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2d ago

Bill Nye Leads Capitol Hill Push to Block Deep NASA Cuts as Congress Signals Reprieve

Advocates pressed lawmakers as appropriators move to reject the White House request, with NASA operating under a House plan for reduced science funding during the shutdown.

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Experts warn of new “Sputnik moments”
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Overview

  • President Trump’s FY2026 proposal would cut NASA’s topline about 24% to $18.8 billion and reduce the Science Mission Directorate by roughly 47%, with more than 40 missions flagged for defunding including Mars Sample Return, MAVEN and Juno.
  • Roughly 300 advocates from about 20 organizations joined The Planetary Society’s Day of Action led by Bill Nye, who called the science cuts an “extinction-level event” and urged Congress to maintain existing, already funded programs.
  • House and Senate appropriators have rejected the administration’s steep science cuts, with the Senate keeping NASA science near $7.3 billion and the House marking $6 billion versus the White House’s ~$3 billion request.
  • With the government closed, essential spacecraft and ISS operations continue without pay for employees, and the Senate plans another vote to advance a continuing resolution after repeated failures to reopen the government.
  • During the shutdown NASA has been directed to align operations to the House appropriations version that funds science at $6 billion, while reports of early implementation moves by OMB have heightened concerns about changes before Congress finalizes spending.