Bill Nelson

We want to extend the life of the International Space Station to at least 2020.

During his visit to KSC, the President articulated a strong commitment to NASA's missions and future of U.S. human spaceflight exploration.

I asked for the development of a robust commercial space sector and we are now taking steps in that direction.

If we ever give up that characteristic, then we are going to be a second-rate Nation.

We want to pursue a series of increasingly demanding human exploration missions, including a mission to an asteroid by 2025.

We want to increase NASA's investments in transformative technologies that can expand the reach and reduce the costs of human exploration.

The President also outlined an ambitious effort to foster the development of groundbreaking technologies; increase the number, scope, and pace of manned and unmanned space missions; make human spaceflight safer and more efficient; and help…

I asked for the restructuring of the Constellation Program, to include the development of a heavy-lift vehicle and a crewed vehicle capable of evolving to support expeditions beyond low-Earth orbit--we received it.

There is a great deal that is riding on this hearing today because we are preparing the way for us then to start the markup in your subcommittee of the authorizing legislation.

We want to catalyze the development of and then utilize commercially provided crew and cargo transportation services.

I asked for the extension of the International Space Station's operational life until at least 2020--we received it.

I feel there remains some room for improvement in his proposed plan for our future in space.

I asked that we receive a strong a vision statement, delivered by the President, defining Mars as the ultimate goal--we received one.

Space is a very unforgiving kind of environment.

The President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget request is good for NASA because it sets the agency on a sustainable path that is tightly linked to our Nation's interests.

I look forward to a productive hearing.

The oil is not off of Florida.

There sure should not be any more exploratory drilling until the investigation is completed.

If this thing is not stopped, we are looking at a major economic and environmental disaster affecting our State and the rest of the Gulf and the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

I believe, frankly, that all of us have a moral obligation when we leave this place to leave it in as good a shape, or better shape, than we found it.

We have a huge potential economic and environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that is occurring as we speak. It was on an exploratory rig. It is almost unbelievable how far they can now drill beneath the surface of the water. In this…

This committee not only has the obligation to boost tourism, but it has the obligation to make sure that our national parks... are available to the future generations for their enjoyment.

The national parks are certainly one of those attractions.

This was originally an idea that was meant to be a one-time thing.

I think the overall DOD has been taken by surprise in this NASA announcement to cancel. I have clearly let it be known my displeasure.