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 stalled, eroding the scientific foundation that helps protect lives, livelihoods, and the environment.
The impacts rippled far beyond federal institutions. With grants frozen or delayed, university researchers and scientists at partner organizations were forced to pause projects, furlough staff, and suspend student work all while communities that depend on this science faced growing uncertainty.
I’ve spoken before about the need for steady, sustained support for science, support that endures beyond political cycles or fiscal negotiations. Each unheeded call, each step backward, only reinforces that message. When science is sidelined, the nation loses more than data or research—we lose preparedness, innovation, and the ability to protect our people and our planet.
The shutdown showed what happens when science endures unnecessary and preventable harm, when it is brought to its knees. But a re-opened government that offers only the barest support for science still falls far short of our needs and our potential, and it falls even further when it continues to arbitrarily fire federal scientists and shutter needed scientific agencies.
AGU continues to serve as a nexus for action.
We remain actively engaged in litigation to oppose the unjust firings of U.S. federal scientists and the capricious re-organization of federal agencies that harm the scientific enterprise.
AGU also urges lawmakers in Congress to fulfill their responsibility to the nation by completing full-year appropriations for federal science agencies and ensuring those funds are protected and used as intended. Stopgap measures and short-term budgets are not enough. Science cannot operate on uncertainty, nor can the public rely on agencies hamstrung by political stalemate.
The United States needs stable, long-term investment and clear guardrails so that every dollar strengthens public safety, fuels innovation, and advances our shared future.
But Congress will only act if we make our voices impossible to ignore. Every scientist, every student, every advocate who believes in evidence-based decision-making has a role to play.
Visit AGU’s Science Policy Action Center today to contact U.S. lawmakers and demand the support that science and the people it serves deserve. Together, we can keep science standing strong for the nation and the world.
As we prepare for the coming year, visit AGU Central at AGU25 next month to strengthen your role in shaping the future of science. Explore the Action Center to hone your advocacy skills, Career Paths to plan your professional journey, and the publishing booth to share your research with the world. Together, we can stay informed, engaged, and ready to defend the integrity and impact of science when it matters most.