Aderholt Presses NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

Contact: Darrell "DJ" Jordan
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ADERHOLT QUESTIONS NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES BOLDEN ABOUT THE CONSTELLATION PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) today questioned NASA Administrator Charles Bolden about the President’s decision to end the Constellation program, during a Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee hearing in Washington. Rep. Aderholt serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, as a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, which is responsible for funding NASA.

Congressman Aderholt made the following statement moments after the hearing.

“The President’s decision to end the Constellation program is reckless and could cripple U.S. human spaceflight for an unknown number of years. I appreciate Administrator Bolden’s attendance at today’s hearing. He is a well-respected Marine and Astronaut; however his testimony and answers did not calm my fears that our nation’s space program will not remain a leading science program.”

“On several occasions, Administrator Bolden informed me that he needed to provide answers to my questions at a later time. I look forward to his responses because those answers are key to showing the American people that our nation can continue a Constellation program in a cost-efficient manner. The President and his Administration are basing their decision to end Constellation mostly on cost, but today’s hearing proved that there are serious discrepancies on the cost of many of NASA Constellation operations.”

“Bolden’s testimony also proved that the President doesn’t have any plans for heavy-lift cargo capability and human space flight, other than to the International Space Station, beyond 2011. That also concerns me, my colleagues and many Americans who are worried that our space program will take a big step back if this plan is implemented.”

“This hearing renewed my commitment to fight for NASA jobs at Marshall Space Flight Center and fight for American’s space program so that we can remain the World’s leader. I urge President Obama and his Administration to keep the Constellation program and give NASA the appropriate funding to remain a World leader.”

Since the announcement of the President’s proposal to end human space flight, Congressman Aderholt has worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to stop the plan and hold the Administration accountable to its activities relating to NASA and any policy change. Other lawmakers who have worked with Congressman Aderholt on this issue are Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL), Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) and Rep. Sonny Posey (R-FL).

On Friday, March 12th, Congressman Aderholt wrote a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) asking for an investigation into whether NASA’s actions regarding the Constellation program, as well as the extent to which it is working on a new, unauthorized plan, violates law.

On February 12th, Congressman Aderholt was joined by 28 House lawmakers in asking NASA Chief Charles Bolden to confirm or deny reports that NASA was prematurely beginning the process of ending the Constellation program, and raised the issue of whether NASA’s refusal to spend FY10 funds on the Constellation program represents a violation of law (the Impoundment Act).

On February 24th, Congressman Aderholt pressed President Obama’s top science and technology advisor, Dr. John P. Holdren, during an Appropriations subcommittee, on the Administration’s plan to end Constellation.

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