Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 5649 - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Appropriations Authorizations

(House)
(Roe (D) New Jersey and 27 others)

The Administration is pleased that H.R. 5649 authorizes multiyear appropriations for essential National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, particularly the President's Space Exploration Initiative. However, the Administration opposes enactment of H.R. 5649 unless it is amended as follows:

—  Delete the requirement in Title II for a case-by-case determination of agency launch needs by the Administrator of NASA and for reporting of each determination to Congress. (The overall intent of Title II, however, is consistent with the National Space Policy's provision on commercial launch services.)

—  Modify Section 204(b) to add national security and foreign policy considerations to the grounds for exceptions from the launch services purchase requirement.

—  Delete Section 124, which requires the National Space Council to establish a space Users' Advisory Group. This would duplicate and conflict with the Vice President's Space Policy Advisory Board established by Executive Order No. 12675.

—  Delete the proviso that none of the funds authorized for FY 1991 for aeronautical research and technology shall be expended unless at least $119 million is made available for FY 1991 for the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) program. This provision would penalize the entire NASA aeronautics program if compliance proves impossible.

—  Delete Section 116, and modify Section 102(13), which prescribe the details of the NASP program, including specific goals, agency responsibilities, and funding. These are more appropriately specified in a NASA-Defense joint management plan, consistent with the recommendations of the National Space Council, as approved by the President. The funding ratios for the two agencies in Section 116 are contrary to those contained in the Budget.

—  Delete Section 117, subsections (b) through (h). The effect of these subsections would be to require that necessary facilities which support important government programs but which may support limited commercial activity be made available for sale. Disposition of excess Federal property is determined by the General Services Administration as required by statute. These provisions would confuse existing responsibilities and create a new category of disposable property.

—  Delete Section 114, requiring the National Space Council to conduct a major Study on International Cooperation in Planetary Exploration and report to Congress on mission strategy. Some aspects of this study would be premature considering the early stage of the Space Exploration Initiative. The study would also duplicate and conflict with existing Space Council efforts in international space cooperation and would adversely affect the workload of the Space Council, preventing the completion of other important activities.

—  Delete the set-aside requirements under the Space Research and Technology and Human Exploration Initiative for university contracts and grants. The Administration is committed to strong university involvement in these programs; however, earmarking a specific percentage for universities is not an effective way to manage the available resources for these programs.

—  Delete the language for Space Station Freedom to mandate the use of solar dynamic power for future growth and to initiate a flight test of the solar dynamic power program. Such a test should not be conducted in the absence of a decision to develop solar dynamics, and should not preclude other options to provide additional power.

—  Delete Section 110, an objectionable "Buy America" provision.

—  Delete Section 115. Establishing, statutorily, an Office of Space Commerce in the Department of Commerce would restrict the Secretary's flexibility to manage space programs.