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PRESS RELEASE<br />Date Released: Tuesday, November 22, 2005<br />Source: Coalition for Space Exploration<br /><br />November 22, 2005<br /><br />Mr. Andrew H. Card, Jr.<br />Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff<br />The White House<br />1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW<br />Washington, D.C. 20500<br /><br />Dear Mr. Card,<br /><br />The Coalition for Space Exploration, consisting of 42 aerospace companies and 11 industry associations, respectfully urges your support for an FY07 NASA budget of not less than $16.962B --- the funding proposed in the President's budget submittal last year for FY07. The Coalition fully supports the Vision for Space Exploration outlined by President Bush in January 2004. We urge you to consider the economic, competitiveness, educational, and national security value of this Presidential priority and we ask that you recommend a funding profile that ensures NASA is given adequate resources to move forward with the Vision for Space Exploration.<br /><br />When the President announced the Vision, he noted that this bold and necessary initiative would require a sustained commitment spanning decades. Now, barely two years into the journey, fiscal challenges appear to be already placing the Vision at risk. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of NASA's Federal and contractor workers, 70% of whom live and work in the Gulf Coast region, the steps laid out in the President's Vision for Space Exploration have begun. We believe those dedicated workers need your support now more than ever. Space is a critical economic driver in the Gulf. Thousands of aerospace workers, many without homes have continued on the job in the aftermath of the hurricanes that struck the region. NASA-related jobs are a key factor in making the U.S. a globally competitive economic power and also contribute billions to the economy.<br /><br />While the Coalition understands the tremendous budget pressures created by our military commitments and the impact of recent natural disasters, we b