I think we both agree that a strong NASA is critical to the nation and that this Authorization is a vitally important opportunity to set the policy direction and authorize funding needed to ensure America's global leadership in space.

But the people who are the experts didn't contribute to making the decision about what should be cut or not?

I would urge each of you in your agencies, but most especially GSA, to be in the driver's seat, to be in the driver's seat when it comes to making those determinations.

Our job has to be to make certain that the GSA is treating the entire region with the fairness that taxpayers deserve.

There is only one jurisdiction in the National Capital region that is treated differently, and that is Prince George's County in Maryland.

There has been way too much documentation. I don't want to go into it again.

What is the overall cost to the taxpayer and how are we saving the taxpayer money?

But before we look at interim steps, we need first to understand what it takes to get to Mars.

I share Dr. Squyres' concerns about, you know, aligning the budget and the workforce to the work that we are charged with doing.

I think it has been a shame that NASA as an agency and the industry has not had the kind of concerted direction both from the Congress and from various Administrations that really is appropriate to the task that is in front of the Agency.

I want to ensure that others share in my excitement and one day experience the thrill of American astronauts traveling to and exploring a surface far beyond our Earth.

That's why I'm delighted to hear the NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, speaking more often about Mars as the ultimate destination for human space exploration.