14 DAY TRIAL // The House overwhelmingly endorsed President Bush's vision of sending people back to the Moon and eventually to Mars as it passed a bill on Friday to set NASA policy for the next two years.
According to AP, the bill was approved by a 383-to-15 vote after a collegial debate in which lawmakers emphasized their commitment not only to Mr. Bush's space exploration plans but also to traditional programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, like science and aeronautics.
Originally, the measure would have shifted $1.3 billion from exploration to other NASA programs. But after administration objections, lawmakers restored the money for exploration during floor debate by adding to the bill's bottom line, which is at $34.7 billion.
The bill was the first NASA policy measure to pass the House in five years.