National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. I thank the gentleman from Mississippi and the gentlewoman
from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 810, the NASA
Authorization Act of 2015. This bipartisan legislation is an important
step forward in our efforts to build a stronger and more focused NASA.

Let's face it: NASA is the only Federal agency that has human
spaceflight as its mission. However, in recent years, NASA has branched
into areas that divert attention and funding from its critical mission.
This bill before us begins to bring human spaceflight back into focus
as NASA's key mission. It provides strong funding for vehicle
development that will enable NASA to reach the Moon and beyond, putting
us on a clear path towards deeper exploration into our solar system.

Having met with top officials at the Johnson Space Center in my
district just this past week, I can attest that they are very excited
about this new focus. I am aware of NASA's challenges, and I am excited
about the opportunities ahead and some of the successes that we have
had over the past few months.

Our bill supports NASA's Orion spacecraft, it expands America's
access to the international space station, and it funds a robust
Commercial Crew Program to launch American astronauts on American
rockets.

I urge my colleagues to join in support of this bipartisan bill.

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