RFI: Any idea what the TX governor was doing at JSC last Wednesday?

....Last week I spent a few days in Houstopolis, and managed to steak a
few minutes up at JSC. Over at Space Center Disney, they had an area
marked off for some speech the Governor was giving, and on display was
a model of Lockmart's dual-engine CEV concept, complete with LES. I'll
post a few of those picks later on in the week when time permits, but
what I'm curious about is what the Governor's speech was about. I've
found *nothing* on any of the Houston news sites, and nothing at all
on the AP wires. Anyone hear anything about this?

OM
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OM wrote:
...Last week I spent a few days in Houstopolis, and managed to steak a
few minutes up at JSC. Over at Space Center Disney, they had an area
marked off for some speech the Governor was giving, and on display was
a model of Lockmart's dual-engine CEV concept, complete with LES. I'll
post a few of those picks later on in the week when time permits, but
what I'm curious about is what the Governor's speech was about. I've
found *nothing* on any of the Houston news sites, and nothing at all
on the AP wires. Anyone hear anything about this?

OM


http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divi...006-09-20.3437

Sep. 20, 2006
Perry: 1,000 New High-Paying Jobs Coming to Houston Area

TEF Grant Ensures Lockheed Martin Will Create New Jobs in Houston

HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry today announced a $7.5 million Texas
Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant to Lockheed Martin, which will bring about
1,000 new high-paying jobs to the Houston area. The TEF grant ensures
that Lockheed Martin will create these jobs in the Houston area after
they earned a multi-billon dollar contract from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to build the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle, which will become the foundation of America's
next generation human spaceflight program.

"This expansion will be a strong addition to Houston's reputation
as one of the world's leading cities for the aerospace industry,"
Perry said. "In the future, Lockheed's larger presence could help
Houston attract other aerospace jobs because of the tendency of
likeminded employers to locate near one another."

State officials began working with Lockheed Martin and local officials
early this year to ensure that the highly sought-after contract went to
a company creating jobs in Texas.

"With the president's call for a renewed commitment to space
exploration a lot of other cities and states across the country have
been looking for a way to transport some of that prestige and some of
those jobs away from Texas," Perry said of the competition the
Houston area faced in competing for the NASA contract.

In addition to the 1,000 new jobs, which will pay about $65,000 a year,
Lockheed Martin will invest $68 million in the Texas economy.

"Those dollars will benefit the entire region as they make their way
to local shops and family pocketbooks," Perry said.

The legislature created the TEF in 2003 at Perry's request and
re-authorized the program in 2005. To date, the deal-closing fund has
helped the state secure projects that will bring more than 43,000 new
jobs to Texas and add $9 billion to the economy.

Since 2003, Texas has gained more than 650,000 net new jobs - one
reason it has been rated as having the best business climate in the
nation.

"I am proud that the city that helped put the first man on the moon
will also be the city that helps put the first man on Mars, and
destinations beyond," Perry said.

"Rusty" wrote in message
ps.com...
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divi...006-09-20.3437

Sep. 20, 2006
Perry: 1,000 New High-Paying Jobs Coming to Houston Area

TEF Grant Ensures Lockheed Martin Will Create New Jobs in Houston

HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry today announced a $7.5 million Texas
Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant to Lockheed Martin, which will bring about
1,000 new high-paying jobs to the Houston area. The TEF grant ensures
that Lockheed Martin will create these jobs in the Houston area after
they earned a multi-billon dollar contract from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to build the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle, which will become the foundation of America's
next generation human spaceflight program.

I'm sure that other states, like Florida, will fight equally hard to make
sure the Apollo/Saturn then Shuttle relay race continues with CEV/Ares.
NASA's manned space program is all about the jobs, not about making space
more affordable or more accessible.

