[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12512-12513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




DESIGNATING THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AS 
                 A NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST AND ASSET

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 29, 2010

  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I join my colleagues in 
strong support of NASA programs across the country, and I share their 
concerns regarding the administration's proposal to cancel NASA's 
Constellation Program, which includes the Orion Crew Capsule, the 
Altair Lunar Lander, and the Ares I and Ares V rockets.
  These programs, which together comprise our human spaceflight 
program, were authorized in both 2005 and 2008 by Republican and 
Democratic Congresses respectively. It is under the Constellation 
program that NASA is currently developing new launch vehicles and 
spacecraft capable of travel to the moon, Mars and other destinations. 
Not only does cancelling the Constellation Program jeopardize America's 
leadership role in human space exploration, but it will have 
detrimental effects on our economy and national security.
  Take, for example, the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The 
Johnson Space Center has the lead to manage the Constellation Program 
and several of its major elements, including the Orion Crew Exploration 
Vehicle and the Altair Lunar Lander. Without Constellation, the Johnson 
Space Center could lose anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 high-tech jobs. If 
the JSC loses 4,000 direct jobs, an additional 2,315 indirect jobs 
would be lost, totaling 6,315; loss of income and expenditures locally 
would be over $567 million. If the JSC loses 7,000 direct jobs, an 
additional 4,052 indirect jobs would be lost, totaling 11,052; loss of 
income and expenditures locally would total almost $1 billion.
  When speaking of the decision to cancel the Constellation Program, 
Administrator Bolden stated that ``NASA intends to work with the 
Congress to make this transition smooth and effective, working 
responsibly on behalf of the taxpayers.'' To the contrary, I believe 
that the best use of taxpayers' money is to continue the investment in 
NASA to build America's scientific future. That future will create 
jobs.
  The present administration's plan for the Constellation Program would 
cause drastic job loss across America and would place America in a 
behind the edge position as it relates to competitiveness in scientific 
research. NASA and the space industry are critical to Houston's 
economic success in both the short and long term. According to the Bay 
Area Houston Economic Partnership, NASA accounts for nearly 16,800 
direct federal jobs and serves as the engine for another 3,100 civilian 
jobs that together supply more than $2.5 billion in payroll into 
Houston's regional economy. The Johnson Space Center is the primary 
location for training astronauts for spaceflights and this move; yet, 
the proposed budget will effectively cancel America's human spaceflight 
program.
  In his statement announcing NASA's budget, Administrator Bolden 
stressed that changes in the FY 2011 budget would be ``good for NASA, 
great for the American workforce, and essential for our nation's future 
prosperity.'' Madame Speaker, while I seek the same objectives, I 
strongly disagree with the closing of this project and I believe it 
will hurt America's scientific progress. Additionally, the aerospace 
industry would lose as many as 20,000-30,000 jobs nationally in either 
of these scenarios.
  Given our current economic downturn, we cannot take the possibility 
of these job losses lightly and the Johnson Space Center is just one 
example of what the cancellation of this program would do to other NASA 
centers nationally. It will take years for the commercial spaceflight 
industry to get up to speed to reach the level of competence that 
exists at NASA today.
  Our government has already invested literally years and billions of 
dollars into this program. We should build upon these investments and 
not abandon them. Our country can support the commercial spaceflight 
industry, but not at the expense of our human spaceflight program, 
which for years has inspired future generations and driven technology 
that enhances our quality of life. This technology is crucial to our 
national security. NASA conducts aeronautics research to address 
aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and, emissions reductions 
and fuel efficiency. NASA's contribution to our knowledge of air and 
water supports improved decision making for natural resource management 
and emergency response, thus enabling us to better respond to future 
homeland security threats.
  Knowledge of Earth's water cycle is a critical first step in 
protecting our water supply; water flows over the Earth's surface in 
oceans, lakes, and streams, and is particularly vulnerable to attack. 
NASA sensors also provide a wealth of information about the water 
cycle; and contributes to improving our ability to monitor water 
resources and water quality from space; we must also protect the 
quality and safety of the air we breathe; airborne contaminants can 
pose danger to human health; and chemical, nuclear, radiological, and 
biological attacks are plausible threats against which we can protect.
  I have asked my colleagues in Congress to join me in my efforts to 
restore funding for the Constellation to the FY 2011 budget for the 
following reasons:

[[Page 12513]]

  1. Elimination of the Constellation program will present homeland 
security implications for cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and the 
Intelligence community of the United States;
  2. Elimination of the Constellation program will compromise the 
effectiveness of the International Space Station as it relates to the 
strategic importance of space station research, and intelligence;
  3. Continuation of NASA's Constellation program is crucial to 
improving national security, climate, and research in science and 
medicine.
  It is my hope, that this Congress will continue to support NASA's 
Constellation program and to support balanced energy policies that 
promote economic growth and will help us meet our clean energy goals.

