Richard Shelby: “I would tell my colleague I agree that we must find ways to support sciences and disciplines that contribute positively…”

“I would tell my colleague I agree that we must find ways to support sciences and disciplines that contribute positively to the United States trade relationship with its partners. Mr. ALLEN. Yet, even as our national security and economy are dependent on the breakthroughs in aeronautic research and developments, in recent years, NASA has significantly reduced its investment in this vital science. The administration's 2006 budget proposes to cut over $700 million out of NASA's aeronautics budget over the next 5 years. That will reduce the effective levels of NASA's aeronautic investment to about half the level it is today--and today's level is about half the level which existed--adjusted for inflation--that the U.S. made just a decade ago. Moreover, the President's budget called for eliminating NASA's entire ``vehicle systems'' program--the very initiative that over the last five decades has provided major technology advances that have been used on every major civil and military aircraft over that period of time. The last two administrations have consistently reduced NASA's aeronautics funding and allowed a valuable competency and the human resource to atrophy and now the U.S. is second to the Europeans in aircraft sales. I would like to point out that there have been a number of well researched, thoughtful reports on the importance of aeronautics research to our economic and national security.…”