NASA
Compliance with Cost Limits Gao ID: GAO-04-648R April 2, 2004Section 202 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Authorization Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-391) requires that GAO verify NASA's accounting for amounts obligated against established limits for the space station and related space shuttle support. Under the act, obligations are limited to $25 billion for the space station and $17.7 billion for shuttle support.
In the past, we reported that NASA was unable to provide detailed support for the amounts obligated against the limits. Thus, we could not verify the amounts NASA reported to Congress in its fiscal year 2002 through 2004 budget requests. NASA did not report obligations to date against the space station and shuttle cost limits as part of its fiscal year 2005 budget request. As a result, we have no basis for verifying NASA's charges against the limits.
GAO-04-648R, NASA: Compliance with Cost Limits
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April 2, 2004:
The Honorable John McCain:
Chairman:
The Honorable Ernest Hollings:
Ranking Minority Member:
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Sherwood L. Boehlert:
Chairman:
The Honorable Ralph Hall:
Ranking Minority Member:
Committee on Science:
House of Representatives:
Subject: NASA: Compliance with Cost Limits:
Section 202 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA):
Authorization Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-391) requires that GAO verify
NASA's accounting for amounts obligated against established limits for
the space station and related space shuttle support. Under the act,
obligations are limited to $25 billion for the space station and $17.7
billion for shuttle support. In the past, we reported that NASA was
unable to provide detailed support for the amounts it had reported a
obligated against the limits. Thus, we could not verify the amounts
NASA reported to Congress in its fiscal year 2002 through 2004 budget
requests.
NASA's did not report obligations to date against the space station and
shuttle cost limits as part of its fiscal year 2005 budget request.
Therefore, there was nothing for us to audit this year and we were
unable to perform the audit called for by section 202 of the act. As a
result, we have no basis for verifying NASA's charges against the
limits. We have provided a copy of the slides to NASA officials and
they agreed with our conclusion.
As discussed with your staff, the enclosed slides summarize current and
past reporting issues on these legislative restrictions. If you or your
staff have any questions about the slides, please contact me at (202)
512-9505 or by e-mail at kutzg@gao.gov or Diane Handley, Assistant
Director, at (404) 679-1986 or by e-mail at handleyd@gao.gov.
Signed by:
Gregory D. Kutz:
Director, Financial Management and Assurance:
Enclosures:
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