The Human Sapceflight Committee is seeking public input on various options they are considering:

"The subcommittee’s five initial scenarios are labeled as Lunar Base, Lunar Global, Moon
to Mars, Mars First and Flexible Path. In addition, we have asked the Constellation
program to document the program of record as a scenario, and invited them to propose an
alternative as well.

The first subcommittee-defined scenario, Lunar Base, is a close derivative of the current
program, with some simplifications. Lunar Global is a scenario in which a base or
outpost is not assembled on the Moon, but instead the Moon is explored by a
coordinated series of extended duration human sorties and robotic exploration. In both
these cases, implications for subsequent Mars exploration will be considered. Moon to
Mars, or more completely Moon on the way to Mars, is a scenario in which the primary
objective is Mars exploration, and all systems are designed for Mars. Only when it is
beneficial to use the Moon as a true test bed for these Mars exploration systems will
flights to the Moon be conducted. Mars First is a plan to exclusively pursue human
exploration of the Mars as fast as possible, without using the Moon as a first destination.
Finally, Flexible Path is a scenario that allows humans to visit a wide number of inner
solar system bodies, objects and locations, but not go to the surface of those with deep
gravity wells. Destinations besides Moon and Mars would include the Earth-Moon and
Earth-Sun Lagrange points, near-Earth objects (NEOs) and the moons of Mars. There is
nothing implied in this scenario that surface exploration might not follow, simply that
exploration would first exploit all that could be done without landing on a planetary
surface."

so the options basically are Moon Heavy, Moon Light, Mars with Moon Testing explicitly included, Mars ASAP, and Take it Easy.

"Here's my input to the Augustine commision:

NASA needs to move beyond technological pot shots which may be of use some day and start developing technology of clear use and/or answering fundamental scientific questions. The clearest near term options in these areas are the commercialization of LEO and finding out if life exists elsewhere in the universe. Use of privately developed craft like the Falcon to supply the ISS will provide strong support for LEO commercialization. NASA’s robotic missions have answered many great questions and found new ones since the end of Apollo, yet the greatest success of the human program has been repairing and extending the life of the robotic Hubble telescope. Mars is the most obvious choice where human exploration is likely to be a major aid in determining if life exists elsewhere. It is a truly inspirational goal far beyond what merely improving slightly on Apollo can accomplish. Set our sights clearly on Mars and returning to the Moon will be a relatively easy spinoff for commercial or test missions. Focus on building a base on the Moon and we are likely to put off going to Mars for many more decades.

I watched Apollo 11 land on the Moon and had always expected to see the question of whether or not life ever existed on Mars answered in my lifetime. Despite only being 9 at the time, it appears the chance of that are looking bleak on our present course. As a chemical engineer I can also say confidently that if humanity is ever to build a self sufficient base off Earth, Mars is the most likely place to do that.

Regards,
Mark