[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10073-S10074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD:
  S. 3932. A bill to limit the amount of funds available to the 
Aerobatics Research Mission Directorate of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration during fiscal year 2007 and fiscal years 
thereafter; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that 
would limit the amount of funds available to the Aeronautics Research 
Mission Directorate (ARMD) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. We must ensure that U.S. taxpayer money is being used 
efficiently and effectively, and this measure would help in our ongoing 
efforts to streamline government programs and reduce the Federal budget 
deficit.
  My bill proposes to reduce the amount of funding for the ARMD from 
its 2006 level of $884 million to $724 million for fiscal years 2007 
and thereafter. This represents a savings of $160 million per year, or 
$800 million over five years. This funding reduction reflects the 
President's own budget priorities; in fact, the $724 million figure 
comes from the President's 2007 budget savings proposal. NASA is in the 
process of restructuring and reprioritizing, and the ARMD is a 
directorate that has been identified as an area where savings could be 
achieved. In the past, some of the ARMD's aeronautics work focused on 
developing technologies that could have short-term commercial 
applications in the air transportation industry. This is work that 
could be more appropriately taken on by the

[[Page S10074]]

private sector, and does not require such a massive investment from the 
Federal Government.
  This bill should not be read to imply that the work of the ARMD is 
not important. To the contrary, aeronautics research is perhaps some of 
the most directly relevant work to many Americans that NASA is involved 
in. This bill simply follows up on the President's call for the ARMD to 
focus its research efforts in the areas that are most appropriate. By 
refocusing on long-term fundamental aeronautics research, safety 
research, and ways to address the needs of the future air 
transportation system, ARMD should be able to operate effectively and 
efficiently under this spending cap.
  One of the main reasons I first ran for the U.S. Senate was to 
restore fiscal responsibility to the Federal budget. I have continued 
to work to eliminate wasteful spending and to reduce the soaring budget 
deficit, which is now estimated at $300 billion this year. Unless we 
return to fiscally responsible budgeting, Congress will saddle our 
Nation's younger generations with an enormous financial burden for 
years to come. This bill is one small step in that direction.
                                 ______