Congress advancing budgets for NSF, NASA, Commerce

House appropriators will hold a full committee markup for their version of the Commerce-Justice-Science bill on Thursday, following Senate appropriators who approved their version of the bill last week. The Senate bill proposes the National Science Foundation receive $9 billion, a slight cut from the $9.06 billion budget that Congress enacted for fiscal year 2025 but a slight increase over the final budget when accounting for the $234 million that President Donald Trump eliminated from NSF’s construction budget in March. By contrast, the House bill would cut NSF’s budget by about 20% while the Trump administration is seeking a more than 50% cut. Notably, the Senate bill passed through committee with bipartisan support, while Democrats are opposing the House version.

The report accompanying the Senate bill details proposed allocations and policy direction across programs at NASA, NSF, and the Commerce Department. For instance, it specifies amounts for several of NSF’s STEM diversity programs, indicating lawmakers’ interest in continuing them. NSF said in April that it would continue to operate broadening participation programs that make use of protected characteristics such as race and gender if they are “prioritized” in appropriations language, amid mass cuts to grants deemed related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The report also says the committee “rejects” the administration’s proposal to close one of the two existing Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) sites and directs NSF to advance both the Extremely Large Telescope projects to the final design stage, despite the administration’s intent to only advance one telescope. The House CJS report will be made public sometime this week.

For NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Senate appropriators propose near-level funding, compared to an 18% cut in the House proposal and a nearly 50% cut in the president’s budget request. The Senate report states that the committee rejects the president’s proposed termination of 55 missions across the science directorate and NASA’s STEM engagement office. The Senate bill also maintains funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research after the president’s request proposed moving a small portion of its programs to other departments and eliminating the rest. “While the committee could be open to realigning some programs to enhance operational outcomes, the absence of detailed plans hinders informed decision-making,” the report states. For details on program-level funding proposals, consult FYI’s Federal Science Budget Tracker.

Top appropriators look to block indirect cost caps

The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee successfully amended the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriation bill last week to continue use of the current indirect cost rates negotiated with higher education institutions rather than implementing caps, as several agencies have attempted to do this year. They also added text to the bill report that “notes the academic research community’s efforts to develop a consensus proposal” on indirect costs. Similarly, the House appropriations bill report for the Department of Energy released last week directs the agency to pause the implementation of a 15% cap while it works to develop a new indirect cost policy with stakeholders. “A blanket indirect cost rates policy, while well-intentioned, does not fully address the unique nature of the department’s research and development work,” the report states.

NSF governing board to meet

The National Science Board will meet on Wednesday in an open session that will feature a panel discussion on basic research with industry representatives followed by a presentation of awards for leadership in and increasing public understanding of science and technology. The board will also hear updates on the implementation of President Donald Trump’s “gold standard science” executive order and on the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The board presented an initiative to seek outside funding for the fellowship program at its last meeting. The program initially selected 1,000 recipients in April, compared to around 2,000 in previous years. The National Science Foundation has since awarded 500 more fellowships, overwhelmingly to students in computer science, physical sciences, and engineering. During a closed session on Thursday, the board will discuss NSF’s staffing, the planned relocation of its headquarters, and the search for a new agency director following Sethuraman Panchanathan’s resignation in April.

Also on our radar

• The National Academy of Sciences has nominated Neil Shubin to succeed Marcia McNutt as the Academy’s president starting June 2026. The nomination comes after the Academies announced a restructuring to be a more “streamlined, nimble organization.”
• Reductions-in-force at the State Department last week made deeper-than-anticipated cuts to science and technology offices.
• The European Commission is proposing to nearly double the Horizon Europe research program’s budget for its 2028-2034 cycle.
• The Government Accountability Office released a congressionally requested report last week on the challenges associated with supporting STEM education in rural school districts.
• NASA announced last week that the agency will not host the National Climate Assessments on its website. The White House previously said NASA would store the reports in order to comply with a 1990 law.

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All events are Eastern Time unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement. Events beyond this week are listed on our website.

