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July 27, 2017 (Huntsville, AL) The Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Alabama’s Senior U.S. Senator, Richard Shelby, for his leadership to secure $2.15 billion in funding for the Space Launch System. As the Chairman of the Committee with jurisdiction over NASA’s funding, Senator Shelby’s support for the SLS program has been critical to help keep the program on track. Funding included in the Commerce, Justice, Science appropriation measure is $215 million over the amount included in the Administration’s requested funding for the SLS program.

“Senator Shelby has been our champion on the Hill, fighting for our nation’s continued leadership in the human exploration of deep space,” said Chip Cherry, the Chamber’s President and CEO. “This appropriation far exceeds what we could have hoped to get for the program and we are very appreciative.”

“For the United States to claim a leadership role in exploring space, we must act like a leader by developing the SLS system, which will take humans further into space than we have ever gone,” 2017 Chamber Board Chair Joe Newberry added. “Senator Shelby’s support for this program will allow us to continue to claim that leadership role.”