2026 Week of Action in Support of Federal Funding for the Sciences

The President's Budget Request (PBR) for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) was released on Friday, 3 April 2026, along with detailed budget requests from NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE). The budget proposes a 47% cut to NASA Science, a 55% cut to NSF, and a 13% cut to the DOE Office of Science. We have broken down the details of the budget requests and what they would mean for astronomical science programs here. If enacted, these cuts will result in the abdication of US leadership in discovery science, with long-lasting impacts on our national STEM workforce.

However, the PBR is not law — it is just the first step in the annual funding process. Congress holds the “power of the purse” and will ultimately make the decision about how much federal funding is appropriated to these and other agencies. We urge you to take action next week, and thereafter, to remind Congress of the importance of federal funding for the sciences. Your advocacy last year led to Congress rejecting the proposed cuts in the FY26 PBR. We must sustain that advocacy this year to ensure that Congress appropriates robust funding for the sciences.

We ask that you set aside some during the Week of Action to engage in advocacy for the sciences. We have a list of suggested actions for each day below, but we encourage you to also do what you believe to be impactful and timely. Keep in mind that often the most time-consuming or difficult actions will be the most impactful, so we appreciate as much time as you are able to make for these! Please also consider sharing what you are doing each day on social media using #WeekOfAction and #SaveScience.

Let us know which actions you participated in using this form. Anyone who completes at least three of these actions will be recognized as an Advocacy Hero at the next AAS meeting and in an upcoming AAS digest.

Day 1 (Monday, 13 April): Write to Your Members of Congress

It's time to speak up for science! Kick off our Week of Action by writing to your members of Congress, urging them to robustly fund space science in FY 2026 and beyond. You can use our action alert to send a message in just a few minutes, but a personalized email is likely to have more impact. AAS members can access direct contact information for science staffers in their congressional offices here. (You must be logged in to the AAS website to view the page.) Alternatively, please reach out to [email protected] and we would be happy to share this contact information with you.

Once you send a message to your members of Congress, you can amplify your message by sharing on your social media why strong federal support for science and space research matters to you. Tag your representatives and use #WeekOfAction and #SaveScience to spread the message far and wide!

Here are some resources that you might find helpful in crafting your message:

• NSF impacts in your state fact sheets
• NASA state-level economic impact report fact sheets
• FASEB state-level information about NSF, DOE SC, NIH and USDA funding
• AAAS Federal R&D Dashboard
• APS Federal R&D Enterprise Visualizer
• Planetary Society dashboard for state- and district-level NASA funding

Day 2 (Tuesday, 14 April): Call Your Members of Congress

Your voice matters! A phone call is 32% more likely to influence your member of Congress compared to a form email. Use the “Phone” button on our action alert or a service like 5 Calls to call your members of Congress and tell them why funding science and space is critical for America's future. It only takes a few minutes, but it can have a huge impact. If you are nervous about speaking to someone, don’t worry! Most calls will go to voicemail, especially if you call on the weekend or after 6 pm ET. (The office will still listen to your voicemail.)

Day 3 (Wednesday, 15 April): Request a Meeting with Your Local Congressional Office

On this day, two dozen members of the AAS and the American Association of Physics Teachers will be on the Hill in Washington, DC, advocating for federal support of science and STEM education programs. Help amplify their impact by requesting a meeting with with your members of Congress or their staff at a local district office. You could even invite them to visit your institution! Nearly all Congressional offices (97%) say that a meeting with a constituent influences their decisions. Personal connections help policymakers see firsthand how federal investments in science make a difference. You can view local district office locations on the website of your member of Congress. To request a meeting, you can either find a meeting request or contact form on your member’s website, or email [email protected] and we’d be happy to assist you. (We are also happy to help you prepare for the meeting!) We also encourage you to coordinate with your institution’s government affairs office, and consider doing this meeting as a group with other constituents at your institution/department.

Day 4 (Thursday, 16 April): Write an Op-Ed

Writing an op-ed for your local newspaper is a great way to get the broader public involved in advocacy for science, and get the attention of your members of Congress, many of whom still read their hometown newspaper every day. You could write about a myriad of topics, including the severe economic impact of reduced STEM funding, the “brain drain” of scientists to other countries, the loss of opportunities in the STEM workforce pipeline, American leadership in the space sciences, national security and innovation, and/or the personal importance of science to you and your career. Here are some resources for writing an op-ed, including suggested talking points. You can also check out Science Homecoming, a grassroots nonprofit science organization, for more information. The Science Homecoming site provides free tools, templates, and volunteer editor support for scientists to write short hometown op-eds and highlight how science impacts everyday life. You can also find resources and examples on the McClintock Letters webpage. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions during the process.

Day 5 (Friday, 17 April): Host an Advocacy Event

Today, spend some time broadening your advocacy efforts by helping others get engaged. Host a short co-working session for your community (either in person or online) where you can help others engage in the above advocacy actions, including writing to their member of Congress, preparing a script for a phone call, and requesting a meeting with their congressional offices.

Thank you for engaging in advocacy with us!