Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) has introduced H.R. 3625, a bill that frees up half a billion dollars in funding for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), Orion Crew Capsule, and the International Space Station.
Congressman Brooks stated, "Congress has designated the Space Launch System, Orion Crew Capsule, and International Space Station as priority investments that should be properly funded. H.R. 3625 reflects congressional priorities."
Brooks continued, "H.R. 3625 is multi-faceted. It bars NASA from unilaterally canceling SLS, Orion, or the Space Station without express congressional consent. As of October 2013, NASA forces SLS, Orion, and Space Station contractors to withhold and not use $507 million in appropriated funding to cover potential termination costs should NASA unilaterally terminate these programs. H.R. 3625 frees up that $507 million for productive work on SLS, Orion and the Space Station."
Brooks added, "Withholding scarce funds for termination liability slows development and hence increases the total cost of a project. This in turn makes it even more likely that a program could be terminated. According to NASA reports to Congress, as of October 2013, $192 million from SLS, $226 million from Orion, and $89 million from the Space Station are being held to cover termination liability costs that would otherwise be used to timely complete these scientific efforts."
Brooks concluded, "The issue of limiting funding to account for potential termination liability costs contributed to the Obama Administration's decision to cancel the Constellation program. Regardless of whether Constellation should, or should not, have been cancelled, I believe it unwise to subject America's Space Launch System, Orion Crew Capsule, and International Space Station to similar risks."