House OKs $44 Billion for NASA; Bill Includes Moon, Mars Projects

WASHINGTON — The House on Friday passed a $44-billion, three-year spending authorization bill for NASA that includes President Bush’s proposal to place a settlement on the moon and to begin work on a manned expedition to Mars.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration bill includes no money for the moon and Mars programs in the next fiscal year but would spend $444 million on them in fiscal 1992 and $649 million in fiscal 1993.

The bill won approval on a voice vote after a brief debate. It goes to a conference committee to work out differences with the Senate.

The bill provides a three-year spending authorization to enable NASA to make longer-range plans, including space shuttle missions, space exploration and development of expendable launch vehicles and an experimental high-speed aerospace plane.

The House passed a multiyear authorization last year, but the Senate never took action.

Bush proposed last year that NASA establish a permanent settlement on the moon and begin a 30-year project to send a manned expedition to Mars by the year 2019. The bill authorizes the Bush Administration’s request for the start of the project.