IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1150 

Designating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as 

a national security interest and asset. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 9, 2010 

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas (for herself, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. AL GREEN of 

Texas, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. KOSMAS, Mr. GENE

GREEN of Texas, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. 

REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. CUELLAR, Ms. WATSON, 

Mr. CARTER, Mr. MILLER of Florida, and Mr. OLSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science and 

Technology 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a national security interest and asset. 

Whereas the United States has invested in human flight program since May 5, 1961, a program that has been a 

source for the United States leadership role in space exploration and advancement in scientific research; and is 

a national security interest and asset for the Nation. 

Whereas the Constellation program is a human space flight 

program that includes: the Ares I launch vehicle, capable 

of launching to low-Earth orbit; the Ares V heavy-lift 

launch vehicle, to send astronauts and equipment to the 

Moon; the Orion capsule, intended to carry astronauts to 


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low-Earth orbit and beyond; and the Altair lunar lander 

and lunar surface systems astronauts will need to explore 

the lunar surface. 

Whereas the President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget provided 

$18,700,000,000 for the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA); the Budget funds a program of 

space-based research to advance our understanding of climate change and its effects, as well as human and 

robotic space exploration; and the budget supports the 

use of the Space Shuttle to complete assembly of the 

International Space Station. 

Whereas the 2010 NASA budget funded a program of spacebased research that supports the Administration’s commitment to deploy a global climate change research and 

monitoring system. 

Whereas 2010 NASA budget was to fund the safe flight of 

the Space Shuttle through the vehicle’s retirement at the 

end of 2010. An additional flight will be conducted if it 

can be completed safely before the end of 2010. 

Whereas the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 Budget proposes 

to eliminate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Space Shuttle and Constellation program and allocate $6,000,000,000 over 5 years for the 

purpose of developing commercial space flight. 

Whereas the Congress recognizes the policy outlined in section 501(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Authorization Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16761(a)), that the 

United States shall maintain an uninterrupted capability 

for human space flight and operations in low-earth orbit, 

and beyond, as an essential element of national security 


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and the ability to ensure continued United States participation and leadership in the exploration of space. 

Whereas eliminating the Constellation upon retirement of the 

Space Shuttle will create a national security risk to the 

United States and will diminish the Nation’s efforts to 

advance scientific research in space. 

Whereas the United States will for the first time since its 

space program began, be without a human space flight 

program. 

Whereas transferring funds from the Constellation program 

to the development of commercial space programs to 

carry human and crew into space is taking a chance on 

an unknown quantity and is an unnecessary and unreasonable risk this country must not take. 

Whereas the retirement of the Space Shuttle this year will 

leave the United States vulnerable and depending on 

Russia to put United States astronauts in orbit without 

the Constellation program; in May of last year when it 

became clear the United States had no one else to turn 

to, Russia raised its prices from $48,000,000 to 

$51,000,000 per launch for each astronaut. 

Whereas the Constellation program is not just about going to 

the moon, as the United States has a commitment to the 

International Space Station (ISS), and with the Space 

Shuttle being retired this September, the Constellation is 

the only system under development that will give NASA 

the future capability to launch and retrieve crews to and 

from the ISS. 

Whereas decreasing the use of the International Space Station would impact the ability to sustain its systems and 

physical infrastructure. 


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Whereas the Constellation program should be funded to continue use of the International Space Station to support 

the agency and other Federal, commercial, and academic 

research and technology testing needs. 

Whereas partnerships between universities and NASA centers 

should be established to provide research opportunities 

for conduct of research in the United States International Space Station National Laboratories for the next 

generation of scientists in order to ensure effective utilization of the International Space Station research capabilities. 

Whereas NASA conducts aeronautics research to address 

aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and, emissions 

reductions and fuel efficiency. 

Whereas NASA’s contribution to our knowledge of air and 

water supports improved decisionmaking for natural resource management and emergency response, thus enabling us to better respond to future homeland security 

threats. 

Whereas knowledge of Earth’s water cycle is a critical first 

step in protecting our water supply; water flows over the 

Earth’s surface in oceans, lakes, and streams, and is particularly vulnerable to attack. 

Whereas NASA sensors provide a wealth of information 

about the water cycle; and contributes to improving our 

ability to monitor water resources and water quality from 

space; we must also protect the quality and safety of the 

air we breathe; airborne contaminants can pose danger to 

human health; and chemical, nuclear, radiological, and biological attacks are plausible threats against which we 


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can better protect the United States through NASA’s research: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) NASA is a national security asset and inter4 est for the United States; 

5 (2) elimination of the Constellation program 

6 will present Homeland Security implications for 

7 cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and the intel8 ligence community of the United States; 

9 (3) elimination of the Constellation program 

10 will compromise the effectiveness of the Inter11 national Space Station as it relates to the strategic 

12 importance of space station research, and intel13 ligence; 

14 (4) continuation of NASA’s Constellation pro15 gram is crucial to improving national security, cli16 mate, and research in science and medicine; and 

17 (5) the United States should maintain its fund18 ing of the Constellation program and should begin 

19 funding commercial space in 5 years and not sooner. 

Æ 


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