Monday, July 21

National Academies: Future directions for NSF’s advanced cyberinfrastructure, meeting eight
2:30 - 4:00 pm

Tuesday, July 22

National Academies: Reimagining STEMM graduate education and postdoctoral career development: A summit (continues Wednesday)

National Academies: External review of environmental, biosafety, and biosecurity considerations for synthetic cell R&D research and development, meeting four (continues Wednesday)

Space Foundation: Innovate Space: Global Economic Summit
9:00 am - 6:00 pm

House: Markup of the Strengthening Science Through Diplomacy Act and other bills
10:00 am, Foreign Affairs Committee

House: Bipartisan roundtable: Artificial intelligence in the real world
10:00 am, Oversight and Government Reform Committee

World Resources Institute: Navigating Climate Watch data
10:00 - 11:00 am

House: Interior-Environment appropriations bill markup
10:30 am, Appropriations Committee

Heritage Foundation: The 2025 B.C. Lee lecture featuring Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI)
10:30 - 11:30 am

ITIF: The Bayh-Dole Act’s role in stimulating university-led economic growth
12:00 - 1:30 pm

House: The new atomic age: Advancing America’s energy future
1:00 pm, Oversight and Government Reform Committee

Foundation for Defense of Democracies: Breaking China’s chokehold: Securing America’s advanced battery supply chain
1:30 - 3:00 pm

Federation of American Scientists: Make America great for scientists: Stemming the American brain drain, congressional briefing
4:00 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, July 23

NSF: National Science Board meeting (continues Thursday)

National Academies: Space Studies Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board joint meeting (continues through Friday)

House: Today’s reform for tomorrow’s victory: Strategic transformation of US counterintelligence
10:30 am - 12:30 pm, Intelligence Committee

House: Reforming defense acquisition to deliver capability at the speed of relevance
10:00 am, Armed Services Committee

House: Weather Act Reauthorization markup
10:00 am, Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Senate: Full committee hearing to identify challenges to meeting increased electricity demand
10:00 am, Energy and Natural Resources Committee

National Academies: Identifying gaps in sexual harassment remediation efforts in higher education: Issue paper release event
12:00 - 1:00 pm

AAAS: Transforming a career – S&T policy fellows outside of the federal government
1:00 - 2:00 pm

American Meteorological Society: Get to know NOAA: Telling the nation’s weather story webinar
2:00 pm

National Academies: Key non-polar destinations across the Moon to address decadal-level science objectives with human explorers: Panel on lunar and planetary sciences, meeting four
2:00 - 3:30 pm

Senate: Innovation in the crosshairs: Countering China’s industrial espionage
2:30 pm, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Science and Technology Action Committee: STAC Capitol Hill reception
5:00 - 7:00 pm

Thursday, July 24

EESI: 2025 Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo and Policy Forum
9:00 am - 7:00 pm

National Academies: A Vision for the Manufacturing USA Program in 2030 and 2035 meeting
9:00 - 10:00 am

Senate: Nomination of the Department of Homeland Security under secretary for science and technology and other positions
9:30 am, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Senate: Interior-Environment appropriations bill markup
9:30 am, Appropriations Committee

House: Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill markup
10:00 am, Appropriations Committee

Friday, July 25

No events.

Sunday, July 27

AAPM: American Association of Physicists in Medicine annual meeting and exhibition (continues through Wednesday)

Hoover Institution: Advancing policy through dialogue: Maintaining excellence and innovation in S&T
9:00 am - 12:15 pm PT

Asian American Scholar Forum: Webinar: Latest developments affecting international students
4:00 - 5:00 pm

Monday, July 28

National Academies: Key non-polar destinations across the moon to address decadal-level science objectives with human explorers: Panel on heliophysics, physics, and physical science, meeting two (continues Tuesday)

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Deadlines indicated in parentheses. Newly added opportunities are marked with a diamond.

On July 7, the Trump administration extended the federal hiring freeze into the fall.

Job Openings

◆AIP: Federation engagement and public policy coordinator (ongoing)
APS: Member advocacy specialist (ongoing)
Environmental Defense Fund: Senior climate scientist (ongoing)
PLOS: Associate editor, publication ethics (ongoing)
AAAS: Engagement manager for SciLine (July 24)
Wisconsin Academy: Director of initiatives (Aug. 1)
National Academies: Mirzayan S&T policy graduate fellowship program (Aug. 20)
National Academies: Biotechnology regulatory fellowship program (Aug. 31)

Solicitations

National Academies: Assessing opportunities to advance coordination of Earth observations and data stewardship workshop: Call for experts (July 25)
DOE: RFI on the 2026 energy critical materials assessment (July 25)
FCC: RFC on satellite spectrum abundance proposed rule (July 28)
NOAA: RFI on transforming in situ global ocean observing systems through public-private partnerships (July 31)
National Academies: Call for applications for the US-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium 2026 (July 31)
◆National Academies: Call for input: Key non-polar destinations across the Moon to address decadal-level science objectives with human explorers (Aug. 7)
BIS: RFC on national security and critical technology assessments of the US industrial base (Aug. 12)
NSF: RFC on SBIR/STTR pre-award information collection (Sept. 2)
NSF: RFC on Breakthrough Innovations Initiative application (Sept. 2)
National Academies: Call for applications for New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (Sept. 3)
OSTP: RFI for the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing (Sept. 30)

Know of an opportunity for scientists to engage in science policy? Email us at fyi@aip.org.

