Washington D.C. –Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today released the following statement in response to President Obama’s FY2016 budget request.
Chairman Smith: “Under this president, our nation’s debt has grown by more than $7 trillion. And the president’s latest budget proposal is more of the same. The American people do not want increased taxes and the government spending what it doesn’t have.
“Investments in science and technology have the potential to create jobs and yield future economic growth. Rather than focus on areas that have clear benefits for Americans, the president instead chose to push a partisan agenda. His budget includes new spending for costly ineffective energy subsidies and a new $500 million United Nations program to promote ‘climate change resiliency’ in other countries. I’m disappointed the president chose to play politics with taxpayers’ dollars instead of offering real solutions.
“I am disappointed that the budget request does not adequately support the programs that will take us farther into space to destinations like Mars. In fact, his budget cuts human space exploration and planetary science. The Obama administration continues to include costly distractions, such as climate funding better suited for other agencies, and an asteroid retrieval mission that the space community does not support.
“It is clear that the president is out of touch with how Americans want their government to be run. House Republicans will continue to promote policies to make the federal government and our nation’s scientific enterprise more efficient, effective and accountable.”
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