Chairman Boehlert had a very interesting opening to today's hearing on the NASA budget. Some highlights:

I am for returning humans to the moon by 2020. I am for moving ahead prudently but swiftly with the development of a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) for that purpose. I am for retiring the Space Shuttle as soon as possible, but under absolutely no circumstances later than December 31, 2010. I am for a NASA that sees itself as a science agency, with all of Space Science, Earth Science and Aeronautics receiving theattention and funding accorded to priority areas. I am for a NASA that is open to outside ideas from academia and the private sector...

...We understand that the Administration could send up in the next month or so proposed language to amend the Iran Nonproliferation Act. That’s a critical matter because the current law would bring the Station program to a halt by next April. Any proposal will be reviewed carefully. The only thing I can say now – and I think the Administration agrees with this – is that the Station is a lot less important than non-proliferation is. I’m not interested in having to go into space because we’ve blown ourselves up.

In other words, he places a very low priority on ISS completion. He's not going to let NASA use its non-completion as an excuse to continue to fly Shuttle, and he's apparently willing to abandon ISS if it means that we have to knuckle under to the Russians on their ability to continue to supply Iran with nuclear technology.

He also seems determined to break precedent and actually get an authorization bill out this year (usually, it never makes it, and the policy is driven exclusively by the appropriation).

It will be interesting to see White House reaction, and if his counterpart in the Senate agrees.

What do you think of Federick Gregory's subsequent statement? It appears that the CEV isn't scheduled to deploy until 2014 (though there would be prototypes around by 2008 and he echoes that the Shuttle would be phased out by 2010). I gather that the slack in manned transportation might be made up by commercial services. They are forecasting 2-3 more years of life for Hubble.

Using Iran as an excuse to abandon ISS... sounds like a plan to me!

Yes, very encouraging comments. Same goes for Rep. Calvert.

Seems like we have some necessary ingredients to bring about meaningful change. All that's missing is the next NASA administrator, but perhaps it's wise to get the most painful changes rolling before the post is filled.

"abandon ISS... sounds like a plan to me!"
_Whatever_ the excuse, its still a great plan :)
Probably for every partner involved, regardless of what they might officially say. If US would come up with some way to compensate the partners for their already-built hardware it would be especially great.

If US would come up with some way to compensate the partners for their already-built hardware it would be especially great.

How about giving them the ISS? Sounds like a deal to me.

especially since we will one day have to build another if we ever hope to have any kind of major presence in space...even if we do complete the ISS.

Interesting comments by Mr. Boehlert, but as a long time constituent of his, I'm used to his policy of saying one thing and doing another. In talking with people who have dealt with him, I hear a constant refrain of how anti-technology and Luddite he is. This is why he gets along so well with the politicians in our area(Central New York); glib talking but dumb with good handlers.
I admit to a bias; I supported his primary challenger both times, a man who is neither a RINO nor an Econut.