[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other 
     departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes:

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise to reluctantly 
speak against the amendment offered by my friend from New York, Mr. 
Weiner.
  The amendment offered by the gentleman from New York would cut $298 
million from NASA and increase the COPS program by a corresponding 
amount. While I wholeheartedly support the COPS program, and would like 
to work with the gentleman to find ways to restore the COPS funding, 
which was so irresponsibly slashed in the Republican CR, taking this 
money from NASA would do serious damage to NASA's ability to carry out 
its programs.
  Specifically, the amendment would cut NASA's Cross Agency Support 
(CAS) account, which funds operations and maintenance of NASA's 9 
Centers, component facilities and headquarters, including agency-wide 
management functions, and safety and reliability activities to assure 
safety and mission success.
  This account also funds the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 
and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STIR) programs at NASA. 
Cuts proposed by the Weiner amendment would cut the SBIR/STTR program 
and reduce the number of grants awarded to small businesses. A 
reduction of $298M in CAS would represent 10% reduction to the CAS 
account--equivalent to shutting two of NASA's smaller Centers, for 
example, Dryden Flight Research Center, Stennis Space Center, or Ames 
Research Center.
  The resulting budget after a $298M reduction would not be sufficient 
to provide the minimum Center support required to safely implement 
NASA's mission. As these reductions would occur so late in the 
operating year, they would result in thousands of layoffs to on-site 
contractors, with 50 percent of the contractor workforce at risk. This 
equates to over 4,500 layoffs across all of NASA Centers.
  As I said before, I am an ardent supporter of the COPS program. I am 
appalled that the Republican Majority has chosen to address deficit 
reduction by making our communities less safe by cutting the number of 
police officers on the street. However, I simply cannot support 
righting that wrong by creating another. At a time when our nation's 
economic competitiveness is being seriously challenged by our foreign 
competitors, it would be irresponsible to make further cuts to one of 
our nation's great innovative research and development agencies.
  For these reasons, I must oppose this amendment and urge its defeat.

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