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WASHINGTON - A House subcommittee voted Tuesday to cut NASA's budget by 7 percent next year, including steep reductions in President Bush's proposal for manned missions to the moon and Mars.
The Republican-run panel also approved cuts in environment, science and housing in a wide-ranging $92.9-billion measure. That freed up enough money for lawmakers to boost veterans' health care by $2-billion, to $30.3-billion, evidence of Congress' desire to make such money a wartime priority, especially in an election year.
The cuts came on the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong's first human steps on the moon and drew howls from the administration, a top House Republican and interest groups. That made it seem likely that at least some money, especially for the NASA, will be restored.
"To me that's unacceptable, and it would be very hard to get this bill to the floor if it's unacceptable to me," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, whose Houston-area district is near NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Chad Kolton, White House budget office spokesman, said the administration will work "to ensure the president's priorities are funded." NASA spokesman Glenn Mahone called the bill "an early step in the process."
The measure highlighted how painful it has become for Republicans to live by spending limits they imposed to cope with record federal deficits and the cost of Bush's tax cuts.
"The budget crunch we all knew was coming has finally arrived," said Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Largo, Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Of the 13 annual spending measures lawmakers are writing for 2005, the veterans and space bill was the most vivid example yet of budget pressures. Even projects lawmakers covet for their home districts were cut by 2 percent, said Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., though the bill still has more than $400-million for such items.
Even the veterans' increase, $1.2-billion more than Bush requested, was $1.3-billion below what veterans' groups and the GOP-led House Veterans Affairs Committee have said is needed. With veterans an important voting block, Democrats emphasized the discrepancy.
"At a time in our nation's history where veterans are demonstrating every day their sacrifice, this is truly inadequate," said Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va.
The bill would give NASA $15.1-billion next year, $229-million below this year and $1.1-billion below Bush's request.
Just $372-million was provided of the $910-million Bush wanted for initial preparations for manned missions to the moon and Mars. Bush announced the moon-Mars initiative last winter with great fanfare.
The appropriations committee is supportive of Bush's plans but "does not have sufficient resources" to pay for them, a report with the bill said.
The Environmental Protection Agency would get $7.8-billion next year. That is $600-million below this year's total, and $36-million less than Bush sought. The national service program that includes AmeriCorps would get $572-million, $9-million less than this year and $70-million below Bush's proposal.
The National Science Foundation would receive $5.5-billion, $111-million below this year's level and $278-million below Bush's request.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development would get $37.7-billion, $1-billion more than Bush proposed but $108-million below this year.
The chief rental voucher program for the poor would continue growing rapidly, but other housing programs would be cut by 4 percent.
The Senate has yet to write its version of the bill.