On September 28, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (S. 1281) to reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through FY2010. Under the bill, the NASA administrator would develop a plan to maximize the number and monetary amount of contracts awarded to small businesses. The measure also would expand educational outreach programs “with a special emphasis on increasing the number of women and minorities in the science and engineering professions.”
The House approved its version of the bill (H.R. 3070) on July 22 (see The Source, 7/29/05). A House and Senate conference committee will now meet to work out differences in the two bills.
