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Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) has written to President Obama urging him to speed up the process of appointing a new administrator to head the nation’s space agency. NASA has been without a chief administrator since the president was sworn into office on January 20th.

“Our nation cannot afford to be without a NASA Administrator at this time,” said Congressman Posey. “The agency needs strong leadership as policy-making budget decisions are being made. This is a critical juncture in the manned space flight effort and now it’s up to President Obama to lead the way toward closing the space gap and maintaining America’s role in developing and advancing technology.”

The text of the letter is below:


                                                                          March 11, 2009


President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I understand the challenges with vetting and getting agency heads appointed and confirmed. Also, I know that this often cannot happen as quickly as we would all like. However, I feel compelled to share with you how important I believe it is at this time to name an Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as soon as possible.

Our leadership in space is one thing that is universally and undeniably respected across the globe. Our leadership in this area is being threatened by a host of other countries, including China and India. Our nation’s manned space program plays a critical role in inspiring our nation’s young people to pursue careers in science and advanced technology. It also plays a critical role in developing the Magellans, Columbuses and Marco Polos of the future. The tangible benefits of our space program have an impact on our everyday lives as demonstrated in the wide use of technology such as cell phones, laptops, GPS systems, and weather information; even Velcro…. Our continued leadership in space is a matter of economic and military national security.

NASA cannot afford to remain without an Administrator at this critical juncture. Major decisions are being made that will greatly affect our nation’s future in space. NASA is in the midst of making decisions about the phasing-out of the Shuttle program and how we move forward with America’s next generation launch vehicle. If this transition is not done right, not only will thousands of American workers at the nation’s space centers and their families be severely and adversely affected, but our nation’s leadership in space will further erode. We have an obligation to those who have committed themselves to helping make our nation the world leader in space and we owe it to our children to continue that leadership.

As budget decisions are being made, it is vital to have someone sitting at the table that is knowledgeable about space and is looking out for the agency’s future. I am also concerned that further delay in appointing an Administrator may lead some to conclude that space policy and our nation’s leadership in space is not a priority for the Administration. That too would harm our efforts in the Congress to ensure that space is a priority.

I look forward to working with you to advance our nation’s civilian space program. 

                                                                    Sincerely,


                                                                    Bill Posey
                                                                    Members of Congress