However, NASA continues to blame Congress for lack of resources, when it was NASA that chose to spend nearly $2 billion on a competition.

Instead, NASA's budget cuts funding to Orion and the Space Launch System, or SLS, limit our reach in human exploration.

It appears NASA is already purchasing its own insurance policy in case the crew providers are not ready.

What is the level of commitment from some of our other international partners to operate the space station beyond 2020?

This budget could have been an opportunity, I believe, for NASA to boldly support human exploration after years of budget requests, in which I believe it was short changed.

The bottom line is you need more money; is that right?

It is incumbent upon this subcommittee, as Senator Mikulski has said many times, that we are accountable to the American people and to our colleagues, and you are accountable to us.

The space station was never constructed to be there in perpetuity, was it?

It is my understanding that in the Commercial Crew Program, NASA initially decided to spread, General, the limited funding resources across five companies.

We are also moving to another stage, past the Hubble, because of what we found in the use of having the Hubble.

Is it even possible to operate as you know it the space station without the Russian segments should we choose to operate the station on our own?

Will they meet their obligations?