Policy Blog

The AAS Public Policy team uses the Policy Blog to communicate with the membership about current events in the science policy world. Most policy blog posts are written by the John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow.

Policy Sessions at AAS 247

17 Dec 2025
In this post, we highlight some of the policy-related sessions and events that you can look forward to attending during AAS 247 in Phoenix.

Policy Update (2 December 2025)

2 Dec 2025
Congress is working to pass the remaining FY2026 appropriations bills, and House members are voicing concerns about recent reports from NASA Goddard. Urge your members of Congress to support the STEM workforce.

Policy Update (12 November 2025)

12 Nov 2025
The Senate has moved forward on a bill to reopen the government. Jared Isaacman has been renominated to serve as NASA Administrator. Take action today to support the US STEM workforce and our federal science agencies.

Policy Update (28 October 2025)

28 Oct 2025
The government is still shut down. Several universities have declined to participate in the administration’s proposed funding compact.

Policy Update (15 October 2025)

15 Oct 2025
The federal government is still shut down. The Federal Communications Commission released a new satellite licensing proposal. The AAS submitted a letter to congressional appropriators in support of the astronomical...

Policy Update (1 October 2025)

1 Oct 2025
The government shut down today, 1 October. Email us or use our form to let us know how you’ve been impacted. The Save NASA Science Day of Action is next week.

Policy Update (16 September 2025)

16 Sep 2025
The House has released a draft Continuing Resolution for FY2026. The AAS and other organizations have drafted a letter in response to a recent Executive Order. Let us know if you're having trouble with grant disbursement...

Policy Update (3 September 2025)

3 Sep 2025
Congress is back in session, with funding set to expire at the end of the month. The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing about the legislative priorities of NASA.

Policy Update (19 August 2025)

19 Aug 2025
The president signed an executive order that changes the review process for federal grants. The AAS is commenting to the Federal Communications Commission in response to its streamlined environmental review process.

The Unknowns of Science (Policy)

5 Aug 2025
Cece Ochoa, a PhD student at the University of California, Riverside, shares her experiences from AAS's Congressional Visits Day.