Posted: Wed, Jan 22, 2003, 10:44 AM ET (1544 GMT)
The US Senate has proposed reducing NASA's 2003 budget by nearly $450 million as part of an across-the-board budget cut. Space News reported Tuesday that the Senate recommended an across-the-board cut of 2.9 percent in all programs covered in a $400 billion omnibus budget bill for 2003, including NASA. That cut would reduce NASA's proposed $15.2 billion budget by $440 million, $200 million less than what the agency received in 2002. A Senate source told Space News that it is unlikely that NASA funding would be restored before the Senate passes the bill, but there will still be an opportunity to add funding when the Senate and House, which is supporting a budget that provides NASA with $15.3 billion, meet in conference to iron out differences between the bills.

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•  Space News article