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News and views currently in circulation. Links do not imply endorsement.

White House

White House: President Trump solidifies US position as leader in AI
E&E News: Trump details $90B AI plan to transform Pennsylvania grid
Department of Energy: AI x Advanced Nuclear Reactor Summit at Argonne Lab with Secretary Chris Wright
White House: Creating schedule G in the excepted service
FedScoop: Trump White House launches ‘Schedule G’ for political policy officials
SpaceNews: Duffy just getting started as acting NASA administrator
The Atlantic: Trump’s ‘gold standard’ for science manufactures doubt (perspective by David Michaels and Wendy Wagner)
The Guardian: Royal Society suggested to Elon Musk he consider resigning science fellowship

Congress

Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE): Statement on President Trump’s decision to allow the export of advanced AI chips to China
E&E News: Congress approves Trump’s $9B rescissions package
SpaceNews: House Armed Services Committee advances FY26 NDAA
House Science Committee: Democrats demand NASA cease scheme to illegally impound FY25 funds, warn of losing leadership in space
House CCP Committee: Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) warns against undermining US AI advantage in Nvidia-China review, calls on Commerce to maintain strong guardrails amid national security concerns
E&E News: House Dems scrutinize Trump plan to cut off weather data
E&E News: Weather disasters fuel Hill debate over forecasting
E&E News: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduces ‘weather modification’ ban

Science, Society, and the Economy

Issues: Innovation’s hidden scaffolds (perspective by Lisa Margonelli)
IAEA: Science illuminates the past: How accelerators are powering cultural heritage preservation in Asia-Pacific and beyond
Issues: Behavioral aspects of trust in science (perspective by Sarah Yeo and John Besley)
AAS: My recent experience advocating for science (perspective by Adam Riess)

Education and Workforce

E&E News: EPA nudges out more staff, announces ‘next phase’ of reorg
Chemistry World: National Science Foundation employees’ dissent declaration on ‘indefinite hold’
NSF: Report based on findings from the NSF US Antarctic Program Sexual Assault and Harassment Climate Survey
Department of Education: US Department of Education opens foreign funding investigation into the University of Michigan
American Physical Society: In turbulent times, physics department leaders share strategies for moving forward
Inside Higher Ed: Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu: China ‘will blow us away’ if Trump destroys US colleges
Inside Higher Ed: International student visa issuances dropped in May
Bloomberg: China’s quant funds boost US recruiting after Trump’s visa curbs
Scientific American: Can US math research survive NSF funding cuts?
Nature: Class of 2025: Five PhD students reveal realigned priorities in wake of COVID and cuts (perspectives)

Research Management

Bloomberg: Fixing the R&D tax code blunder isn’t a victory, it’s a reset (perspective by Andrew Leahey)
Chemical & Engineering News: NIH’s publication fee changes promise reform but add to chaos (editorial)
The Conversation: Research replication can determine how well science is working – but how do scientists replicate studies? (perspective by Amanda Montoya)
Scholarly Kitchen: Gatekeepers of meaning — peer review, AI, and the fight for human attention (perspective by Ashutosh Ghildiyal)
Science: ‘Lazy’ authors? One in six scientific papers mischaracterize work they cite
Nature: Low-quality papers based on public health data are flooding the scientific literature
CSIS: The US needs a national standards strategy (perspective by Richard Taffet and Chris Borges)
Science: Science philanthropy faces a new reality (perspective by Adam Falk)

Labs and Facilities

Idaho National Lab: Idaho National Laboratory collaborates with Microsoft to streamline nuclear licensing
Fusion Industry Association: Livermore company, LLNL team to build fusion energy plants
NSF: New NSF program offers flexible pathways to transition technologies from the laboratory to practice
New York Times: Inside the Reindustrialize summit and its push to revive US manufacturing
NSF: Voltage Park joins NSF-led National AI Research Resource pilot to expand access to advanced computing
Physics World: Oak Ridge’s Quantum Science Center takes a multidisciplinary approach to developing quantum materials and technologies
NASA Watch: Going out of business sale for JPL satellites

