Biden Wants to Give NASA $7.6 Billion to ‘Land the First Woman and Person of Color on the Moon’

President Joe Biden’s fiscal budget for the year 2023 seeks to give the National Aeronautics and Space Administration $7.6 billion in taxpayers funds to “land the first woman and person of color on the moon.”

A statement on the NASA website regarding Biden’s budget request states,”The President’s fiscal year 2023 budget would allow NASA to sustain America’s global innovation leadership and keep NASA at the forefront of exploration and discovery by returning to the Moon with the Artemis program, among other efforts.”

“This budget would enable NASA to address climate change, drive economic growth, and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” NASA claims.

“Greater than a number, statistic, or fact is what the President’s budget request represents,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson insists. “This budget reflects the Biden-Harris Administration confidence in the extraordinary workforce that makes NASA the best place to work in the federal government.”

Through @NASAArtemis missions, we will land the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, deepen our scientific understanding of the Moon, and test technologies that will prepare for the human exploration of Mars.

More on the #StateofNASA: https://t.co/huAyXf73QT pic.twitter.com/Dar3axGeqd

— NASA Technology (@NASA_Technology) March 28, 2022

The budget requests $7.6 billion for “deep space exploration,” with NASA proclaiming,” Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, deepen the United States’ scientific understanding of the Moon, and test technologies that will prepare for human exploration of Mars.”

Other provisions in the budget include “$2.4 billion for Earth-observing satellites and related research” that will “enhance NASA’s ability to improve the world’s understanding of climate change.”

An unrelated section of the budget would allocate “$500 million to reduce aviation’s climate impact,” bringing the total amount of funds given to the space agency to research climate change to nearly $3 billion.

Last but not least, the statement lauds an additional “$150 million for the Office of STEM Engagement for education and engagement activities,” which the agency states would “allow NASA to enhance its support for educational activities, including those that focus on historically underserved communities.”

Biden has insisted that his administration’s unprecedented spending will not increase inflation or decrease the value of the U.S. dollar.