Urge Your Representative to Support NASA Science

This action alert is closed. Thank you to those who took action!

Another fiscal year is upon us, and Congress is beginning to set spending priorities for FY 2027. While Congress acted to preserve funding for the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in FY 2026, months of fiscal uncertainty following the FY 2026 President’s Budget Request (PBR) resulted in the loss of top talent and capability within NASA and its Centers. This year, we expect to see a similarly disruptive PBR for FY27, and it is up to Congress to take swift action and ensure support of NASA SMD. 

AAS has worked with other science societies and stakeholder groups, as well as the Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, to develop a bipartisan Congressional letter advocating for $9 billion in NASA SMD funding in FY 2027. Funding at this level would allow NASA SMD to move forward with the scientific missions and goals recommended by the National Academies' decadal surveys. The letter is led by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and is directed to Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Ranking Member Grace Meng (D-NY) of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. 

We need your help in getting your representative to sign this letter in support of NASA SMD. Every voice counts. 

We have provided an example phone and email script to help you craft your message. Please share some details about the work you do that is enabled by NASA SMD funding in the "Personal message" box. The most effective action would be to both email and call your representative, but if you can only do one, a phone call is more likely to have an immediate impact. 

Please email us at [email protected] if you have any questions before reaching out to your representative. Please note that any messages with crude or inflammatory language will not be passed on, and please be respectful during any communications with Congressional offices (messages should align with the AAS Mission and Vision Statement and AAS Code of Ethics).   

Thank you for advocating for your research and the U.S. astronomical community.