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*