WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2023) Any possible cuts to the US space program that may result from the ongoing talks on the nation's debt ceiling would have a devastating effect on NASA programs, NASA chief Bill Nelson said on Thursday.
"The space program is a unifying force, it's also a job-producing force, and that's another reason that we are hopeful that this resolution, of what's going to happen on the debt ceiling is going to be resolved," Nelson told reporters. "And then as we get to October 1 for the new fiscal year that there will be an appropriations bill because the kind of cuts that you have seen talked about would be devastating to NASA, to our programs."
The Biden administration and congressional leaders are in talks on raising the debt ceiling as the country risks defaulting as early as June.
House Republicans propose cutting FY 2024 discretionary spending to the FY 2022 enacted level, potentially exempting defense discretionary spending and Veterans Medical Care. In a March letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Nelson said that the proposal would result in a reduction to non-defense discretionary spending, including NASA, of up to 22% from the FY 2023 level. As a result, NASA spending would be roughly at 2019 levels.
In the letter, Nelson said it would result in a reduction of at least 4,000 personnel, halt NASA's Artemis program and potentially delay the US landing of the first woman and person of color on the Moon, as well as curtail many research missions.
