They can own space. We will rule down here.

[af_vet_rr]

Manned space travel at the current time makes no sense scientifically, politically, economically or for any other purpose that I can divine.

[Alter Kaker]

The asteroid tracking programs (LINEAR, NEAT, etc.) are all small and under-funded. Again, if you're seriously worried about the thread of a collision, you should think about tackling that problem before you start planning to evacuate 6 billion people to Mars.

As for space-based observation, I think orbit makes a heck of a lot more sense than a telescope on the moon. Do you know how insanely complicated it would be to land a large lens on the moon intact?

[Alter Kaker]

Landing a man on the moon will do what, exactly, to China?

[ASH71]

you count them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_astronauts_by_name

I am fool for paying Federal taxes at all but that is beside the point.

[listenhillary]

They can throw cheap rocks from the moon. Target your home, your town, your state with rocks with cheap thrusters.

Start your chinese lesson now.

[DustyMoment]

Wha . . . . !!??

I'm so . . . . . shocked.

[ASH71]

As i stated to you but perhaps you just ignored it, I would rather have the searchers in space. The more we leave the better we will be at it. So when the Sh!t hits the fan we can do something and not detroy it as you suggested. Who would send anyone to Mars let alond 6 Bil people. Because you see there is no life support on Mars and under your plans never would be would there?

[ASH71]

More we learn not leave hehe

[DustyMoment]

If a Dem sits in the White House in 2009 the Moon, Mars and Beyond program won't be a consideration since it will be gone. Congress will be concerned with NEO since that is where the military interests will be for a long time to come.

Dems . . . . and military interests!!?? Are you sure about that? The Dems have no military interests.

But, getting Martian votes to keep them in power - THAT has potential!!