Science policy

Trump Administration’s FY27 President’s Budget Request Cannot Go Unanswered 

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House of Reprs

Last Friday, President Trump released the fiscal year 2027 President’s Budget Request. What we are seeing is devastating, and it demands a forceful response.  As our policy team details on The Bridge, this budget is largely a repeat of last year’s proposal, but repetition does not soften the blow. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is cut by nearly half its budget. The National Science Foundation is losing more than half. NOAA is down nearly 28%. The … Read more

AGU statement on U.S. withdrawal from climate and environmental organizations and treaties

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AGU headquarters

The Trump Administration’s announcement that the United States will withdraw from a multitude of international organizations and treaties that support global cooperation on climate and environmental issues is a grievous setback at a moment when the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are only accelerating and when scientific expertise and collaboration are indispensable to addressing them.   Some of these bodies and treaties form … Read more

Don’t Just Reopen Government. Recommit to Science.

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House of Reprs

The United States has just come through the longest government shutdown in its history—a period of deep uncertainty that exacerbated hardships for the nation.   Some scientists still reported for duty, delivering life-saving forecasts and monitoring hazards without pay. But with labs closed and research halted, the critical work behind those services—modeling, maintenance, and long-term observations—was … Read more

AGU Condemns Threatened Mass Firings of U.S. Federal Workforce During Shutdown

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AGU headquarters

I write to you today outraged on behalf of everyone who depends on a functioning government. Last Wednesday, the U.S. government shut down. Now, the threat of mass firings looms over our federal workforce.  Many of our members are hardworking U.S. federal scientists who have dedicated their careers to serving the public. When federal scientists … Read more

A Continuing Resolution Is a Blow to U.S. Science — and the Public

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House of Reprs

The American public deserves better. Science drives progress, but it can’t do that with stopgap funding and political gridlock. It’s time to end the cycle. Science needs certainty and sustained financial growth – and the recognition by Congress that undermining science shortchanges American competitiveness in the world.  Unfortunately, even the most thoughtfully crafted spending bill … Read more

The State of the Science Union

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House of Reprs

What You Didn’t Hear Last Night but Need to Know Last night, President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. Titled “The Renewal of the American Dream,” there was heavy emphasis on the economy, border security, and foreign relations, but what you didn’t hear was the realities of a hollowing out of the federal workforce … Read more

AGU Updates Critical Position Statements on Climate, Communications and Data

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We are pleased to announce the approval of three updated position statements that will help shape the future of climate action, science communication and data sharing. AGU position statements—created, revised and approved by members with feedback and support from experts in related fields—are what enable AGU to take adaptive stances on significant policy issues ranging … Read more

Presenting the Proposed Slate for AGU’s 2024 Elections

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As chair of the AGU Leadership Development and Governance Committee, I am pleased to announce the proposed slate of candidates for the 2024 AGU Elections.   In accordance with our bylaws, AGU elects new leaders every two years. This year’s slate showcases a diverse and exceptional group of leaders ready to guide AGU’s future and further … Read more

Science and the Future of the Courts

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The recent United States Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo has profound implications for the Earth and space sciences. The 6-3 decision overturned the 1984 case of Chevron USA v. Natural Resources Defense Council, effectively ending a 40-year-old precedent of deferring to the expertise of U.S. federal agencies when interpreting ambiguous language in congressional … Read more