Impacted Members/Scientists: Request a membership waiver, seek meeting support, and other resources. Learn more. For the latest public policy updates, please visit this page.
Action Center
Take action today - use the resources below to learn who your elected officials are, what opportunities we have to advocate from the comfort of your own home, federal and state legislation, and more! For a breakdown of our recent advocacy wins, check out this page.
For Federal Employees - In general, you should be certain to understand your employer’s rules about participating in a call for action. Federal employees, for example, must not conduct such activities using federal resources, i.e. you must participate using your personal time/email/phone number/electronic devices. No matter where you work, your Constitutional rights to petition your government are always valid; you can always participate in advocacy like Action Alerts and Congressional Visits Day, but you may need to be careful about doing it on your own time and resources.
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Submit Comments Urging Against Harmful Changes to Federal Grantmaking Posted: 4 June 2026 Status: Comment period ends on 13 July at 11:59 pm ET. On 29 May 2026, the Office of Management and Budget released a proposed rule that alters how the government handles the management of grants and other forms of financial assistance. If passed in its current form, this rule would create policies that would cause significant harm to the scientific community, research institutions, and professional societies — including the AAS and its approximately 9,000 members. Please submit a comment voicing your concerns and how the proposed rule would harm you. |
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Urge Congress to Take Action Against Harmful Proposed Changes to Federal Grants Posted: 10 June 2026 Status: Active until end of FY 2027 appropriations process. Congress can take action against the proposed changes from OMB (see above) by adding protective language to the annual appropriations (i.e., funding) bills. However, many congressional offices are not yet aware of the severe harms that would be caused by this proposed rule. Please write to your members of Congress, share your concerns, and encourage them to put language in the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bills that would prohibit implementation of the proposed rule. |
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Protect Programs that Broaden Participation in STEM Posted: 21 May 2026 Status: Active until end of FY 2027 appropriations process. The FY27 House appropriations bills include language that would prohibit funding for offices, initiatives, and grants that expand opportunity and broaden participation, sweeping up many STEM workforce programs. Urge Congress to remove this language from the final bill. |
Urge Your Members of Congress to Reject the FY27 President's Budget Request Posted: 3 April 2026 Status: Active until FY 2027 appropriations action concludes. The FY2027 President’s Budget Request (PBR) was released on 3 April, and it once again proposes major cuts to our science agencies. We need your help once more to ensure that Congress takes swift and decisive action in rejecting the FY2027 PBR. |
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Support Astronomical Science Programs Last updated: 22 November 2025 Status: Active (this action alert does not expire) Scientific progress relies on stable and robust federal funding. Urge your members of Congress to support the astronomical sciences so the United States can remain globally competitive and continue making groundbreaking discoveries. |
Ask Congress to Support the Protect America's Workforce Act Last updated: 15 January 2026 Status: Active until legislative action concludes. The dedicated federal workers across our science agencies play a critical role in sustaining the nation’s research and innovation efforts. Urge your members of Congress to support the Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would return bargaining rights to federal workers. |
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Ask Congress to Support the Keep STEM Talent Act Posted: 12 November 2025 Status: Active until legislative action concludes. International STEM students and scientists are a crucial part of the US research enterprise. Urge your members of Congress today to support the Keep STEM Talent Act, which would establish a direct path to permanent resident status for advanced STEM degree holders. |
Share Your Story to Help AAS Advocate for You Last updated: 12 November 2025 Status: This form does not expire. Take a moment to share with us how federal funding and support for community programs have impacted or could impact your scientific career. These stories will be crucial to our engagement with lawmakers as the policy landscape continues to evolve. |