FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSS Members Rally to Fight Off Cut to NASA Budget

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2005 - NSS members from Wisconsin and around the country rallied to stop a $200 million cut to NASA's budget -- joining a successful effort that prevented the cut and kept NASA's transformation on track.

The cut, an amendment sponsored by Wisconsin Congressman David Obey, was focused on NASA's exploration budget and would have done substantial harm to NASA Administrator Mike Griffin's plans to get the nation back to the Moon and on to Mars.

Dick Anderson, the retired President of Wisconsin's Waukesha County Technical College, was one of the NSS members who made their opposition to the cut heard in Washington.

"As a long time supporter of the space program for the obvious positive impact it has had on useful scientific and technological advancement, and a Wisconsin Democrat, I called Rep. Obey's office and asked him to support the space program," said Anderson.

The efforts of Anderson and others paid off when the Obey amendment was defeated by a vote of 230 - 196 in the House of Representatives.

NSS thanks all members and citizens who called their representatives to make clear their support for continued American leadership in space. Ad Astra!

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About the National Space Society

The National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, grassroots organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. Founded in 1974, NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space. NSS counts thousands of members and over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The society also publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space.

George T. Whitesides
Executive Director
National Space Society

1620 I St. NW, Suite 615
Washington, DC 20006
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george@nss.org
http://www.nss.org