Today, we received the following press release from the Webb Senate office. It appears that that the Warner/Webb team is getting things done for Virginia and the Military. During the campaign we strongly argued that Jim Webb would serve as a powerful compliment to John Warner in the Senate. In this regard, as with so many others, Jim Webb continues to surpass expectations.
Webb and Warner Score Bi-Partisan Budget Victory for Aeronautics Research at NASA Langley
Washington, DC - Senator Webb and colleague Senator Warner today applauded the unanimous adoption of an amendment that would ensure critical funding for aeronautics research at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Webb and Warner Score Bi-Partisan Budget Victory for Aeronautics Research at NASA Langley
Washington, DC - Senator Webb and colleague Senator Warner today applauded the unanimous adoption of an amendment that would ensure critical funding for aeronautics research at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
The President's Budget request for fiscal year 2008 included $554 million (in cost adjusted numbers) for aeronautics research. While NASA's budget saw a $1 billion increase overall from last year, the aeronautics budget was down from the $717 million (in cost adjusted numbers) that Congress recently appropriated for fiscal year 2007.
The amendment restores $163 million in aeronautics research for NASA that was originally not included in the President's FY 2008 budget and ensures level funding for aeronautics research within NASA. The amendment's adoption sends a clear message that Congress supports aeronautics research.
"I am pleased that my colleagues in the Senate agreed to restore aeronautics funding in the Budget," said Senator Webb. "This research is essential for the United States to maintain its advantage in aeronautics technologies and air superiority within the military.
"I am thankful for the close working partnership of my friend and colleague, Senator Warner, and I look forward to working with him and our colleagues in the Senate and the Virginia delegation to make sure that Congress appropriates the necessary funding to continue Langley's work in this vital area," Webb concluded.
"I am pleased that the Senate today recognized the importance of funding research in aeronautics by accepting our amendment," said Senator Warner. "I believe that aeronautics research is essential to U.S. competitiveness and national security, as well as helping to improve safety and manage increasingly crowded skies."
The NASA Langley Research Center was founded in 1917 - 41 years before NASA - as the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, the Nation's first civilian aeronautics lab. NASA Langley conducts cutting edge research in aerospace technology. Langley's mission and contributions to aerospace, atmospheric sciences and technology commercialization are essential to aviation and the global economy. More than half of NASA Langley's research is in aeronautics.
I wonder how much time Warner is spending weeping over the loss of arch-convservative do-nothing, George Allen. Any guesses?
Webb Writing Book for 2008
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), already a best-selling novelist, "is writing another book," according to the Chicago Tribune.The freshman Democrat said "he is planning a book based on the themes of his winning campaign. Those include a diplomacy-based national security strategy, greater accountability in government, and new economic policies to narrow the gap between rich and poor."
"The book, which Webb said could be published next year, marks another attempt by the maverick senator to steer his party toward a centrist path that he said could make Democrats more competitive in conservative areas, including the South."***
We've still got a lot of work to do,
Shawn
Warner doesn't look too shook up over losing his "partner" Allen, does he?