Larry J asked this a few days ago. All I can find is this exerpted from Kieth's NASAWatch in May...

Sen. Nelson began his questions by noting that he had visited JSC last Fall and that he had dinner with his former crewmate Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz. "... He took me to the building adjacent to Ellington Field to see it. {VASIMR} ...I was pleased to see NASA's FY 2003 budget contain $1 billion for it Nuclear Systems Initiative. You used a mission to Pluto [as an example] and how much [nuclear technology] would speed it up."...If you are requesting $1 billion for nuclear systems, does it include VASIMR?"

O'Keefe replied that he was not sure if it is included. Nelson replied that Chang-Diaz has been working on this since the mid-1980s. Is there anyone your staff who can give you an update?"

Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Flight Bill Readdy sat down next to O'Keefe and replied "Franklin is preparing for a flight. His lab is a concept demonstration. He has a number of students that are being supported. [This engine effort] is still in its infancy and is a technology demonstration that come under the SLI banner - orbit to orbit propulsion. We are looking to partner with DoD on some of these issues. That engine requires a substantial electrical power source and is only enabled by some sort of nuclear reactor."

Nelson asked : Is it funded in the FY 2003 budget?" Readdy replied that he'd have to get back to Nelson (after checking). Nelson replied" if this isn't funded I need to know this soon. I want to see that this funding continues."
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I know that FLA congresscritter Nelson has a constituent bias here, but I'm happy that this viable propulsion technology has a sponsor. Note the tie to nukes in space, a Bush II space initiative.

-philw