WASHINGTON — Facing a tight budget, a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee Tuesday unanimously backed a $92.9 billion spending bill which cuts funding for space, science, and environmental programs.
Republicans and Democrats said the squeeze on the 2005 appropriations bill covering the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and agencies covering space and environment was prompted by the budget deficit.
"The budget crunch that we all knew was coming has finally arrived," said Florida Republican Bill Young, the chairman of the House appropriations committee.
Democrat Rep. Alan Mollohan from West Virginia said the spending allocation was "totally inadequate."
Republicans say the deficit, which is expected to top a record $400 billion this year, is due to the costs of the aftermath of Sept. 11 and the war on terrorism. Democrats blame President Bush's tax cuts for turning the surplus he inherited three-and-a-half years ago into a shortfall.
The bill, approved in the subcommittee by a voice vote, cuts National Aeronautics and Space Administration funding by $229 million compared to the 2004 budget. It falls $1.1 billion short of the amount requested by Bush. The president earlier this year declared a long-term plan to return humans to the moon and on to Mars but has since said little about this idea.
The subcommittee left intact the requested $4.3 billion for the space shuttle program.
New programs such as Project Prometheus, NASA's plan to develop nuclear power for spacecraft to help explore the solar system, bore the brunt of the cuts.
"We simply could not afford to fund the vision," said the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Jim Walsh, a New York Republican.
The Environmental Protection Agency had its budget cut by $613 million from 2004 levels. This includes a $39 million reduction to Environmental Programs and Management.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) also faces a $111 million funding cut from 2004 levels.
The Association of American Universities said it was "alarmed" by the cuts to NASA and NSF funding.
"These cuts represent a reversal for two critical research agencies at a time when greater investments in research are essential to maintaining America's global leadership in science and technology," the group said.
Republicans and Democrats said the squeeze on the 2005 appropriations bill covering the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and agencies covering space and environment was prompted by the budget deficit.
"The budget crunch that we all knew was coming has finally arrived," said Florida Republican Bill Young, the chairman of the House appropriations committee.
Democrat Rep. Alan Mollohan from West Virginia said the spending allocation was "totally inadequate."
Republicans say the deficit, which is expected to top a record $400 billion this year, is due to the costs of the aftermath of Sept. 11 and the war on terrorism. Democrats blame President Bush's tax cuts for turning the surplus he inherited three-and-a-half years ago into a shortfall.
The bill, approved in the subcommittee by a voice vote, cuts National Aeronautics and Space Administration funding by $229 million compared to the 2004 budget. It falls $1.1 billion short of the amount requested by Bush. The president earlier this year declared a long-term plan to return humans to the moon and on to Mars but has since said little about this idea.
The subcommittee left intact the requested $4.3 billion for the space shuttle program.
New programs such as Project Prometheus, NASA's plan to develop nuclear power for spacecraft to help explore the solar system, bore the brunt of the cuts.
"We simply could not afford to fund the vision," said the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Jim Walsh, a New York Republican.
The Environmental Protection Agency had its budget cut by $613 million from 2004 levels. This includes a $39 million reduction to Environmental Programs and Management.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) also faces a $111 million funding cut from 2004 levels.
The Association of American Universities said it was "alarmed" by the cuts to NASA and NSF funding.
"These cuts represent a reversal for two critical research agencies at a time when greater investments in research are essential to maintaining America's global leadership in science and technology," the group said.
He wants hard, cold facts.
