From: rbunge@access.digex.com (Robert Bunge)
Subject: Clinton Space Position
Organization: Express Access Online Communications Service, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 21:05:17 GMT

The following was passed on to me.  I'm told it came from the Clinton
Headquarters (I don't have any reason to doubt that):

Bill Clinton on America's Space Program
 
The end of the Cold War offers new opportunities and new challenges
for our civilian space program. In recent years the program has
lacked vision and leadership. Because the Reagan and Bush
administrations have failed to establish priorities, and because
they have not matched program needs with available resources, NASA
has been saddled with more missions than it can successfully
accomplish.
 
Bill Clinton supports a strong US civilian space program - for its
scientific value, its economic and environmental benefits, its role
in building new partnerships with other countries, and its
inspiration of our nation's youth. A Clinton Administration space
program will seek to meet the needs of the United States and other
nations while moving toward our long-term objectives, including
human exploration of the solar system. In addition, a Clinton space
program will promote the development of new technologies, create
new jobs for our highly-skilled former defense workers, and
increase our understanding of the planet and its delicate
environmental balance.
 
THE CLINTON PLAN
Almost a quarter century ago the United States put a man on the
Moon. Now we must lead other nations in exploring the Universe for
the benefit of humanity.
 
Move beyond the Cold War
The Reagan and Bush Administrations spent more on defense space
initiatives than on civilian space projects. Restore the historical
funding equilibrium between NASA and the Defense Department's space
program.
 
Achieve greater cooperation in space with our traditional allies in
Europe and Japan, as well as with Russia. Greater US-Russian
cooperation in space will benefit both countries, combining the
vast knowledge and resources both countries have gathered since the
launch of Sputnik in 1957.
 
Improve the American economy through space
Direct NASA to give high priority to continued improvement of the
American civil aircraft industry, which faces increasing
international competition. NASA research can play an important role
in developing less polluting, more fuel efficient, and quieter
aircraft.
Work to develop cutting-edge rocket and satellite technologies. We
will also develop a National Launch System to maximize efficiency
with scientific and commercial payloads.
 
NASA and the environment
Support NASA efforts--like Mission to Planet Earth--to improve our
understanding of the global environment.
Call on NASA to develop smaller, more focused missions which
address pressing environmental concerns.
NASA and education
Direct NASA to expand educational programs that improve American
performance in math and science. Space education can help maintain
our technological edge and improve our competitiveness.
Direct NASA to expand the outreach of its educational efforts
beyond NASA's five field centers, so that millions more young
people can learn about space.
 
Encourage planetary exploration through the best space science
Stress efforts to learn about other planets. These improve our
understanding of our own world and stimulate advances in computers,
sensors, image processing and communications.
Fully utilize robotic missions to learn more about our place in the
universe.
 
Maintain the Space Shuttle and continue to work on the Space
Station Maintain the Space Shuttle's integral role in our civilian
space program. The Shuttle is extremely complex and will always be
expensive and difficult to operate. But we must take full advantage
of its unique capabilities. 
Support completion of the Space Station Freedom, while basing its
development on the twin principles of greater cooperation and
burden sharing with our allies. By organizing effectively on this
project, we can pave the way for future joint ventures, both in
space and on Earth.
 
Build a vision for the space program in the 21st century
Aim to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon and to send
humans to Mars. Although we cannot yet commit major resources to
these goals, they should be among the considerations that guide our
science and engineering. Because the entire world would share the
benefits of human missions to the Moon and Mars, the costs should
be borne by other nations as well as by the United States.


Bob Bunge
rbunge@access.digex.com

Newsgroups: sci.space