Congress rejects Trump’s proposed NASA budget cuts

House lawmakers advanced a spending bill rejecting President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to NASA, keeping the agency’s budget flat at $24.4 billion.

The White House requested $18.8 billion for NASA, a 23% cut from existing funding levels, while shifting resources away from science and aeronautics programs toward moon and Mars exploration.

The administration said the budget concentrates NASA’s resources on space exploration, arguing ambitious missions rather than education programs would inspire the next generation.

The Republican chairman of the House Science Committee said the White House proposal could not support Trump’s exploration goals.

“I simply do not believe this budget proposal is capable of supporting what President Trump himself has directed the agency to accomplish,” said Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Babin said that despite his reputation as a budget hawk, cutting NASA funding was “simply not smart.”

The ranking Demo...