Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Bud Cramer (Ala.-05) announced today that the House approved the Fiscal Year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill.

Representative Cramer, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced that the House approved a total of $17.6 billion for the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA).  This amount is $290 million more than the Administration’s request as well as $1.135 billion more than the current year funding levels.

The increased NASA funding total also included $3.9 billion for the Agency’s Exploration program, which is $467 million more than FY 2007 levels.  In addition, the total amount included $5.7 billion for NASA’s science programs, $700 million for aeronautics programs, and $217.3 million for NASA’s education programs.

“We are one step closer to providing NASA and the North Alabama space community with one of its strongest budgets in recent history,” said Cramer.  “While more work must be done to ensure this funding is signed into law, today’s passage is a step in the right direction that will ensure that NASA can fulfill the Space Exploration Mission, while maintaining science research programs.”