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.
30 May 2025
Scientific Societies Issue Letter to Congress Regarding National Science Foundation Reorganizations and Cuts
A coalition of professional societies and organizations whose members conduct research in fields supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) today issued a letter to the United States Congress. The letter expresses support for the NSF and concern about recent organizational and financial developments at the agency.
The NSF has a 75-year successful record of driving groundbreaking innovations and landmark achievements through its support of basic research and education in the non-medical sciences and engineering. Recently, the agency has experienced abrupt reorganizations and reductions in force, plans to reduce its scope, abrupt cancellation of existing grants, and devastating proposed cuts to its future budget.
The letter, which is initially endorsed by more than 50 signatories, calls on the leaders of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the US House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology to exercise their oversight authority to investigate those developments.
The full text of the letter and the initial signatories can be found here:
Letter addressed to the leadership of the authorizing committees with oversight over NSF (PDF)
Update on 14 June, 2025: Three additional organizations have joined the signatory list. The letter with the updated signatory list can be found here:
Organizations interested in joining the letter are invited to contact the American Astronomical Society’s Deputy Director of Public Policy, Roohi Dalal, at [email protected].
Contacts
Joel Parriott
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Director of External Affairs and Public Policy
202-328-2010 x120
About the AAS
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is a major international organization of professional astronomers, astronomy educators, and amateur astronomers. Its membership of approximately 8,000 also includes physicists, geologists, engineers, and others whose interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising the astronomical sciences. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meetings, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.