1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

The proposed cuts to NASA's science budget are deeply concerning and risk undermining critical research and exploration efforts. Slashing funding by 47% would terminate vital missions worth billions of dollars and cripple university departments, research institutions, and NASA centers engaged in space science. This severe reduction threatens America's STEM talent pipeline, potentially leading to widespread layoffs of highly skilled workers and eliminating crucial training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers. Critically, these cuts jeopardize our ability to detect and track asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth through planetary defense programs. They also undermine heliophysics research essential for protecting satellites and communications. Gutting NASA's science budget will have real downstream impacts on U.S. national security, economic development, and technological leadership, hindering America's ability to compete with communist China in space exploration. Rather than recklessly slashing funding, we should be investing in NASA's groundbreaking scientific work and exploration missions. Maintaining robust funding for space science is vital to driving innovation, expanding knowledge frontiers, inspiring future generations, and ensuring the United States remains a preeminent space power over adversaries like China. I urge you to reject these proposed draconian cuts and instead support increased investment in NASA's invaluable science programs and missions.