Space Access Society Political Alert 07/19/99
This one is important - it's one of our top priorities for this
year. (See Update #81 at www.space-access.org for details.)
Please give it everything you've got.
Summary: The Senate HUD/VA (NASA) Appropriations bill is scheduled for
subcommittee then committee "markup" this week, starting Wednesday
July 21st. The House equivalent is scheduled for markup starting
next Monday, July 26th. If your Representative or a Senator from
your state is on the House or Senate Appropriations Committee (see
attached lists) please call fax or write them at their Washington
office and ask them to do two things in the NASA Appropriation
markup:
- Add $50 million to NASA Future-X for reusable rocket low-cost
flight operability demonstrations done as small business setasides,
to encourage increased competition in the space launch business.
- Do not add any funding for the premature and oversold "Spaceliner
100" airbreathing launch vehicle project, as a matter of priorities.
Background, Item 1: We're pushing for startup funding for one or
more NASA Future-X low-cost fast-turnaround high-speed reusable-
rocket flight operations demonstrators, done as small business
setasides, with a goal of $100 million or less (Future-X
"Pathfinder" class projects) per flight vehicle program. The majors
all have their own X-rocket projects, none to date very promising as
far as significantly cheaper launch goes. We think it's time to
give one or more of the entrepreneurial startup launch companies a
chance to show what they can do on a shoestring.
Background, Item 2: The "Spaceliner 100" RBCC-engined (RBCC is a
notional hybrid rocket-airbreather) space launch vehicle project has
been repeatedly oversold in recent months, to the point where we
think the overstated and sometimes downright deceptive claims being
made are actively damaging the already-fragile commercial investment
environment for more proven near-term low-cost launch approaches.
We approve of ongoing research aimed at bringing the various
"Spaceliner 100" technologies closer to ready for prime time. We
strongly oppose attempts to fund a half-billion-dollar flight
vehicle project based on an as-yet hypothetical engine at the
expense of real current commercial reusable launch vehicle projects.
We think initiation of a $500 million "Spaceliner" flight vehicle
project is both grossly premature in terms of the state of the
technologies involved, and damaging to the near-term chances of
implementing far more mature low-cost launch technologies.
How To Do It
If your Representative or one or both of your Senators is on the
lists at the end of this alert, get their DC office address, fax
number, or phone number from www.vote-smart.org. (Alternative: make
a call to your local library information desk.)
Compose a polite concise one-page latter to them, identifying
yourself as a constituent of theirs, telling them what you'd like
them to do, then briefly explaining why - just hit one or two high
points, don't overexplain. Thank them for their attention, sign the
letter, and send it. Paper mail is best if it can get there in
time, fax is a close second (a voice call is good too) and email is
way back in last place, as far as the chances of getting attention -
staffers are aware paper mail, faxes, or phone calls take more
effort, so they take these more seriously.
If you can't fax, then phone their DC office number, ask for whoever
handles NASA appropriations questions, then when connected to that
staffer (or more likely their voice mail) tell them briefly who you
are ("I'm Joe Smith from Missouri") and what you want them to do,
then (unless they have questions) thank them for their time and ring
off.
Thanks!
Space Access Society
www.space-access.org
Senate Appropriations Committee Members
* HUD/VA (NASA) Subcommittee member
- Republicans
Ted Stevens (AK), Chair
Thad Cochran (MS)
Arlen Specter (PA)
Pete Domenici (NM)
Christopher Bond (MO) * (Subcommittee chair)
Slade Gorton (WA)
Mitch McConnell (KY)
Conrad Burns (MT) *
Richard Shelby (AL) *
Judd Gregg (NH)
Robert Bennett (UT)
Ben Nighthorse Campbell (CO)
Larry Craig (ID) *
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) *
Jon Kyl (AZ) *
- Democrats
Robert Byrd (WV), Rnk. Mem. *
Daniel Inouye (HI)
Ernest Hollings (SC)
Patrick Leahy (VT) *
Frank Lautenberg (NJ) *
Tom Harkin (IA) *
Barbara Mikulski (MD) * (Subcommittee RMM)
Harry Reid (NV)
Herbert Kohl (WI)
Patty Murray (WA)
Byron Dorgan (ND)
Dianne Feinstein (CA)
Richard Durbin (IL)
House Appropriations Committee Members
* HUD/VA Subcommittee member
C.W. Bill Young, Florida, Chairman
Ralph Regula, Ohio
Jerry Lewis, California
John Edward Porter, Illinois
Harold Rogers, Kentucky
Joe Skeen, New Mexico
Frank R. Wolf, Virginia
Tom DeLay, Texas *
Jim Kolbe, Arizona
Ron Packard, California
Sonny Callahan, Alabama
James Walsh, New York * (Subcommittee chair)
Charles H. Taylor, North Carolina
David L. Hobson, Ohio *
Ernest J. Istook, Jr., Oklahoma
Henry Bonilla, Texas
Joe Knollenberg, Michigan *
Dan Miller, Florida
Jay Dickey, Arkansas
Jack Kingston, Georgia
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, New Jersey *
Roger F. Wicker, Mississippi *
Michael P. Forbes, New York
George R. Nethercutt, Jr., Washington
Randy "Duke" Cunningham, California
Todd Tiahrt, Kansas
Zach Wamp, Tennessee
Tom Latham, Iowa
Anne Northup, Kentucky *
Robert Aderholt, Alabama
Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri
John E. Sununu, New Hampshire *
Kay Granger, Texas
John E. Peterson, Pennsylvania
David R. Obey, Wisconsin
John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania
Norman D. Dicks, Washington
Martin Olav Sabo, Minnesota
Julian C. Dixon, California
Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland
Alan B. Mollohan, West Virginia * (Subcommittee RMM)
Marcy Kaptur, Ohio *
Nancy Pelosi, California
Peter J. Visclosky, Indiana
Nita M. Lowey, New York
Jose E. Serrano, New York
Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut
James P. Moran, Virginia
John W. Olver, Massachusetts
Ed Pastor, Arizona
Carrie P. Meek, Florida *
David E. Price, North Carolina *
Chet Edwards, Texas
Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, Jr., Alabama *
James E. Clyburn, South Carolina
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Lucille Roybal-Allard, California
Sam Farr, California
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, Michigan
Allen Boyd, Florida
*end*
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