Blown by shifting political winds, the future of NASA has been precarious since it achieved JFK's vision forty years ago. But with tea sipping mad-hatters and anti-science deficit peacocks potentially gaining influence in the mid terms, this premier engine of science and innovation could conceivably cease to exist (And you better believe they'll blame Obama and Pelosi while they kill it). Sounds preposterous, but I've heard rumors that the cat food commission may well consider that.
A compromise bill has already been passed in the Senate which insures the agency's future. S3729 provides decent funding to both new and traditional aerospace companies for new vehicles. It retains a majority of the recommendations from senior NASA leadership, the WH Office of Science and Technology, and the Augustine Commission. The bill codifies US commitment for critical earth science, unmanned exploration, and new technologies to go where no one has gone before.
This is easy: S3729 could be passed right now, and signed into law before the mid terms, if Steny Hoyer would bring it up for a vote. But the House is fiddling with their old BushCo bill, HR5781, which shortchanges everyone and is DoA in the Senate any way. And we are running out of time.
Let's not take any chances with NASA, let's ask for that vote, let's bring the rain.
Call 202-225-3130, Majority Leader Hoyer, right now, ask him to stop wasting precious time on HR5781, and ask that Senate Bill 3729 be given an up or down vote.
And call the House switchboard at 202-225-3121 to ask for your Representative's office.
If you want to locate your House Rep, go here to look them up. Call your Congressman today. Ask them to vote against House bill HR5781 or any House-written NASA Authorization bill if it comes to the floor this Friday or next week, and instead vote to pass Senate bill S3729 before the House recesses for the election.
If your Congressman is a Democrat, ask them to contact Majority Leader Hoyer in opposition to any NASA bill other than Senate bill S3729 coming to the floor, and to request that S3729 be brought to the floor for an up or down vote next week.
If your Congressman is a Republican, ask them to contact Minority Whip Eric Cantor in opposition to any NASA bill other than Senate bill S3729 coming to the floor, and to request that S3729 be brought to the floor for an up or down vote next week.