Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Floor Speech

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Mrs. ADAMS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to join my colleague, Representative Olson, in support of an amendment to transfer $517 million out of NASA's climate change research fund and into human space flight, a proven economic driver and job creator. This amendment sends a clear message to both the administration and the leadership of NASA that it is Congress' intent that human space flight should not and cannot be ignored or marginalized.

As Representative Olson just mentioned, the purpose of this amendment is to highlight the administration's approach to NASA and the direction in which it's heading. At a time when unemployment is at 12 percent in Florida and 9 percent nationwide and our country is facing trillion-dollar deficits, I believe that limited Federal funds are better invested in NASA's human space flight program, not climate change research. Doing so will help to put people back to work and stimulate the economy.

For the last half century, the United States has made a commitment to human space exploration, creating thousands of jobs and contributing to the economies of places like central Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.

With the shuttle program winding down and the Constellation program no longer a priority for this administration, I want the American people listening today to understand the fear and uncertainty felt by hardworking families throughout central Florida and the 24th District. They need to know the great benefits that NASA's human space flight program has brought to this Nation in the past and how a policy shift from NASA-administered human space flight to increased research on potential climate changes would devastate the economy of central Florida and many other regions of our country.

The facts are that in Fiscal Year 2010, the President designated $1.2 billion of NASA's total budget towards climate change research. This is on top of the 16 separate agencies and departments outside of NASA that spent an additional $8.7 billion on climate change research in the same fiscal year. Now the President's Fiscal Year 2012 proposed budget allocates even more funding for this type of research.

As NASA's human spaceflight program hangs in the balance, and the tens of thousands of jobs the program supports along with it, it is time for Congress to return NASA's directives and goals back to the congressional intent and the original agency mission: keeping America in front as a global leader in space exploration and helping to rebuild struggling communities in the process.

In closing, I would like to thank Representatives Olson and Posey for working with me in drafting this amendment, and to Chairman Wolf for agreeing to work with our offices as the regular Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations process proceeds.

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