1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal, which seeks to slash funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) by over 50 percent. To suggest that gutting our nation’s primary engine for fundamental scientific discovery is a sound fiscal strategy is, to put it mildly, an exercise in creative irony. While the desire to manage federal spending is understandable, treating scientific research as a luxury item—rather than the very foundation of our economic competitiveness and national security—is akin to selling off the engine of your car to save money on gas. History has repeatedly demonstrated that investments in basic research yield transformative returns. From the internet to modern medical breakthroughs, the innovations that define our era were nurtured by public funding for inquiry. By stifling the NSF, we are not merely tightening the belt; we are effectively betting against our own capacity to solve the challenges of tomorrow.  We live in an age where the pace of global scientific advancement is relentless. Now is not the time to retreat into anti-intellectual austerity. I urge you to reject these draconian cuts and protect the research ecosystem that keeps America at the vanguard of global progress. We should be investing in the researchers of the future, not forcing them to find a new profession. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to our nation’s long-term prosperity.