White House Statement of Policy H.R. 4660 – NASA Excerpt

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

Senate Amendment to H.R. 4660 – Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (Sen. Mikulski, D-MD)

(Excerpt)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Commercial Crew Program. The Administration appreciates the Committee’s support for the Commercial Crew program, but has concerns about language that would seek to apply accounting requirements unsuitable for a firm, fixed-price acquisition, likely increasing the program’s cost and potentially delaying its schedule.

Space Technology Program. The Administration is concerned that the bill does not provide the FY 2015 Budget request for the Space Technology program. Space Technology is needed to reduce the cost and increase the long-term capability of NASA, other Government, and commercial space activities.

Future Science Missions. The Administration appreciates the Committee’s support for science missions, but is concerned about prematurely specifying elements of future missions while the missions are in a very early state of development. In particular, the Administration believes the Committee’s proposed approach to a follow-on Landsat mission is not feasible within the bill’s proposed cost cap of $650 million, and that it is premature to designate the Space Launch System as the launch vehicle for a Europa mission before the costs and benefits of such a choice are understood.