1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing as a constituent in Pasadena to urge you to restore—and even increase—the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) budget for FY 2026. The current proposal slashes SMD by nearly half, jeopardizing Earth‑monitoring satellites, heliophysics, planetary missions, astrophysics programs, and critical climate science. These aren’t just abstract line items—they support real missions like Mars Sample Return, the Roman Space Telescope, Earth‑science satellites, and probes that track solar activity. More than half of NASA science funding could disappear, risking mission cancellations, layoffs, and loss of our leadership in space exploration and climate monitoring. In California alone, NASA science funding supports tens of thousands of jobs and contributes billions of dollars annually to the local economy—especially in hubs like JPL, Caltech, UC campuses, aerospace firms, and their suppliers. Cutting funding so severely would undercut valuable jobs and dampen the region’s innovation momentum. Please take these actions: • Restore full SMD funding to at least FY 2025 levels (around $7 billion). • Adjust for inflation and mission growth, ensuring sustainable year‑over‑year investment. • Protect flagship missions such as Mars Sample Return, the Roman Space Telescope, Earth‑science satellites, and heliophysics probes. • Support NASA’s climate science programs, which are crucial for environmental planning and public safety. Congress has the authority to reject this damaging proposal. A strong, well-funded SMD ensures America remains the global leader in scientific discovery, STEM innovation, and climate resilience. It safeguards high-skilled jobs, fosters local economic growth in our region, and inspires the next generation of scientists and engineers. On behalf of Pasadena and the broader LA scientific community, I urge you to champion full restoration—and consider meaningful increases—to NASA’s scientific funding in the FY 2026 appropriations process. Our community and nation deserve leadership, not retreat, in space and science. Thank you for your time and dedication. I’m eager to support your leadership in this effort.