spacetoday.net: House committee approves NASA budget

House committee approves NASA budget

Posted: Wed, Jun 8, 2005, 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)
US Capitol

The full House Appropriations Committee approved a budget bill that would provide full funding for nearly all NASA programs in 2006. The committee approved a $16.5-billion budget for NASA in fiscal year 2006, which begins on October 1 of this year. That amount is $275 million more than the current budget and $15 million more than what President Bush requested. The budget includes adding over $50 million to NASA's aeronautics program to restore it to 2005 levels, as well as $40 million to "partially restore" NASA science programs. While the shuttle program is fully funded, the budget does cut $50 million from exploration programs, according to one report. The budget must still be approved by the full House, while the Senate has yet to take up the NASA budget.