Kosmas Praises, Posey Pillories $15 Million Space Coast Relief Package

Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, today hailed a $15 million grant to assist workers on the Space Coast.

The grant was awarded to the Brevard Workforce Development Board to aid thousands of workers who will be laid off by the impending retirement of NASAs space shuttle program.

Funds will provide career guidance assistance as well as training and continuing education. The grant was made available through the Department of Labors National Emergency Grants program.

But Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, wasn't nearly so impressed.

While I hope this announcement will help some displaced workers, a series of ill-advised decisions by (the Obama administration) makes the workforce needs all the more dire," Posey said in a statement.

Those poor decisions include: a failure to extend the life of the space shuttle, a decision to terminate the constellation program without a real plan for future human space exploration, and the administrations decision to pay the Russians over $1 billion to launch our astronauts and cargo to the space station.

"Also, the congressionally mandated Space Shuttle Workforce Transition Strategy is nearly two years overdue.

None of this would have been necessary if the president had kept his August 2008 promise to the people of the Space Coast -- that he would close the gap between shuttle and constellation and keep America first in space, Posey said.