Senator Hutchison responds to Obama attempt to kill NASA's Constellation through the back door

The Obama administration has decided to curtail spending on the Constellation program, citing the anti-deficiency act, requiring NASA contractors to reprogram money from Constellation projects to cancellation costs. Senator Kay Baily Hutchison, noting that the move will result in the loss of "of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of jobs', many of them at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, accused the administration and NASA of skirting the law and the will of Congress.

"Two weeks ago, the Senate passed a Defense Supplemental spending measure with language requiring NASA to continue work on the Constellation program unless Congress directs otherwise. This language clearly affirms Congressional direction that work should continue. This measure is expected to reach the President's desk before the end of this month. The timing of NASA's decision to push forward with these actions now, before this becomes law, rather than working with Congress to identify ways to mitigate uncertainty and allow workers to remain on the job is highly questionable."

In her response, Senator Hutchison made an implied threat of Congressional action in response to the administration move. "--it shows an agency that is willfully subverting the repeatedly expressed will of Congress. In either case, the result is the same. The leadership of the world's preeminent space agency has strained its credibility to the breaking point and something has to change."

What kind of change Senator Hutchison is suggesting is as yet unclear. But what is clear is that the battle over Constellation funding is not over yet.,