Florida Reps. Kosmas and Posey: Obama’s NASA Policy Doesn’t Go Far Enough

FLORIDA REP. SUZANNE KOSMAS STATEMENT

“The changes that the President has outlined today to his NASA proposal are steps in the right direction and a sign that he is listening to my concerns, but there is still room for improvement.

“The continuation of Orion, combined with new program offices at Kennedy Space Center, infrastructure upgrades and economic development funding, will help protect Space Coast jobs, and I am glad that the President has heard our call to preserve our highly skilled workforce.

“However, as I have said all along, without working towards a specific vehicle and without having American access to the International Space Station, we risk losing our supremacy in space. I have introduced legislation that would maintain a robust NASA-led human spaceflight program by allowing for Shuttle extension and by establishing a next-generation NASA-led vehicle, and I will continue fighting to make sure these ideas are fully explored.

“I appreciate that the President has shown a willingness to improve his proposal and I look forward to continuing our dialogue on this important issue. No matter what, I will keep working with my colleagues from both parties to develop a strong plan for NASA that protects Space Coast jobs and preserves America’s international leadership in space, science and technology.”

FLORIDA REP. BILL POSEY STATEMENT

“I am pleased that the President has come to KSC today to learn a little more about our nation’s space program and see up close what KSC’s incredible workforce does.

“I am committed to helping the President keep his August 2008 commitment to Brevard and the nation; first to close the space gap and second to keep America first in space.  I do, however, align my concerns with those recently expressed by astronauts Armstrong, Lovell, and Cernan about the President’s current plan which falls short of these commitments. He has not budged on his plan to retire the shuttle eight months from now and that is deeply disappointing to me but I will continue to press for Shuttle extension.

“I am very concerned about the impact this plan will have not just on the workforce at KSC, but also the adverse impact on our nation’s military industrial base and America’s economic competitiveness.  Let’s remember the benefits of space extend far beyond the direct actions related to launching rockets.

“With regard to the prospective jobs for the Space Coast that are presented by NASA in the documents released this week, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking those job numbers to the bank.  There have been a lot of numbers tossed around, and NASA told us just last week they could not translate the top line budget numbers into center specific jobs numbers because those decisions would be made by the contractors once those contracts are let.  This week NASA has a different story.

“I believe that the bipartisan bills that I have introduced, H.R. 1962, and a second bill along with Rep. Kosmas, H.R. 4804, put our nation’s space program on a strong path with specific time tables and goals.  H.R. 4804 calls for a final decision on a heavy lift vehicle within six months of enactment, rather than 2015 as the President announced today.

“Finally, I am a strong supporter of commercial space.  I spent a decade working with Space Florida to promote our state’s commercial space efforts.  I am concerned, however, that NASA’s current plan bets too much of our nation’s space future on commercial space companies.  We must also remember that our space efforts have national security implications and a clear federal government role. Additionally, there is really no foreseeable return on commercial investment except as sub-contractors for a federal program.”