Support NASA Reauthorization Act
Kucinich gave the following speech in Congress on December 17, 2005:
Speaking in support of the conference report on S. 1281, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005, Congressman Kucinich said:
"Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the NASA reauthorization act. I would like to begin by thanking those colleagues who worked so hard to create a bill that is beneficial to the Nation. Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Udall deserve thanks for their leadership in ensuring NASA remains well balanced and healthy. I want to thank Chairman Frank Wolf for his support in this endeavor, and also Congresswoman Davis.
"I also want to thank Mr. DeLay for his support in our efforts to maintain NASA in Cleveland. I would like to thank members of the Ohio delegation who worked with me to ensure the bill's success.
"I want to stress that there is a lot that happens here where we have partisan conflict, but on this bill we had tremendous bipartisan support in the Ohio delegation, which included Steve LaTourette, Sherrod Brown, Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, Michael Turner, Jean Schmidt, Paul Gillmor, Ted Strickland, David Hobson, Michael Oxley, Steve Chabot, Marcy Kaptur, John Boehner, Pat Tiberi, Bob Ney, Tim Ryan, Deborah Pryce, Ralph Regula, Senator DeWine and Senator Voinovich, and in addition, Rob Portman. We all worked together on this. Every one of us made an effort.
"This is a landmark bill because it affirms that so much depends on a healthy NASA. A healthy NASA, in turn, depends on an emphasis in aeronautics in addition to an emphasis on space. This is critical to the economy.
"Aeronautics contributes more to the U.S. balance of trade than any other U.S. manufacturing industry. NASA's aeronautics research is also critical to national security. It has spawned technologies from surveillance systems that monitor aircraft flight paths, to the development of secure communications systems. NASA's aeronautics research has contributed to aircraft safety, reducing wind sheer and icing as major risks in airline travel.
"In order to maintain their unparalleled track record, NASA first needs a road map for aeronautics, just as it had one for the Vision for Space Exploration. This bill provides that road map.
"While the map is being drawn, NASA's aeronautics infrastructure must be preserved, starting with the world-class, award-winning workforce at NASA's field centers like NASA Glenn in Cleveland. This bill prevents involuntary reductions in force until at least March of 2007 and calls for a workforce shaping plan. It also provides necessary funding.
"This bill further prevents reckless and semipermanent elimination of testing facilities, like wind tunnels and propulsion testing facilities, and encourages long-term basic research in areas like low- emissions and zero-emissions aircraft, microgravity, engine efficiency, and noise reduction. These are all tremendously beneficial to Ohio and the Nation.
"This bill makes NASA more sustainable. It strikes a balance between space and aeronautics and ensures that NASA will continue to contribute to our economy, national security, airline safety, and the environment. It is a significant step forward for Ohio, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
"I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support and their leadership on this matter."
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