I continue to believe that the space program represents one of the best uses of taxpayer's dollars.

our program seeks to enable the capabilities we will need for astronauts to meaningfully explore the Moon, asteroids, and eventually Mars.

We have to have a goal, as Senators Nelson and Senator Vitter said, we have to have a target, we have to have a plan.

If, however, we instead accept the Administration's proposal laid out in this budget request, I have no doubt that it will lead to no less than the ruin of our proud space program.

I have great concern about not having a goal for NASA and canceling existing programs that would put us on a path to get us beyond lower Earth orbit.

If you gave me an infinite pocket of money--pot of money, I could not get a human to Mars within the next 10 years.

The $2 and a half billion in the President's budget to cancel the program--instead, use that to continue testing on Rocket X.

I think it's time to--for NASA to get back to that NACA mentality here a little bit.

I think we are still looking at a significant strategic mistake in shutting down the Space Shuttle before we need to.

We need to branch out beyond low-Earth orbit, and that's going to require heavy lift.

there is a great deal at stake here, and it's not only for our employees in our respective states, but it clearly is for this Nation being the leader in technology through its space exploration program.