Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
Maryland Lawmakers Challenge Proposed NASA Science Program Cuts
GREENBELT, Md. – Maryland’s congressional representatives have voiced strong confidence that Congress will ultimately reject substantial reductions to NASA’s science initiatives proposed by the White House. Competition with China in space exploration was cited as a significant factor in their opposition.
Congressional Delegation Expresses Unified Front Against Reductions
Speaking to journalists outside the entrance of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Steny Hoyer and Glenn Ivey, all Democrats representing Maryland, reaffirmed their collective disapproval of the nearly 50% decrease in NASA science programs outlined in a budget “passback” document recently delivered to the agency by the administration.
“Slashing science programs by half would be detrimental to our nation across numerous sectors,” asserted Senator Van Hollen. “It would undermine our national security, stifle our innovative economy, and diminish our global leadership position.”
China’s Advancement in Space Science Fuels Concerns
The lawmakers emphasized that curtailing NASA’s scientific endeavors would provide China a competitive advantage in space science. “China is actively pursuing the achievements of the U.S. space program, particularly our successful science programs,” Van Hollen cautioned. “This is precisely the wrong moment for the United States to step back from space science leadership.”
Representative Ivey, whose district encompasses Goddard, echoed these concerns. “The fundamental question is whether we intend to maintain our leadership in science and technology globally. China is rapidly closing the gap,” Ivey stated. “Their resource allocation and investment significantly surpass current U.S. efforts.”
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Broader Agency Impacts and Bipartisan Support Anticipated
While the proposed cutbacks primarily target science programs, Representative Hoyer contended that they would have repercussions across NASA. He referenced former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson’s assessment of the proposal: “They are steering NASA toward a very deep ditch with this drastic action.”
Successfully opposing these proposed reductions will necessitate bipartisan collaboration, given the Republican majorities in both the House and Senate. Senator Van Hollen, the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s commerce, justice, and science (CJS) subcommittee, mentioned a meeting with his counterpart, Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), prior to the passback release. “My understanding is that he fully appreciates the vital importance of Goddard’s space science mission,” Van Hollen noted.
“I am optimistic that Republicans will recognize that a 50% reduction in the NASA science budget would be detrimental to U.S. national security and broader national interests,” Van Hollen concluded.
Goddard Space Flight Center’s Vital Role and Potential Repercussions
The delegation’s remarks followed a tour of Goddard, the base for crucial missions like the Roman Space Telescope and the DAVINCI Venus probe, both facing potential cancellation under the budget proposal. “This visit to Goddard was initiated by us,” Hoyer clarified, emphasizing it was not a NASA-led lobbying effort. “They did not solicit us to come.”
Nevertheless, the lawmakers acknowledged the palpable anxiety regarding the consequences for Goddard and the surrounding community if the budget plan is enacted. Van Hollen clarified that while the proposal doesn’t explicitly mandate Goddard’s closure, contrary to some reports, it would nonetheless “severely weaken” the center. “It would undoubtedly inflict considerable harm on the regional and local economies, and on all the individuals employed at NASA.”
Political Motivations and Future Actions
Van Hollen speculated that these proposed science budget reductions, primarily impacting Goddard and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, might constitute “political retribution” against Maryland and California, both predominantly Democratic states. “Rest assured, we will vigorously argue against political retribution having any place in the appropriations process,” he affirmed. “I believe our Republican colleagues in both the Senate and House understand the perilous path that such actions represent.”