ADMINISTRATOR CALLS CUTS TO NASA BUDGET 'DEVASTATING'
Filer's Files #30-1999 July 30, 1999 George A. Filer: MUFON Eastern Director

"The NASA team just launched Chandra, the world's most powerful space telescope," NASA Administrator Dan Goldin said. "Today, we will have to turn it back on Washington to see what remains of the NASA budget." Last night, a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee passed a funding bill that cuts NASA's budget about 11 percent below the President's request for Fiscal Year 2000. "Year after year, NASA is touted for doing more and more with smaller budgets," said Goldin. "The NASA employees get up every day to achieve what most think is impossible and risen to the challenge of smaller budgets. And this is the reward the NASA team gets? Not only is this cut devastating to NASA's programs, it is a knife in the heart of employee morale. Goldin said. "NASA continues to deliver amazing scientific discoveries and reach new heights of exploration. To many Americans, NASA is a cornerstone of our national pride. But there is nothing to be proud of in this budget. "Over the past five years, NASA has restructured the Agency, done more with less, reduced government employees by one-third without forced layoffs, and still significantly increased productivity. Up until now, NASA has always stepped up to the budgetary challenge. This time the NASA team plans to fight. These cuts would gut space exploration. They may force the closure of one to three NASA centers with significant layoffs" said Goldin. The Administrator noted other implications for the budget as well: * For the past seven years, the NASA budget has declined and, because of inflation, the Agency's buying power is already down by one-third. While the subcommittee's cuts total $1.325 billion, if these figures are projected out five years, the cuts would total approximately $5.3 billion. As a result of the cuts, we would be forced to eat our seed corn, and would weaken America's technological and defense sectors. Perhaps most sadly, we will lose the opportunity to inspire a future generation of children." "I won't feel better until every nickel is restored," said Goldin.

Editor's Note: Dan Goldin only has to hint to the press, what he tells friends privately, that UFOs are visiting the Earth to get more funds.