[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 25, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                E X T E N S I O N   O F   R E M A R K S


 THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NASA AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEARS 1995 
                                AND 1996

                                 ______


                       HON. GEORGE E. BROWN, JR.

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 1994

  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the NASA 
Authorization Act for fiscal years 1995 and 1996. Over the coming 
weeks, I hope to move this bill expeditiously through the committee 
legislative process.
  Mr. Speaker, as you know, this is perhaps the most critical year NASA 
has faced since the cancellation of the Apollo Program. This is the 
first time since then that the administration has requested a decrease 
in funding of our Nation's space and aeronautics activities. In 
addition, within this lower funding envelope, NASA is seeking to 
continue major programs such as the space shuttle, the space telescope, 
and the space station.
  Since this situation became clear to me, I have worked hard to help 
ensure that the allocations within the Appropriations Subcommittees 
provided enough funding to provide an adequate and balanced space 
program while retaining enough money for the space station. Despite the 
efforts of many, it is still unclear whether the allocations provide 
for this.
  Therefore I am introducing this bill today to help clarify the true 
needs of the space program this year. Mindful that some reductions will 
eventually need to be made, this bill identifies nearly $290 million in 
program cuts. It also, however, identifies some offsetting actions that 
cannot only reduce the adverse effects of these reductions, but also 
provide a path toward a more sustainable space program.
  The bottom line is contained in the bill. Any funding level below 
$14.150 billion will begin to have serious consequences for the space 
program. Although I will remain open to any proposals, I will need to 
weigh very carefully whether to continue to support the space station 
in its present form if the NASA budget falls below that level.
  I have made clear that some review of the long-term needs of the 
space budget will be absolutely necessary during the budget 
preparations for the fiscal year 1996 budget. I have met with OMB 
director Leon Panetta and he has agreed to consider this matter 
seriously.
  Whether or not NASA is provided with a more favorable 5-year budget 
projection, it will be necessary to fundamentally reduce the cost of 
the space program in future years. I have welcomed many of the actions 
that have been proposed by NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin in this 
regard and I am confident that these management reforms will have the 
desired effect in the future.
  However, a recent Congressional Budget Office study entitled 
``Reinventing NASA'' has pointed out that these reforms provide no 
instant gratification and will take sustained effort to ensure that 
they achieve cost savings. In the interim, I envision that there may be 
some real need to restructure NASA's programs along the lines I have 
suggested in order to provide a bridge to the future.
  I would like to include with this statement a description of the bill 
and its principal provisions. I hope to bring this bill before the 
House as soon as possible.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal 
                            Years 1995, 1996


                               background

       The ``Augustine Report'' issued in 1990 has generally been 
     acknowledged as the most thorough review of space policy 
     since the Apollo period. One key recommendation of that 
     report is that the budget for the space program should 
     achieve a greater stability and should increase in real 
     terms. Since the issuance of that report, the NASA budget 
     appropriated by Congress has decreased in real terms.
       Moreover, the five year budget runout has decreased 
     substantially due to a combination of overall budgetary 
     stress and shifting Administration priorities. For the period 
     1994-1998, the fiscal year 1994 budget request for NASA 
     required a reduction of $15.7 billion and the fiscal year 
     1995 request required an additional reduction of $8.1 
     billion. In short, the NASA budget has enjoyed neither the 
     stability nor the real growth envisioned by the Augustine 
     report.
       This authorization bill is intended to define a path for 
     maintaining balance within the space program within the 
     budgetary restraints that have been imposed over the next two 
     years. The objective of the bill is to sustain all of the 
     investments that have been made in the space and aeronautics 
     program over the past decade including programs such as the 
     Space Telescope, the Earth Observing System, and the Space 
     Station.
       This bill does not, however, provide a long term solution. 
     Continued decline in Administration budget requests and 
     Congressional Appropriations will result in the need for 
     major programmatic realignment or cancellations in future 
     years.


                            overall approach

       This bill identifies specific areas where budgetary 
     reductions are possible other than the Space Station. It also 
     identifies specific actions that can be taken to offset 
     the adverse effects of such reductions and maintain a 
     healthy and balanced space and aeronautics program.
       For fiscal year 1995, the bill identifies $288.6 million in 
     programmatic reductions relative to the request level of 
     $14.3 billion. It also provides for $139 million in 
     offsetting additions. Thus, although a funding level of 
     $14.01 billion may be minimally adequate to maintain the 
     fiscal year 1995 space and aeronautics program without 
     impacting the Space Station, program disruptions and lost 
     investments will occur. A funding level of $14.150 billion 
     will provide for a healthy and balanced space program and 
     more effectively capitalize on past investments.
       For fiscal year 1996, the bill provides $14.4 billion, the 
     overall request level. This funding level is still several 
     hundred million below an inflationary increase over the 1995 
     level. In order to sustain the space and aeronautics program 
     over the long term, the Administration and Congress will need 
     to undertake an in-depth review of NASA's funding 
     requirements during the budget preparation cycle for fiscal 
     year 1996. Specifically, there is a need for an objective 
     assessment of the true savings obtained from the management 
     reforms undertaken as part of the National Performance Review 
     and an assessment of the actual budgetary needs of the 
     ongoing and anticipated programs.


                summary of major provisions of the bill

       Some of the major reductions identified in the bill are as 
     follows:
       The bill provides for a reduction in the Shuttle flight 
     rate of one mission per year. Continued erosion of NASA's 
     budget in the out years may necessitate an additional 
     reduction in flight rate.
       The bill assumes a deletion of one Spacelab mission, MSL-1. 
     It is possible to recover some of the science lost by this 
     action on a series of Spacelab missions and joint activities 
     with the Russians.
       The bill eliminates the Mars Surveyor new start. It is 
     anticipated, however, that increased cooperation with the 
     Russian science community may provide for a restructured 
     joint mission.
       The bill defers work on an Ocean Color Imager and Altimeter 
     now part of the Earth Observing System. Other potential 
     flight options and mission phasing is possible to counter 
     this deferral.
       The Techsat program is held to 1994 levels pending a 
     clearer demonstration of industry co-funding as originally 
     proposed.
       The bill provides for a moderate delay in the TDRSS 
     procurement.
       The bill provides for a reduction in personnel funding due 
     to the better than anticipated success of the buyout program.
       The bill also provides for certain program augmentations 
     and new initiatives as follows:
       The bill provides for additional funding for the Global 
     Geospace Science program in order to accommodate the launch 
     delays now anticipated.
       The bill provides for a moderate new start on a technology 
     development program directed at advanced launch technologies 
     including SSTO and reusable technologies.
       The bill maintains funding for the University Space 
     Engineering Centers which have been proposed for termination.
       The bill establishes a new line item for Russian 
     cooperation in science to complement the Russian cooperation 
     in human spaceflight. It is anticipated that the initial 
     focus of this cooperative program will be in Mars exploration 
     and recovery of the science lost with the Mars Observer.

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