Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Authorizing Appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

I HAVE signed today a bill authorizing $5,000,419,000 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the current fiscal year.

This bill follows closely the recommendations made in the budget for 1967.

It reaffirms once again the historic decision by this Nation in 1961 to lead in space exploration and the peaceful uses of space.

It enables us to move ahead toward our goal to send men to the moon and back in this decade.

It recognizes the need to continue important work in space technology and aeronautics and to prepare for the projects of the future.

I sign this bill, greatly encouraged by such remarkable recent successes as the brilliant performance of the Surveyor spacecraft on its first mission to the moon, and the highly significant advances in manned space flight being made by the Gemini team.

The period ahead will bring new challenges and new opportunities. It will also bring continued strong competition for space leadership. We are well prepared for that.

We are also prepared--and eager--for more significant cooperation with any nation whose true aim in space is enrichment of man's life on earth. For that is our own aim. Space exploration is one of the great adventures of our time--and one in which all men can share and benefit.

The members of the space committees of the Congress, who have worked so hard and so successfully on this bill, are highly respected members of this team. The overwhelming support of the Congress for this bill was a well-deserved vote of confidence in the work of the committees.

We have come a long way in a very short time in our national space effort.

This bill is in accord with our recommendations to the Congress. I hope that we will be able to continue the program at the pace we proposed and which the Congress has endorsed by this legislation.

However, if particular segments of our economy continue to raise their prices and increase the cost of this and other programs, it will be necessary for the Government to further reduce its expenditures, particularly in those areas where prices are rising in an inflationary way.

The maintenance of this program--like the conduct of so many Federal programs-depends upon the cooperation of major business leaders and union leaders. They must recognize in their price and wage decisions that there is a third party in the board room, in the union hall, and at the bargaining table--the people of the United States.

If we are to continue our space effort and continue to make the magnificent progress represented by our past achievements, we can do so only if business and labor leaders will make their contribution by responsible pricing and bargaining decisions.