Thanks to Senator Hutchison and to Senator Barbara Mikulski, they had added another billion dollars, over and above the White House request.

Thank you, also, in an uncertain budget year, where we haven't had budgets submitted by the White House that have matched with the authorization.

I am further concerned that being forced to make those choices can have the effect of undermining the traditional constituency for NASA.

It's just amazing, Mark, how you can just put it on a dime, and you don't have an engine.

Excuse me for interrupting, but wasn't there one program that you told us, for example, in the development of the heat shield, that you could take out of exploration and put into aeronautics?

I think that most of us believe it would be more efficient than the government, and, therefore, a good deal.

And then, you would have to have the government oversight, because it's going to interface with a government facility, the Space Station.

What do you think is going to be the impact upon the work force, both civil servants and contractors?

Is it correct that in order to meet their recommendations, it was basically about $2 billion annually?

Well, the Chinese are going to hear that, and they're going to say, 'Well, see? We haven't appreciably added to the problem.'

But there are jobs that will be provided that otherwise wouldn't have had the selection of that particular contractor not been made.

What we'd like you to come up with is a figure that is realistic that we could go out and try to find for you, so you can keep on the schedule of 2014 or earlier for Orion/Ares.

one of the things that maybe you, Senator Mikulski, and Senator Hutchison could all explore is language that would give additional flexibility.

I want to thank you, personally, for what you've done to try to straighten that out.

thank you for what you've done in the agency in stopping this muzzling of scientists.

I want to point out to those that are listening that the Administrator has said early Fiscal Year 2015.

I would encourage you to move with deliberate speed so that we can see, and the people's representatives on this Committee can do our own examination, by receiving that report.

May I interject right there? Now, let me get the math.