White House Shares Some of Columbia Blame (Bush sqeezed NASA budget)

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http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/6693348.htm

WASHINGTON - The White House and Congress must share some blame for the space shuttle accident that killed seven astronauts, the chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board said Thursday.

Ret. Navy Adm. Harold W. Gehman Jr. told the House Science Committee that following past tragedies, NASA has made management changes, but that the space agency responds to budgetary and other pressures by reverting to practices that are less safe.

"After a tragedy, they take a whole lot of management actions," Gehman said. "But over the years forces begin to act on them. Some are budget pressures from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue" - a reference to Congress and the White House.

He said the space shuttle management gets squeezed by budget pressures and schedules and takes money away from some measures that assure safety.

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