No Subject

[Sue Lynn White <suelynn@physics.uiuc.edu>]

Dear Colleague,

Thank you for your previous actions in support of the
U.S. science budget for next year. These actions have
had a positive impact on the budget climate for science.
However, the funding for NASA's Office of Space Science
has not improved and immediate further action is needed.

Appended to this message is a list of specific actions
that you may wish to take. The meeting of the House-Senate
Conference Committee at which the final budget numbers
will be decided has now been scheduled and is slated for
next Wednesday, October 6. Hence any action must be taken
by Tuesday morning to have an impact. Actions will be most
effective if taken today.

Also appended to this message is a brief explanation of the
reasons for the recommended actions.

Thank you!!

Fred Lamb, Chair
Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Users Group
____________________________________________________________
Frederick K. Lamb                  Internet: f-lamb@uiuc.edu
University of Illinois             Telephone: (217) 333-6363 
Department of Physics              Secretary: (217) 244-1553 
1110 West Green Street             Secretary: (217) 333-1590 
Urbana, IL 61801, USA                Telefax: (217) 333-8542
____________________________________________________________

                    SUGGESTED ACTIONS

1. Fax a letter to the representatives on the House-Senate
Conference Committee for the VA-HUD-IA appropriation bill
(see the list below). In your letter, explain that the
level of funding for NASA and for NASA's Office of Space
Science in the House version of the appropriations bill
would be a disaster. Ask the representative to work in the
Conference Committee for acceptance of the funding level
for NASA specified in the Senate appropriations bill, but
with funding for NASA's Office of Space Science at the
level of the President's request.

2. Fax a letter to the Senators on the House-Senate
Conference Committee for the VA-HUD-IA appropriation bill
(see the list below). In your letter, express appreciation
that the funding for NASA as a whole in the Senate version
of the appropriation bill is equal to the President's
request. Explain that even so, funding for the Office of
Space Science in the Senate version is $120 million less
than the President's request and so low that it would
seriously damage the U.S. space science program. Ask the
senator to work in the Conference Committee for acceptance
of the funding level for NASA in the Senate version of the
bill, but with funding for NASA's Office of Space Science
at the level of the President's request.

3. Fax a letter to the Washington office of the House
member from your Congressional district. In your letter,
explain that the level of funding for NASA and for
NASA's Office of Space Science in the House version of
the appropriations bill would be a disaster. Ask your
Representative to contact her/his colleagues on the
House-Senate Conference Committee for the VA-HUD-IA
appropriation bill and request them to work in the
House-Senate Conference Committee for acceptance of the
funding level for NASA specified in the Senate version
of the bill, but with funding for NASA's Office of Space
Science at the level of the President's request.

The key message is that we want the Office of Space
Science to be funded at the level of the President's
request.
____________________________________________________________

           BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE SITUATION

The science community is being noticed. However, no
improvements in the budget have yet been made, so we
need to continue the pressure.

The House budget numbers for space science would be a
disaster, as noted in the recent alerts from the AAS.
The Senate bill provides *total* funding for NASA at the
level of the President's request, but funding for the
Office of Space Science is $120 million less than in the
President's budget. This $120 million is presently
allocated to other parts of NASA, providing funding to
those parts that exceeds the President's request.

RESTORING THIS $120 MILLION TO THE OSS BUDGET IS ESSENTIAL.

Senators are asking why we remain unhappy when they have
funded NASA at the level of the President's request. We
have to make clear that we appreciate their funding of
NASA at the level of the President's request, but that
unless the $120 million is restored to the Office of
Space Science budget, NASA's *science* programs will be
seriously damaged.

The $42.6 million reduction in the Senate's appropriation
for OSS that was mentioned in the AAS's most recent
alerts is *relative to last year's budget*, not relative
to the President's request. If the OSS budget for this
year is increased by the $42.6 million amount the AAS is
asking for, the budget will be the same as last year,
with no allowance for inflation or for the new missions
that are starting up or for the new grants that were
supposed to be funded this year. The OSS budget will
fall $77 million short of the President's request and
space science will be severely damaged. Funding NASA at
the level of the President's request while reducing
funding for science by $120 million is inconsistent. The
Space Science Working Group and others believe that we
should continue to press for adequate funding for the
Office of Space Science.

We need to make clear to the Congress that funding NASA
as a whole at the level of the President's request is not
enough. We as scientists are concerned that science
(i.e., OSS) be funded at the level of the President's
request.
____________________________________________________________

   HOW TO CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE-SENATE CONFERENCE
        COMMITTEE ON THE VA-HUD-IA APPROPRIATION

Senate




House



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