WASHINGTON - The U.S. civil space agency budget was devastated late Monday when a House of Representatives panel voted massive cuts to the agency, Hill sources told space.com. More than $1.3 billion out of a $13.6 billion request was slashed, triggering deep cuts to NASA Earth and Space Science projects. Outright cancellation of some programs seems likely as a result of the action if the full House Appropriations Committee approves of the action taken today.

The VA-HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $12.25 billion space agency budget for the 2000 Fiscal Year beginning in less than 90 days. Among the cuts approved late Monday:

• $600 million from overall space
• $150 million cut from Space Shuttle
• $680 million cut from Space Science
• $280 million cut from Earth Science
• $ 50 million for facilities upgrades
• $100 million cut from personnel

Other cuts are in the works, possibly exceeding the $1.3 billion figure. Likely to be cancelled as a result are:

• Discovery space probes
• Mars Exploration program missions
• SIRTF space probe
• CONTOUR space probe

Space supporters late Monday vowed to take the bill to the full House Appropriations committee Friday in a final showdown vote. Even if the House votes these cuts, the Senate must still agree. A House-Senate conference committee will meet in early fall to decide on the final shape of whatever NASA bill emerges from Congress. "This has been an appalling mark-up," a Hill source told space.com Monday evening as space supporters fanned out across Washington to do battle with the budget.

Congressional sources tell space.com other cuts to the FY2000 NASA budget may be imposed during the VA-HUD and Independent Agency budget mark-up underway in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Full details will be available Tuesday after the subcommittee actions are complete. A final showdown is likely Friday with the full appropriations committee.

But sources tell space.com that the full committee may not have much money available to restore cuts, due to increases likely for Veterans medical accounts. The VA medical spending account has been declared an emergency appropriation late Monday, allowing an increase to exceed Congressionally mandated budget ceilings. Where will those increases come from? Sources say-"NASA and the National Science Foundation". The NSF may see $250 million cut from its FY2000 numbers.