National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 12, 2008)
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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me thank the distinguished chairman of the committee. It's really good to be with him, in spite of holding us over. We are still here fighting the good fight.
Chairman Gordon, thank you for your leadership and the work that you've done, of course, with the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Udall, and my very dear colleague, who has been an advocate, Congressman Nick Lampson, who has worked closely on this issue, to the ranking member, Mr. Hall, and of course the ranking members on the respective committees. I rise today to enthusiastically support this legislation dealing with NASA's authorization.
I was reflecting on the history of authorization, and the committee should be commended. This is not a very easy task to get an authorization bill out, and we have done so. And I'm very proud that this Congress, this Democratic Congress has done so.
Today's legislation will allow NASA to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, keeping our Nation on the forefront of innovation and exploration. After the Columbia disaster, NASA stands at a pivotal moment in its history. It is the responsibility of this Congress to ensure that the future of NASA is one of continued progress. Our children depend on us to do this.
Space exploration remains part of our national destiny. Knowing the cutting edge of technology, the research on HIV/AIDS, on stroke, on heart disease, on cancer, all of this has occurred through NASA exploration and the International Space Station. It inspires our children to look at the stars and dream of what they, too, one day may achieve.
Space exploration allows us to push the bounds of our scientific knowledge as we carry out research projects not possible within the constraints of the planet Earth. Just an anecdote, when I have an annual Christmas party of 3,000 children, the astronauts that come are more popular than Santa Claus. That should be the test for continuing this wonderful effort to ensure that America always stands at the forefront of innovativeness.
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As a Nation, we have made tremendous strides forward in the pursuit of space exploration since President John F. Kennedy set the course for our Nation in 1962 calling it the ``greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.'' Despite the setbacks of recent years, including the tragedy that befell the Space Shuttles Columbia and Challenger, NASA and the American people have refused to abandon the pursuit of knowledge of our universe. On October 1, 1958, NASA began its operation. It consisted of only about 8,000 employees and an annual budget of $100 million, but it is now in its 50th year, and we are going further.
President Kennedy in 1961 said, ``I believe this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.''
Believe it not, we have now had men going into space, and we have just recently had the fiftieth woman going into space. This is an important challenge. And this legislation today provides us with an opportunity to save the 18,000 employees and to begin to look to a funding system that will continue our journey.
H.R. 6063 is addressing serious concerns. Between 2010, when the space shuttle will be phased out, and 2015 when the next generation human space flight is likely to become operational, the United States will have no method of transportation to the space station that we have already invested in.
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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. With this legislation, we are going to deliver important hardware, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, through an additional extension. The bill also authorizes $1 billion in augmented funding to accelerate the development of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, the successor to the space shuttle, in hopes of narrowing the gap.
We are also allowing one more shuttle trip for the space shuttle. This is helpful to Johnson. We don't want to
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lose jobs. We want to support this effort. And we may want to reconsider, as we go forward, the retiring of the space shuttle.
Let me thank the committee for supporting, as well, my small business amendment that addresses the question of giving training, technological training, to veterans-owned businesses, to HUB businesses, to women-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses so they can be part of the cutting edge of science.
I conclude simply by saying that President Kennedy set the mark. I am glad this committee and this Congress is carrying the torch. We must continue space exploration. It is our duty. It is our challenge. It is our obligation as patriots. And it is for the future of our children. On with the space. This legislation gets us there.
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Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6063, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United States space program, this legislation reaffirms the ever growing and changing role of NASA, providing resources to carry the agency forward with its ambitious agenda of research, exploration, and discovery. I would like to thank Congressman Udall for introducing this important legislation, as well as Science Committee Chairman Gordon for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor today.
I would also like to thank Chairman Gordon for his support of an amendment that I am offering. My amendment modifies section 1108 of the bill, and it states:
(1) in subsection (a), strike ``small businesses'' and insert ``small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses''; and
(2) In subsection (b)(2), insert ``, giving preference to socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and HUB Zone small business concerns'' after ``to small businesses.''
My amendment clarifies that the NASA Outreach and Technology Assistance Program will include small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses. It would also give preference, in selection of businesses to participate in the program, to socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and HUBZone small business concerns. I would like to thank my colleague and fellow Texan, Congressman Lampson, for his leadership in authoring the important section describing the NASA Outreach and Technology Assistance Program, and for supporting my amendment.
Madam Chairman, today's legislation will allow NASA to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, keeping our nation on the forefront of innovation and exploration. After the Columbia disaster, NASA stands at a pivotal moment in its history. It is the responsibility of this Congress to ensure that the future of NASA is one of continued progress. Space exploration remains a part of our national destiny. It inspires our children to look to the stars and dream of what they too, one day, may achieve. Space exploration allows us to push the bounds of our scientific knowledge, as we carry out research projects not possible within the constraints of the planet Earth. As a nation, we have made tremendous strides forward in the pursuit of space exploration since President John F. Kennedy set the course for our nation in 1962, calling it the ``greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.'' Despite the setbacks of recent years, including the tragedy that befell the Space Shuttle Columbia, NASA and the American people have refused to abandon the pursuit of knowledge of our universe. On October 1, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration began operation. At the time it consisted of only about 8,000 employees and an annual budget of $100 million. Over the next 50 years, NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been involved in many defining events occurred which have shaped the course of human history and demonstrated to the world the character of the people of the United States.
Many of us remember how inspired we were when on May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed: ``I believe this Nation should commitment itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.'' The success of the United States space exploration program in the 20th Century augurs well for its continued leadership in the 21st Century. This success is largely attributable to the remarkable and indispensable partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its 10 space and research centers. One of these important research centers is located in my home city of Houston. The Johnson Space Center, which manages the development, testing, production, and delivery of all United States human spacecraft and all human spacecraft-related functions, is one of the crown jewels of the Houston area.
Today, NASA is the nations' primary civil space and aeronautics research and development agency, and its current activities employ over 18,000 Americans. Today's legislation reaffirms the fundamental operating principles of NASA, emphasizes the importance of NASA leadership in a range of endeavors such as Earth observations and research, aeronautics reach and development, and an exploration program. It authorizes $20.21 billion in NASA funding for FY 2009.
Madam Chairman, in addition to this funding, H.R. 6063 begins to address what many of us believe is a serious problem that we will face in the coming years. Between 2010, when the space shuttle will be phased out, and 2015, when the next-generation human spaceflight vehicle is likely to become operational, the United States will have no method of transportation to the International Space Station, which we have already invested a great deal of American resources in. This legislation allows for an additional space shuttle flight to the International Space Station, to deliver important hardware (the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer). The bill also authorizes $1 billion in augmented funding to accelerate the development of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, the successor to the space shuttle, in hopes of narrowing the gap.
Always on the forefront of technological innovation, NASA has been home to countless ``firsts'' in the field of space exploration. America has, countless times, proven itself to be a leader in innovation, and many technologies that have become part of our everyday lives were developed by NASA scientists. The benefits of NASA's programming and innovation are felt far beyond scientific and academic spheres. Space technologies provide practical, tangible benefits to society, and NASA provides valuable opportunities to businesses in our community. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation, and in support of the future of American innovation and exploration.
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