Computing and Communications

Export Compliance Daily: US to lift export curbs on Nvidia’s H20 chips to China; lawmakers seek clarity
Export Compliance Daily: US approvals of H20 chips seen as hurting export control talks with allies
Export Compliance Daily: Bill to mandate chip export location tracking would backfire, tech policy experts say
Brookings: Mapping the AI economy: Which regions are ready for the next technology leap
The Conversation: Poll finds bipartisan agreement on a key issue: Regulating AI (perspective by Adam Eichen, et al.)
Inside Climate News: Virginia governor boosts artificial intelligence to fill jobs, cut regulations
NSF: New AI model could revolutionize US manufacturing
CSIS: Progress toward practical areas of quantum technology (perspective by Hideki Tomoshige and Phillip Singerman)

Space

Ars Technica: A huge fight looms over the NASA budget this fall
NASA Watch: Texas is engaged in congressional shuttle rustling
Bloomberg: Another moon landing will take more than rocket science (perspective by Faye Flam)
SpaceNews: Lyles concerned about sweeping changes to advisory committees
NASA: NASA to preview advanced US-India radar mission ahead of launch
SpaceNews: Open letter from the Global Space Council: Governments must address a growing crisis in our orbits (perspective by Anders Rasmussen)
SpaceNews: Europe’s Space Act shows it’s getting serious about space policy (perspective by Jason Rainbow)
Wall Street Journal: Trump aides discussed ending some SpaceX contracts, but found most were vital

Weather, Climate, and Environment

New York Times: EPA says it will eliminate its scientific research arm
Chemical & Engineering News: How the White House is undermining the legal justification to limit greenhouse gas emissions
E&E News: AI couldn’t forecast Texas floods. Trump’s NOAA cuts won’t help
Washington Post: NOAA was developing a tool to help communities prepare for future rainfall. Trump officials stopped it
New York Times: Mauna Loa Observatory is one NOAA site that could close because of budget cuts
NIST: Preliminary findings from Hurricane Maria investigation (report)
Physics Today: The pursuit of reliable earthquake forecasting
Science: The pursuit of 1.5°C endures as a legal and ethical imperative in a changing world (perspective by Joeri Rogelj and Lavanya Rajamani)
E&E News: Why the megalaw didn’t kill Biden’s biggest climate program
E&E News: Youth fighting Trump on climate get boost from Democrats

Energy

E&E News: Trump administration taking new steps to block wind, solar projects, memo says
Inside Climate News: Cuts to wind and solar may undermine GOP’s promise of ‘energy dominance,’ critics say
NPR: Power prices are expected to soar under new tax cut and spending law
American Nuclear Society: NRC confronts “unprecedented position”
The Wire China: Who will win the race to achieve nuclear fusion?
E&E News: Rulemakers play catch-up as data centers multiply

Defense

Nature: How to avoid nuclear war in an era of AI and misinformation (perspective by Alexandra Witze)
Breaking Defense: House passes $832B defense appropriations bill
Inside Defense: House authorizers want pilot program for small modular nuclear reactors, as Navy seeks to continue nuclear energy expansion
Breaking Defense: Growing the defense innovation ecosystem (perspective by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA))
Breaking Defense: Biotech boosters win big in both HASC, SASC defense policy bills for FY26
SpaceNews: Senate confirms Guetlein to lead Golden Dome

Biomedical

Stat: I worked for 20 years for the HHS office that safeguarded people in research studies. DOGE gutted it (perspective by Ivor Pritchard)
Issues: Building decision points into research’s slipperiest slopes (perspective by John Evans, et al.)
New York Times: We didn’t get COVID right. But this is just wrong (perspective by Monica Gandhi)
Roll Call: Vaccine divide widens after CDC committee shake-up
ProPublica: RFK Jr. wants to revolutionize a program that supports childhood immunizations. The results could be catastrophic (perspective by Patricia Callahan)
New York Times: Do doctors profit off vaccines? Fact-checking RFK Jr.’s claims
Wired: Can US measles outbreaks be stopped?
Time: Republicans scrap cuts to PEPFAR anti-AIDS program
Stat: What the GOP’s cuts to public broadcasting have to do with health care policy

International Affairs

Science: Russian scientists’ international collaborations to be vetted by security services under new law
Issues: What happens when the nuts and bolts of science diplomacy come loose? (perspective by Cole Donovan)
CSIS: Disentangling the five key questions on Iran’s nuclear program
Research Professional: ‘Bold and clear’ EU quantum strategy praised
Research Professional: Government beefs up British supercomputer and AI resources
Research Professional: Cabinet Office revises policy after outcry against gagging scientists
Research Policy: Industrial policy, congruence, and innovation: Evidence from “Chinese NASDAQ” (report)