Schiff vows to restore NASA, JPL funding

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) this week said he plans to go to battle for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge and the nation’s space program after seeing NASA’s budget trimmed by the House Commerce, Justice and Science Committee.

“The proposed appropriations bill for NASA makes dramatic cuts to space technology research and development and other vital efforts,” Schiff, a member of the committee, said. “I’m going to move to try to restore those funds next week.”

The committee budgeted $16.8 billion for NASA, $1.6 billion less than last year and $1.9 billion less than what President Obama requested. The budget eliminates funding for the James Webb Space Telescope, the planned successor to the Hubble Telescope that has run into more than $1 billion in cost overruns.

Schiff also said he was chagrined by a proposal in the bill to “zero out” funding for the COPS program, in which the federal government subsidizes staffing of local police departments. He said he also plans to introduce a measure to reinstate funds for that program.