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

Jeff Findley wrote:
"Rusty" wrote in message
ps.com...
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divi...006-09-20.3437

Sep. 20, 2006
Perry: 1,000 New High-Paying Jobs Coming to Houston Area

TEF Grant Ensures Lockheed Martin Will Create New Jobs in Houston

HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry today announced a $7.5 million Texas
Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant to Lockheed Martin, which will bring about
1,000 new high-paying jobs to the Houston area. The TEF grant ensures
that Lockheed Martin will create these jobs in the Houston area after
they earned a multi-billon dollar contract from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to build the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle, which will become the foundation of America's
next generation human spaceflight program.

I'm sure that other states, like Florida, will fight equally hard to make
sure the Apollo/Saturn then Shuttle relay race continues with CEV/Ares.
NASA's manned space program is all about the jobs, not about making space
more affordable or more accessible.

Don't forget MSFC in Alabama for the three red state NASA sweep.

Eric


Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)

On 25 Sep 2006 11:17:42 -0700, "Eric Chomko"
wrote:

Don't forget MSFC in Alabama for the three red state NASA sweep.

Pushing NASA business in your state/district isn't really a Red State
/ Blue State thing, though. That's just plain ol' pork barrelling, and
both parties are up to their necks in it.

Brian

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:11:26 -0500, in a place far, far away, Brian
Thorn made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such
a way as to indicate that:

On 25 Sep 2006 11:17:42 -0700, "Eric Chomko"
wrote:

Don't forget MSFC in Alabama for the three red state NASA sweep.

Pushing NASA business in your state/district isn't really a Red State
/ Blue State thing, though. That's just plain ol' pork barrelling, and
both parties are up to their necks in it.

Eric stupidly thinks that every decision made is based on what color
state it happens in.

Brian Thorn wrote:
On 25 Sep 2006 11:17:42 -0700, "Eric Chomko"
wrote:

Don't forget MSFC in Alabama for the three red state NASA sweep.

Pushing NASA business in your state/district isn't really a Red State
/ Blue State thing, though. That's just plain ol' pork barrelling, and
both parties are up to their necks in it.

Ike had it right about spreading NASA work around rather than being in
one state/area. The only issue is that all manned spaceflight is in red
states and all unmanned spaceflight is in blue states.

Eric


Brian

OM wrote:
...Last week I spent a few days in Houstopolis, and managed to steak a
few minutes up at JSC. Over at Space Center Disney, they had an area
marked off for some speech the Governor was giving, and on display was
a model of Lockmart's dual-engine CEV concept, complete with LES. I'll
post a few of those picks later on in the week when time permits, but
what I'm curious about is what the Governor's speech was about. I've
found *nothing* on any of the Houston news sites, and nothing at all
on the AP wires. Anyone hear anything about this?

OM

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/space/4202788.html

Sept. 20, 2006, 9:55PM
Lockheed Martin gets grant to bring jobs to Houston

By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Gov. Rick Perry announced today the award of a $7.5 million Texas
Enterprise Fund grant to Lockheed Martin Corp., which is developing and
building the successor to the space shuttle in Houston.

Perry said the grant was offered as an incentive for Lockheed Martin to
keep the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle project and the 1,000 jobs that
come with it in Houston.

"There are a number of states that have been more than aggressive in
putting their state tax dollars on the line to lure businesses out of
the state of Texas," Perry said at Space Center Houston.

Lockheed Martin won an $8 billion contact from NASA last month to build
Orion, NASA's next generation in space exploration. NASA envisions
using the spacecraft to return to the moon and establish a base there
for a mission to Mars.

Kathy Walt, Perry's spokeswoman, said the state was prepared to offer
the incentive to either Lockheed Martin or Northrup Grumman/Boeing,
which also was competing for the NASA contract.

Kenneth Reightler, Lockheed Martin Space Operations president, said
several factors went into play in choosing a site to design, develop
and build the spacecraft.

"The real deciding factor was the Texas Enterprise Fund, that really
made the difference in being able to make this a viable program to
bring the kind of people that we wanted to bring here and establish a
real headquarters here for this project," Reightler said.

Perry said the project will generate 1,000 new jobs with salaries of
about $65,000 to the region. Also, the project is expected to generate
$68 million for the state's economy.