From: Larry Klaes (lklaes@bbn.com)
Date: Tue Jul 27 1999 - 13:33:19 MDT
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 12:10:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Louis Friedman <tpsldf@planetary.org>
To: general@planetary.org
Subject: [PLANETARY SOCIETY] Protest Congress' cuts to NASA!
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Here is your update on Planetary Society activities and events.
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Visit The Planetary Society at: http://planetary.org
Dear friends:
Please read the NEWS RELEASE below. The situation for the future of
U.S. space exploration continues to get worse -- Congress is now
considering a cut of nearly 30% to Space Science, devastating planetary
exploration, and most likely eliminating missions to Mars, Europa,
Pluto, comets and asteroids.
These actions are solely the result of political infighting about
budget surpluses! They have nothing to do with the merits of the
space program.
This is the most devastating attack on planetary exploration in 20
years. We are asking everyone who cares about the future in space --
whether from the U.S. or from other nations -- to write letters to the
U.S. Congress about this issue, before FRIDAY July 30!
Address your letters to:
The Honorable Bill Young
Chairman, Appropriations Committee
H-218 Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Fax: 202-225-9764
The Honorable David Obey
Ranking Member, Appropriations Committee
1016 Longworth
Washington, D.C. 20515
Fax: 202-225-3240
NEWS RELEASE
The Planetary Society
65 N. Catalina Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106-2301 (626) 793-5100 Fax (626)
793-5528 E-mail: tps@planetary.org Web: http://planetary.org
For Immediate Release: July 26, 1999
HOUSE SPACE SCIENCE CUTS MOST DEVASTATING IN HISTORY OF AMERICA'S SPACE
PROGRAM
PASADENA The House VA-HUD-IA Appropriations Subcommittee this evening voted to
slash $1.3 billion from NASA's FY 2000 budget, which, could will cripple the
agency and force the termination of many critical space science missions,
according to Dr. Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary Society.
"The House action gives new meaning to 'deep impact'", said Friedman. "The
space science cuts are the most devastating in NASA's history and effectively
curtail space exploration after 2001. It's an irresponsible budget that does
terrible harm to America's future."
"NASA's budget has been reduced every year since 1992, and the proposed cuts
would be the coup de grace," Friedman added. "In the last decade NASA has
led the federal government in accomplishing more for less. Now, these gains
will be lost."
The Congressional action ironically occurs as NASA astronauts are in orbit
launching Chandra, a new great observatory.
The House $1.3 billion cutback is about 10 percent of NASA's total funding
($13.665 billion). But the cut to the space science program, now $2.2
billion,
is $640 million -- 29 percent!
If this action is passed by the full Congress, the planetary missions that
would probably be terminated include:
-- All missions to Mars after 2001, including the international sample return
mission in 2005.
-- All Discovery missions after Stardust
-- The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)
-- The Europa orbiter
-- Missions to the outer planets
-- Explorer Program missions
Additional space and Earth science missions would also be cancelled.
"The House cuts fly in the face of recent Congressional studies that recommend
investing more -- not less -- in science and technology," Friedman said. The
full House recently passed the NASA authorization bill, which boosts spending
above the Administration's request.
"If the House is truly serious about these cutbacks, it should hold
hearings to
allow for public comment," Friedman said. "At a minimum, a full and open
debate about alternatives to ending the American role in space exploration
should be held."
For more information, contact Louis Friedman at (626) 7935100 or by email:
tps.ldf@planetary.org
--- Help us get the word out -- send this message to a friend. To subscribe to this list, send an e-mail to listar@planetary.org, leave the subject blank, and type "subscribe" (no quotes) in the body of the message. Or go join our e-mail list at: http://planetary.org/guestBook.html To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an email message to listar@planetary.org, leave the subject blank, and type only "unsubscribe" (no quotes) in the body of the message. Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman founded the Society in 1979 to advance the exploration of the solar system and to continue the search for extraterrestrial life. With 100,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society is the largest space interest group in the world. Copyright 1999 The Planetary Society. All Rights Reserved.
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