With the upcoming U.S. elections, some senators have moved to protect NASA's space programs before the next administration can potentially influence their future.

The U.S. Senate's Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has approved a new bipartisan bill that will authorize the first mission to Mars and sending NASA astronauts via "space taxis" to the International Space Station despite changing presidents.

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According to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), chairman of the subcommittee overseeing the space program, changes in administration can lead to the cancellation of major space programs. This would eventually lead to loss of jobs and money wasted on past programs.

The US $19.5 billion budget for the bill has been approved under the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2016. The Senate Appropriations Committee also approved the same amount.

Under this Senate bill, NASA is required by law to send a human crew to Mars in the next 25 years. This is the first space mission to Mars to be approved by law.

The legislation also includes authorizing a budget for different NASA's activities like $5.4 billion for scientific research, almost $5 billion for space operations, and $4.5 billion for exploration. It also includes sending astronauts to a nearby asteroid to collect samples by the year 2021.

According to senior Democrat on the commerce panel, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, 55 years after President John F. Kennedy challenged America to place a man on the moon, the Senate is challenging NASA to put humans on Mars.