IFPTE Local Ames Federal Employees Union Memo to NASA Ames Federal Employees

Subject: NASA’s proposed FY2009 budget
From: Lee Stone
Date: Monday, February 4, 2008

Dear Ames Federal Employee:

The President has unveiled his FY2009 budget today and, as expected, NASA’s budget is increased by a meager 1.8% that does not keep up with inflation. IFPTE issued press releases today bemoaning the Administration’s failure to properly fund NASA as well as other general concerns relevant to Federal and Public sector employees (see attached).

With respect to Ames, the downward funding trend continues: including existing and past reimbursables, Ames’ budget has gone from $848.6M in FY2007 to $692.9M in FY2008 and today’s released budget projects a continued decrease to $629.3M in FY2009 and to $592.6 in FY 2010. However, there is hope on the horizon as Ames looks to attract new Lunar Science missions and new Science R&A funding, increased involvement in Constellation, increased IT responsibilities, and increased opportunities for reimburseable R&D funding. These new sources of funding (including unallocated mission directorate funds held at HQ) are not reflected in the President’s FY2009 budget so there is room for cautious optimism that these negative trends can be blunted and that Ames can achieve a funding level closer to $700M. Furthermore, Congress is likely to rearrange NASA’s budget (as it did in 2008 to the benefit of Ames) even if a Presidential veto threat prevents any increase in the top line.

Happily, it would now seem that the sustained bipartisan Congressionally-imposed RIF moratorium (initiated by IFPTE) has finally forced HQ to accept the current workforce complement at the Centers.

IFPTE will be working this budget as it moves through Congress and we seek input from all of you as we prepare our recommendations to House and Senate Appropriators.

Sincerely,

–Lee Stone
VP, Legislative Affairs
IFPTE local 30
Ames Federal Employees Union