                              H. Res. 1150

       Whereas the United States has invested in human flight 
     program since May 5, 1961, a program that has been a source 
     for the United States leadership role in space exploration 
     and advancement in scientific research; and is a national 
     security interest and asset for the Nation.
       Whereas the Constellation program is a human space flight 
     program that includes: the Ares I launch vehicle, capable of 
     launching to low-Earth orbit; the Ares V heavy-lift launch 
     vehicle, to send astronauts and equipment to the Moon; the 
     Orion capsule, intended to carry astronauts to low-Earth 
     orbit and beyond; and the Altair lunar lander and lunar 
     surface systems astronauts will need to explore the lunar 
     surface.
       Whereas the President's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget provided 
     $18,700,000,000 for the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration (NASA); the Budget funds a program of space-
     based research to advance our understanding of climate change 
     and its effects, as well as human and robotic space 
     exploration; and the budget supports the use of the Space 
     Shuttle to complete assembly of the International Space 
     Station.
       Whereas the 2010 NASA budget funded a program of space-
     based research that supports the Administration's commitment 
     to deploy a global climate change research and monitoring 
     system.
       Whereas 2010 NASA budget was to fund the safe flight of the 
     Space Shuttle through the vehicle's retirement at the end of 
     2010. An additional flight will be conducted if it can be 
     completed safely before the end of 2010.
       Whereas the President's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget proposes to 
     eliminate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
     (NASA)'s Space Shuttle and Constellation program and allocate 
     $6,000,000,000 over 5 years for the purpose of developing 
     commercial space flight.
       Whereas the Congress recognizes the policy outlined in 
     section 501(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Authorization Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16761(a)), that the 
     United States shall maintain an uninterrupted capability for 
     human space flight and operations in low-earth orbit, and 
     beyond, as an essential element of national security and the 
     ability to ensure continued United States participation and 
     leadership in the exploration of space.
       Whereas eliminating the Constellation upon retirement of 
     the Space Shuttle will create a national security risk to the 
     United States and will diminish the Nation's efforts to 
     advance scientific research in space.
       Whereas the United States will for the first time since its 
     space program began, be without a human space flight program.
       Whereas transferring funds from the Constellation program 
     to the development of commercial space programs to carry 
     human and crew into space is taking a chance on an unknown 
     quantity and is an unnecessary and unreasonable risk this 
     country must not take.
       Whereas the retirement of the Space Shuttle this year will 
     leave the United States vulnerable and depending on Russia to 
     put United States astronauts in orbit without the 
     Constellation program; in May of last year when it became 
     clear the United States had no one else to turn to, Russia 
     raised its prices from $48,000,000 to $51,000,000 per launch 
     for each astronaut.
       Whereas the Constellation program is not just about going 
     to the moon, as the United States has a commitment to the 
     International Space Station (ISS), and with the Space Shuttle 
     being retired this September, the Constellation is the only 
     system under development that will give NASA the future 
     capability to launch and retrieve crews to and from the ISS.
       Whereas decreasing the use of the International Space 
     Station would impact the ability to sustain its systems and 
     physical infrastructure.
       Whereas the Constellation program should be funded to 
     continue use of the International Space Station to support 
     the agency and other Federal, commercial, and academic 
     research and technology testing needs.
       Whereas partnerships between universities and NASA centers 
     should be established to provide research opportunities for 
     conduct of research in the United States International Space 
     Station National Laboratories for the next generation of 
     scientists in order to ensure effective utilization of the 
     International Space Station research capabilities.
       Whereas NASA conducts aeronautics research to address 
     aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and, emissions 
     reductions and fuel efficiency.
       Whereas NASA's contribution to our knowledge of air and 
     water supports improved decisionmaking for natural resource 
     management and emergency response, thus enabling us to better 
     respond to future homeland security threats.
       Whereas knowledge of Earth's water cycle is a critical 
     first step in protecting our water supply; water flows over 
     the Earth's surface in oceans, lakes, and streams, and is 
     particularly vulnerable to attack.
       Whereas NASA sensors provide a wealth of information about 
     the water cycle; and contributes to improving our ability to 
     monitor water resources and water quality from space; we must 
     also protect the quality and safety of the air we breathe; 
     airborne contaminants can pose danger to human health; and 
     chemical, nuclear, radiological, and biological attacks are 
     plausible threats against which we can better protect the 
     United States through NASA's research: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) NASA is a national security asset and interest for the 
     United States;
       (2) elimination of the Constellation program will present 
     Homeland Security implications for cyberspace, critical 
     infrastructure, and the intelligence community of the United 
     States;
       (3) elimination of the Constellation program will 
     compromise the effectiveness of the International Space 
     Station as it relates to the strategic importance of space 
     station research, and intelligence;
       (4) continuation of NASA's Constellation program is crucial 
     to improving national security, climate, and research in 
     science and medicine; and
       (5) the United States should maintain its funding of the 
     Constellation program and should begin funding commercial 
     space in 5 years and not sooner.

                          ____________________