NASA Job Cuts Rile Congressman

NASA says even more jobs may be cut in the near future, and the announcement has state politicians up in arms.

"I think everybody needs to be on high alert," said Congressman Tom Feeney about yesterday's revelation that NASA will initiate massive layoffs, eliminating 6,400 jobs over the next four years. "I've been warning like Paul Revere for 3 or 4 years."

Feeney says he's trying to bring in new space jobs to replace those that will be lost as the shuttle program winds down, then finally retires completely in 2010. "There are a host of activities that I'm working hard on," he explained.

Then, Feeney went on to criticize Congress and the Bush administration, adding, "We're sending 30 or 50 billion dollars this year to Africa for AIDS. I think we ought to be funding American priorities first."

NASA officials announced that the new Ares rocket program that's slated to replace the shuttle fleet will require only about 1,600 employees at Kennedy Space Center.