Congressional Legislative Updates

The House of Representatives has approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill (H.R. 5326), which funds several federal agencies, including NASA and NOAA. The House bill would provide NASA with $17.447 billion in FY 2013, $263 million below the President's request. In addition, the House bill would provide $4.961 billion for NOAA in FY 2013, $92 million below the President's FY 2013 request.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill (S. 2323) in April, and it now awaits a vote by the full Senate. The Space Foundation has updated its NASA FY 2013 budget analysis to incorporate the proposed House and Senate NASA funding bills, which can be downloaded here.

The House of Representatives Appropriations Committee (HAC) has also approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Defense Appropriations bill, which funds most of the United States national security space programs. The following provides the requested funding levels for some of the large satellite and launch system programs:

• $746 million for Advanced EHF (AEHF), $40 million below the President's request
• $1,215 million for Global Positioning System (GPS), $48 million below the President's request
• $1,017 million for Space Based InfraRed System (SBIRS), $68 million above the President's request
• $242 million for Precision Tracking Space System (PTSS), $55 million below the President's request
• $1,712 million for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), $25 million above the President's request

The HAC Defense Appropriations bill now awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives. The Space Foundation has updated its FY 2013 DoD national security space budget analysis to incorporate the House Appropriations Committee passed FY 2013 Defense Appropriations bill, which can be downloaded here.

On May 18, the House of Representatives approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 4310). The House passed NDAA included several sections related to space activities:

• The House would return the authority to the President to remove commercial satellites and related components and technology from the United States Munitions List (USML) to the Commerce Control List (CCL).
• The House supports the Efficient Space Procurement (ESP) block buy objectives, but has reservations about its implementation.
• The House denies the request for advanced appropriations authority to procure two Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites in FY 2013.
• The House denies the request to eliminate Operationally Responsive Space program office and to transfer the remaining efforts to other space programs.
• The House denies the request to eliminate the Space Test Program (STP).

The House now awaits the Senate to markup its proposed FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The Space Foundation has updated its FY 2013 DoD national security space budget analysis to incorporate the House passed FY 2013 NDAA, which can be downloaded here.