Diving Catch To Save U.S. Science

Diving Catch To Save U.S. Science Keith’s note: According to a press release “ U.S. Science Leadership Survives Existential Threat From Trump Budget as Cantwell Rallies Colleagues to Reject Gutting NASA, NSF, & NIST“ from Senator Maria Cantwell: “America’s leading science agencies have survived an existential threat thanks to bipartisan rejection of massive budget cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Finance Committee, announced today.” (Full text below) Today, the Senate passed a bipartisan second FY 2026 minibus appropriations bill that stabilized funding for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Science Foundation (NSF), and boosted funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). All three agencies are overseen by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The bill now goes to the White House for President Trump’s signature. “Our science and technology enterprise is the envy of the world and the growth engine of our innovation economy. The President’s budget would have slashed a quarter of NASA’s funding and half of the National Science Foundation’s funding, jeopardizing our economic competitiveness and national security. Instead, Congress held the line, protecting America’s ability to do big things, like establishing a permanent outpost on the Moon, developing space technology that monitors extreme weather and protects our citizens from natural disasters, and inventing the microelectronics of the future that power information systems and lifesaving medical devices. Our world-class researchers and technologists will have the resources they need to expand the boundaries of knowledge that have long enabled us to invent our future,” Sen. Cantwell said. Agency FY2024/25 Enacted Trump Budget Request Cuts FY2026 Legislation Final Increase/Decrease NASA $24.9B -23.8% $24.4B -1.6% NSF $9.1B -57.1% $8.75B -3.85% NIST $1.46B -43.2% $1.85B +21.0% National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASAstunned the world and inspired generations on the day Americans first set foot on the moon. Since then, NASA has: Pioneered breakthroughs and discoveries that superpowered America’s innovation economy; Helped the U.S. achieve global leadership in space technology; Pushed the boundaries of knowledge about the origins of our universe with stunning images collected by space-based telescopes, and; Leveraged earth sciences to protect the American public from natural disasters. President Trump’s FY2026 budget would have cut over $6 billion from NASA’s budget. Under the minibus appropriations bill passed today, the agency will receive $24.44 billion, only slightly less than last year’s budget of $24.88 billion. NASA’s budget includes funding for: Human Landing System (HLS): The bill provides $2.005 billion for the crewed lunar lander that will return American astronauts to the surface of the moon. This is a $586 million increase (29%) from FY24/FY25 enacted levels, enough funding to meet all contractual obligations for both HLS providers in this fiscal year. Science: The bill provides $7.25 billion for NASA science, a $50 million decrease from FY24/FY25 enacted levels - but a $3.34 billion increase from President Trump’s budget. Space Technology: The appropriation for...

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