Mr. President, I rise today, to celebrate a remarkable anniversary. This month, Volunteers in Service to America, better known as VISTA, celebrates the 45th anniversary of its founding. I am delighted to have Senator Thad Cochran of…

And so, I remind you that the President proposes and the Congress disposes.

Mr. Speaker, as we mark the anniversary of the so-called ``stimulus plan,'' Americans want to know: Where are the jobs? In my home State of West Virginia, the White House predicted that their $800 billion stimulus package would create…

The Panel recommended that a decision be made to formally extend U.S. plans to operate and utilize the International Space Station (ISS) through at least the year 2020.

I have been critical of NASA's financial and program management in the past. And, in these extremely tough budget times, this proposed budget increase requires even more diligence and certainly, more oversight.

At a time when many agencies are seeing their budgets decrease, the President is proposing an additional $300 million for NASA next year, building into an increase of $6 billion over the next 5 years.

However, I am troubled by the significant decrease in funding for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR).

There is now a strong consensus in the United States that the next step in human spaceflight is to travel beyond low-Earth orbit.

The Panel found that, without a significant increase in the total amount of funding made available to NASA, none of the options presented could be expected to succeed.

Thank you again to all of today's witnesses for their participation. I know this is Administrator Bolden's first time testifying before the Committee since his confirmation and I look forward to his testimony.

The ultimate goal of human exploration is to chart a path for human expansion into the solar system.

I am pleased to see an increase in the requested funding for aeronautics research, especially at a time when jobs are this Nation's top priority.

I believe, if accepted and supported by the Congress in its present form, would spell the end of our Nation's leadership in space exploration.

Significant investments in science, technology, aeronautics, and education are enormously important. They are a foundation for our future.

It is imperative that NASA must maintain global leadership in Human Space Flight!

what I am hopeful for is--from the President, the White House, or someone--that we are going to get a bold statement of vision and a declaration of the ultimate destination of our space program, and that is Mars.

And it's in that spirit that this Senator thinks that we need the continued testing of a booster as a technology testbed, a robust heavy-lift vehicle program and the continued development of spacecraft for the missions beyond low-Earth…

we ought to be doing both at the same time, and we have to get lift to get up and do these technology developments like on-orbit refueling.