- A provision in President Donald Trump’s tax bill, passed by House Republicans, allocates $85 million to transport the Discovery space shuttle from the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum to Space Center Houston.
- The Smithsonian criticized the plan, estimating the true cost could exceed $300 million and warning of significant damage risk due to the complexity of the transfer.
- Former astronaut Garrett Reisman also opposed the move, deeming it “ludicrous and unnecessary” and suggesting the funds should instead be invested in NASA's science program.
- The provision was backed by Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, with Cornyn's spokesperson disputing the Smithsonian's cost estimate and suggesting a much lower figure of $5-8 million.
- Cruz stated the move would honor Houston's historical significance in America's human spaceflight program.
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