Jeff Duncan: “yesterday's lead front page story in the Christian Science Monitor newspaper was headlined, ``Late, Costly Milestone for…”

“yesterday's lead front page story in the Christian Science Monitor newspaper was headlined, ``Late, Costly Milestone for Space Base.'' It was about the Space Station and U.S. costs now approaching $100 billion. When this project was first started in 1984, cost projections were only 6 to $8 billion. This is the old Washington con game: Drastically low ball the cost estimates at the beginning, then spread the project around to as many congressional districts as possible and it will never end. As the well-respected Monitor pointed out yesterday, ``The $96 billion station is 2 rac{1}{2} years behind schedule and costs are burgeoning,'' meaning still going up. U.S. taxpayers have even had to pay out an extra 3 to $5 billion to help the Russians participate. This Space Station will go down in history as the biggest boondoggle this Nation has ever produced. Mr. Speaker, it just goes to show once again that the Federal Government cannot do anything in an economical, cost-effective manner.”