On the recordFebruary 10, 2015
I thank the gentleman from Mississippi and the gentlewoman from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 810, the NASA Authorization Act of 2015. This bipartisan legislation is an important step forward in our efforts to build a stronger and more focused NASA. Let's face it: NASA is the only Federal agency that has human spaceflight as its mission. However, in recent years, NASA has branched into areas that divert attention and funding from its critical mission. This bill before us begins to bring human spaceflight back into focus as NASA's key mission. It provides strong funding for vehicle development that will enable NASA to reach the Moon and beyond, putting us on a clear path towards deeper exploration into our solar system. Having met with top officials at the Johnson Space Center in my district just this past week, I can attest that they are very excited about this new focus. I am aware of NASA's challenges, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead and some of the successes that we have had over the past few months. Our bill supports NASA's Orion spacecraft, it expands America's access to the international space station, and it funds a robust Commercial Crew Program to launch American astronauts on American rockets. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this bipartisan bill.
