United States House of Representatives
Committee on Science
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman
George E. Brown, Jr., California, Ranking Democrat
www.house.gov/science/welcome.htm
September 22, 1998
Press Contacts: Jennifer Siciliano (Jennifer.Siciliano@mail.house.gov)
Mike Catanzaro
(Michael.Catanzaro@mail.house.gov)
(202) 225-4275
Statement of Science Committee Chairman Sensenbrenner on
Administration's Proposal To Pay Russian Space Agency Additional $660
Million
Washington, D.C. - House Science Committee Chairman F. James
Sensenbrenner, Jr. today released the following statement regarding the
Administration's proposal to pay the Russian Space Agency an additional
$660 million dollars over the next four years:
"NASA's announcement today is a long overdue acknowledgment that
Russia
is unable to fulfill its obligations as a partner in the construction
and operation of the International Space Station and removes any doubt
that putting Russia in the critical path was an expensive mistake.
NASA's request that the American taxpayer now pay for that mistake while
simultaneously treating Russia as an equal partner is unacceptable. The
U.S. should not set the precedent of paying for another country to be a
partner in an international science project.
If the U.S. is to assume greater financial responsibilities, the
international agreement with Russia should be renegotiated to reflect
Russia's reduced contribution. American companies and workers should be
given the opportunity to perform these services instead of simply
sending more money overseas. I oppose the Administration's scheme to
turn a vital and important science program like the Space Station into
more Russian foreign aid.
During the past three years, the Science Committee, on a bipartisan
basis, has pressed the Administration to develop a long-term plan for
eliminating the dependence of the International Space Station on Russian
flight hardware.
That unwillingness led the Administration to adopt short-term, ad
hoc measures that temporarily resolved immediate problems but
contributed to the program's growing cost.
Just over a month ago, officials from the White House testified before
the Science Committee that, "The best information we have at the moment
does not lead us to make the judgment that we need to jump to the
conclusion that the Russians will not be able to meet any of their
commitments." White House officials made this statement while the
Russian economy was in the midst of collapse and after three years of
repeated Russian failures to adequately fund Moscow's obligations to the
International Space Station partnership.
Previously, the Administration had rejected a number of common sense
Congressional proposals, including: a proposal to implement commercial
options and work with U.S. industry for reducing our dependence on
Russia at a lower cost; reducing U.S. foreign aid to Russia as
compensation for increased U.S. payments; proposals from an independent
advisory committee to fund a U.S. backup plan; and proposals to hold
Russia accountable for the costs it has imposed on the international
partnership by changing Russia's role or reducing the benefits Russia
receives from participation in the International Space Station program.
The American taxpayers should not be punished for Russia's failure to
fulfill its obligations and for the Administration's past mistakes."
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