Possibly goods news for NASA in the offing...

With luck, the Senate Appropriations Committee will vote today (28/06/2007) on a spending bill that will increase funding for NASA, NOAA and the Justice Department beyond the level requested by President Bush.

From SPACE.COM:

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Senate panel has recommended providing $17.45 billion for NASA next year, or about $150 million more than the White House requested.

...

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), the subcommittee's chairman, said the NASA portion of the bill seeks to strike a balance between the agency's human spaceflight programs - which are fully funded [emphasis mine] - and its science and aeronautics programs.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate would get $5.66 billion, about $140 million above the request. Within that total, $1.64 billion would go to Earth science, about $130 million more than NASA is seeking.

With luck Mikulski will get this through, although frankly any little bit will help. Both Maryland and the general US astronomical community owe a lot to Senator Mikulski, who has worked ceaselessly to safeguard the jobs and skills in these areas.