Appropriators Blocking Mars Mission Move, Aviation Week

"This proposal represents a significant deviation from the robotic exploration program plan as it was approved by Congress in NASA's fiscal year 2012 appropriations, and the committee believes that so radical a change in policy needs and deserves to be fully considered by a process that is more rigorous and more inclusive than" the reprogramming notification, Wolf writes."

Rep. Schiff Applauds Decision to Reject NASA Request to Divert Mars Funds

"I want to thank Chairman Wolf for rejecting this reprogramming request by NASA," said Schiff."NASA's effort to mothball the Mars program is a disaster for America's leadership in planetary science, and I'm glad this first step has been rejected by the committee. Thanks to the brilliant scientists at JPL, we have the unique capability to design, fly and land sophisticated robotic spacecraft on our planetary neighbor, and this is not a talent pool NASA should abandon."