starship-design: FW: SSRT: Space Access Political Action Alert 9/3/99 (fwd)

["L. Parker" <lparker@cacaphony.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: listserv@ds.cc.utexas.edu [mailto:listserv@ds.cc.utexas.edu]On
Behalf Of Chris W. Johnson
Sent: Friday, September 03, 1999 5:07 PM
To: Single Stage Rocket Technology News
Subject: SSRT: Space Access Political Action Alert 9/3/99 (fwd)





Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 17:03:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: Donald L Doughty <spacelst@world.std.com>
To: DC-X <delta-clipper@world.std.com>
Subject: Space Access Political Action Alert  9/3/99 (fwd)
Sender: delta-clipper-approval@world.std.com
Reply-To: delta-clipper@europe.std.com
Status:


The latest info I have from 'The Hill' is Letters and Faxes are
being counted on this issue.

              Space Access Political Action Alert 9/3/99
____________________________________________________________________

  - Contact Your Congressman by Wednesday!
  - Senate HUD/VA Markup Likely Week After Next

           Write, Fax or Call Your Congressman by Wednesday!

Congress will come back into session after their August break this
coming Wednesday, September 8th.  The full House is currently
expected to debate and vote on their HUD/VA (NASA) Appropriation
that same day.  As it emerged from committee, that bill contains
roughly $900 million in NASA cuts, about two-thirds of that in
space-based science.  We are asking you all to contact your local
Congressman and ask him or her to restore the NASA space science
budget cuts in the HUD/VA Appropriation.

This may seem a bit outside our area, but we do have what we think
are good reasons.  First, unless these cuts are in large part
restored, there is very little chance we'll get an "add" for NASA
Future-X.  Restoring some significant part of the cuts in the House
improves odds of getting Future-X money added in the Senate, in our
estimation.   Second, these parts of NASA being cut are those that
tend to be most flexible about buying commercial launches when
appropriate; they are good for the market that we're trying to
encourage.  Third, these parts of NASA being cut tend to be places
where better-faster-cheaper has actually been happening; this is a
trend we'd like to encourage.

Note that we are taking no position on the Shuttle and Station cuts
that make up the other third of the overall reductions.  The message
we recommend is "restore the NASA space science cuts".  "Restore the
NASA cuts" period is of course an option if you prefer.

How To Do It

Get your Congressman's DC office address or phone or fax number, via
www.vote-smart.org (have an old bill with your nine-digit zip handy)
or by calling your local library's information desk.

If you're writing or faxing, compose a polite concise one-page
letter to them, identifying yourself as a constituent of theirs,
telling them what you'd like them to do, then briefly explaining
why - just hit one or two high points, don't overexplain.  Thank
them for their attention, sign the letter, and send it.

If you're writing, remember Monday is a holiday - get it to the Post
Office Saturday or you'll have to overnight it Tuesday.

If phoning during Tuesday or first thing Wednesday, dial their DC
office number, ask for whoever handles NASA appropriations
questions, then when connected to that staffer (or more likely their
voice mail) tell them briefly who you are ("I'm Joe Smith from
Peoria") and what you want them to do ("Restore the NASA space
science budget cuts"), then (unless they have questions) thank them
for their time and ring off [202-225-3121 Cap. SB].


              Senate HUD/VA Markup Likely Week After Next

The next key item is going to be persuading the Senate Appropriators
to "add $30 million for NASA Future-X flight demonstrators, as
provided for in the House NASA Authorization".  The Senate HUD/VA
Appropriations Subcommittee is currently expected to "mark up"
sometime during the week of September 13th.  There is a small chance
they might get to that late next week; we'll be putting out a
specific Alert on that either way.  Meanwhile, for you self-starters
out there, the subcommittee members are Stevens AK, Byrd WV, Bond
MO, Burns MT, Shelby AL, Craig ID, Hutchison TX, Kyl AZ, Mikulski
MD, Leahy VT, Lautenberg NJ, Harkin IA - call fax or write with the
above message, if one of these is your Senator.

Thanks!
                                 *end*