Canceling these two Mars research projects strikes me as short sighted and stupid. $300 million is the cost "savings", including screwing over our European partners!
That is equivalent to the cost of a small highway overpass project, like for instance, the Orange County (California) $277 million I-405/22/605 West County Connector project, which will provide zippier and dedicated carpool lanes between highways.
Which is the priority: carpool lane improvement or Life on another planet research?