I strongly oppose the Senate Appropriations Committee's proposal to underfund the 2015 Commercial Crew by $344 million. This must not be allowed. It is a matter of national security, leadership, and pride. The International Space Station is a source of great pride to the people of the US and the world. It has deepened our understanding of the human condition. It is a source of great inspiration for future generations to start STEM careers. It has shown the world the US continues to be a leader in space. Unfortunately, there currently is only a single nation with the ability to send people to the station: Russia. Russia as a nation has shown us time and again they are not our friends, yet we hope they will continue to be nice to the US. US taxpayers currently pay Russia $70 million for each seat to the space station. Each year, this amounts to more than $200 million. This is money which must instead be invested in our own space industry. The $344 million dollars would ensure sufficient competition between commercial providers. It'll allow NASA to select from a variety of providers instead of only a single provider. The money will also allow us to return to sending people to space on time. You must work with your colleagues in the Senate to restore funding to the Commercial Crew initiative. America's leadership in space depends on it.