[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NASA BUDGET

  (Mr. OLSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, since NASA's inception, the challenges that 
American scientists and engineers overcame to put men in space and on 
the Moon has brought forth a slew of cutting-edge technologies that 
made their way into our daily lives. Now the administration is willing 
to throw away 50 years of progress on a sub-orbital taxicab that places 
the U.S. firmly behind China and other nations who are willing to make 
the investments we used to because they understand the importance of 
human space exploration.
  On the campaign trail in Florida the President said, We cannot cede 
our leadership in space. That's why I will help close the gap by 
speeding the development of the Shuttle's successor. His proposed 
budget kills that successor, the Constellation program, thereby 
directly contradicting his commitment. It is a path to second place for 
the United States.
  The President has a voice in the Federal budget process, but not the 
final word. I intend to fight to maintain hundreds of thousands of 
high-technology jobs in America and America's global leadership in 
human space exploration.

                          ____________________