(Washington, DC) - Today, as part of the Continuing Resolution (CR), the U.S. House of Representatives extended the waiver to the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act from January 1, 2012 to July 1, 2016, which will allow NASA to continue to purchase needed ISS-related goods and services from the Russians and ensure that U.S. astronauts will continue to have access to the ISS after the current waiver expires. The House passed the CR by a vote of 370 to 58.

Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) offered the following statement:

"While I regret that it is necessary, passage of the waiver helps ensure uninterrupted access for U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) until our new American crew transfer and rescue systems are developed, by allowing us to contract with Russia. The American taxpayers have made a significant investment in the ISS; it is important that we be able to use it productively once it is assembled, and for that we needed to have the INKSNA waiver extended.