spacetoday.net: House approves NASA budget

Posted: Fri, Jun 30, 2006, 8:26 AM ET (1226 GMT)
US Capitol

The US House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill Thursday that includes $16.7 billion for NASA. The Science, State, Justice and Commerce appropriations bill, HR 5672, passed the House Thursday on a 392-23 vote after floor debate that stretched out over parts of three days this week. The debate featured several amendments that would have either transferred funding from NASA's budget or would have otherwise restricted NASA's ability to spend that money on exploration programs; those measures were defeated. The $16.7 billion is nearly $100 million less than what the President requested in his FY2007 budget proposal in February, although it does increase NASA's budget by $86 million over its 2006 budget. During markup of the bill earlier in the month, appropriators moved $175 million from other NASA programs, primarily exploration, to add money for aeronautics and science programs. The Senate is expected to start work on its version of the NASA budget in July.