The Space Launch System, NASA's deep-space rocket under development at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, got a funding boost Wednesday from the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, announced the increase of $150 million in funding over 2015 for the rocket.

The increase in funding came as the House approved the spending bill known as the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2016.

The bill now goes to the Senate for approval.

The appropriations funds the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, NASA, the National Science Foundation and other related agencies, according to Brooks, who is vice chair of the Space subcommittee of the House's Science, Space and Technology Committee.

His announcement said that the spending bill contains $51.4 billion in total discretionary funding and SLS has a total of $1.85 billion.

According to Brooks, many payloads expected to be launched on SLS require a large, or "enhanced," upper stage that will add to the SLS's capabilities. The appropriations bill includes $50 million for continued Enhanced Upper Stage (EUS) development, which is designed and tested in North Alabama.

The bill also designates the SLS as the launch vehicle for NASA's planned mission to Jupiter's Europa moon in 2022.

"To be the world's preeminent space program, the United States must have a vehicle that gets humans to space," Brooks said. "As the home to Marshall Space Flight Center, North Alabama has a strong heritage in human space exploration, which continues today with our role in building the rocket that will take us into deep space, and our future role in successfully extending human reach to Mars.

"The CJS Appropriations bill robustly funds well-balanced space exploration, science, and aeronautics programs, and fully funds the Space Launch System, which will allow us to meet program goals and stay on track for future missions. This bill is an investment in our future, providing NASA with an increase of $518.9 million in funding over the 2015 enacted level, setting the funding authorization and policy direction we need to maintain our preeminence in space and aeronautics."