[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 26 (Friday, February 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            FUNDING FOR NASA

  (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, I rise today to discuss NASA funding. The 
President's proposed budget would end the Constellation program and 
shift funds to private companies, effectively killing United States 
human space flight. This shift to private sector is not a taxpayer 
savings. The Federal Government has already spent $9 billion on NASA'S 
Constellation program.
  The new budget proposes to spend an additional $2.5 billion to kill 
the Constellation, and billions more will be spent on unproven private 
sector entities. So, we're wasting $11.5 billion to ensure that 
America's 50-year reign as the global leader in human space flight is 
over.
  The President's budget does not even cut NASA's funding. It simply 
shifts funds dedicated for actual human space flight to unproven 
commercial entities, forcing us to reinvent the wheel on human space 
flight. This is not sound fiscal policy. It's not good for America's 
future.
  I urge my colleagues to join me to support efforts to restore 
Constellation funding.

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