A couple of budget-related items out today. The NPOESS program will be important for gathering climate measurements - this article talks about its current development and funding issues.

Legislation Ends NPOESS Cost-Sharing Arrangement
(Space News) December 14, 2009, By Turner Brinton
The U.S. Congress is on the verge of sending the White House an omnibus spending bill that provides no additional funding for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and eliminates a cost-sharing agreement between the Air Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the troubled weather satellite program. The NPOESS provisions are included in the 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (HR 3288) that passed the House of Representatives Dec. 10 and as of press time was awaiting a vote in the Senate.