The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that only days after celebrating the accomplishments of NASA Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is proposing cuts to the agency in order to pay for disaster aid.

It’d be nice to go to the moon again, but maybe we can’t afford to…


Another area she is suggesting for cuts according to the article is aid to foreign countries.

After 9/11 foreign aid received renewed interest from both sides of the aisle as an important way to foster stability and democracy around the world. From the December 3rd 2001 issue of USA Today:

The foreign aid budget usually passes with slim majorities in the House and Senate. And although it might not attract much new support, proponents say they are now prepared to spend more than in the past. After years of foreign aid cutbacks, “I think … we’re going to be able to increase it,” Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., said.

There’s also sentiment for a change in spending priorities: less money for guns and more for bread-and-butter projects. McClymont says U.S. spending on basic relief projects such as health, food aid and education has fallen by $600 million during the past decade when figures are adjusted for inflation.

“We’re going to have to do a lot more in the areas of education, health care, democracy-building,” says Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., chairman of the House panel with jurisdiction over foreign aid. “If we’re going to be bold and face this thing as a national emergency, we have to recognize that our economic aid and assistance programs (are) part of our diplomacy.”