The House has proposed sharp cuts in NASA. The reductions total either $303 million, $508.7 million or $578.8 million depending upon which budget figures you use. The chart below, based on House and Senate documents, lays it all out.
NASA Budget Reductions
(in Millions of Dollars)
| 2010 Actual |
2011 PBR |
2011 Sen App |
2011 CR |
Diff 2010 Actual- 2011 CR |
Diff 2011 PBR- 2011 CR |
Diff 2011 Senate App- 2011 CR |
|
| Space Operations | $6,146.8 | $4,887.8 | $5,247.9 | $5,946.8 | $(200.0) | $1,059.0 | $698.9 |
| Exploration | $3,746.3 | $4,263.4 | $3,706.0 | $3,746.3 | $ Â - | $(517.1) | $40.3 |
| Science | $4,469.0 | $5,005.6 | $5,005.6 | $4,469.0 | $ Â - | $(536.6) | $(536.6) |
| Aeronautics | $501.0 | $1,151.8 | $579.6 | $501.0 | $Â Â - | $(650.8) | $(78.6) |
| Education | $182.5 | $145.8 | $180.0 | $182.5 | $Â Â - | $36.7 | $2.5 |
| Construction | $448.3 | $397.3 | $508.7 | $408.3 | $ (40.0) | $11.0 | $(100.4) |
| Cross-agency Support |
$3,194.0 | $3,111.4 | $3,085.7 | $3,131.0 | $(63.0) | $19.6 | $45.3 |
| Inspector General | $36.4 | $37.0 | $37.5 | $36.4 | $Â Â - | $(0.6) | $(1.10) |
| TOTAL | $18,724.3 | $19,000.1 | $18,930.0 | $18,421.3 | $(303.0) | $(578.8) | $508.7 |
The columns are:
- 2010 Actual: NASA’s 2010 budget
- 2011 PRB: President Barack Obama’s budget request (PBR)
- 2011 Senate App: Senate’s proposed NASA appropriations bill based on 2011 authorization bill (appropriations bill abandoned in December)
- 2011 CR: House’s proposed continuing resolution (CR) for NASA’s 2011 funding
- Diff 2010 Actual/2011 CR: Difference between NASA’s 2010 budget and House 2011 CR
- Diff 2011 PBR/2011 CR: Difference between President Obama’s request and House 2011 CR
- Diff 2011 Senate App/2011 CR: Difference between Senate appropriations bill and House 2011 CR
As you can see, Republican House members have cut out all the Administration’s proposed increase in the science budget. The space operations budget goes up considerably. Aeronautics takes a hit of $650.8 from what the president request but only $78.6 million below the funding level that the Senate was considering in December based on the authorization bill that Congress approved.
The House CR would remove restrictions on NASA canceling the Constellation program, which had been held up. House officials say the space agency would be able to spend funds on programs that Congress and the President authorized. The CR would fund the agency from March through September. After Congress approves the measure, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden would be given 60 days to produce a new spending plan.
For those of you keeping score at home, NASA released its FY 2011 budget in February 2010. It was supposed to be approved by Sept. 30. Because Congress failed to do so, the space agency will be forced to muddle through for six months on its previous funding level without being able to cancel any progrms or start new ones. Congress will then cut its budget and force it to spend another two months figuring out how to spend it.
What a way to run a railroad.
The House plans still has to make it through the Senate and past the President. The Administration releases its 2012 budget request tomorrow. We will see what he has in store for NASA. Hopefully, Congress will be able to actually pass it this time.
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