Sen. Mikulski Response to Space Funding in President’s NASA Budget

Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) released the following statement today following the release of President Bush’s FY 2007 budget, which included:

– $150 million for a servicing mission to save the Hubble Telescope

– $16.8 billion in federal funding for NASA (3.2% increase)

– $2.3 billion for Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., which supports 10,000 employees (a 2% increase)

The budget also provides $443 million for the Webb Telescope, which will follow the Hubble Telescope, scheduled to be launched in 2013. The Webb Telescope will be run by Baltimore’s Space Telescope Science Institute and Goddard:

“After years of fighting this battle, I am thrilled to see that President Bush has finally agreed with me that a Hubble servicing mission should be a top priority for America. Hubble is a national asset and a national priority. I will continue to fight to ensure that this money remains in the budget. Hubble is too important to the world and to our country.”

“Today’s budget announcement is also good news and an important win for the Space Telescope, Goddard and Maryland. I will keep fighting to protect these programs as the senior Democrat on the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee.”