Keep the National Center for Atmospheric Research open!

I am writing to demand that Congress take immediate action to keep the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) fully open, adequately funded, and operational. NCAR is not an abstract academic institution—it is a core pillar of the United States’ scientific, economic, and national security infrastructure. The research conducted at NCAR directly supports weather forecasting, climate modeling, wildfire prediction, drought monitoring, aviation safety, military planning, agriculture, water management, and disaster preparedness. Weakening or dismantling this capability would have immediate and measurable consequences for public safety and the U.S. economy. Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and cost. According to NOAA, weather- and climate-related disasters now cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars annually. NCAR’s research helps reduce these losses by improving forecast accuracy, enabling earlier warnings, and informing long-term resilience planning. Cutting or destabilizing NCAR does not save money—it guarantees higher costs, more loss of life, and greater economic damage. NCAR also plays a critical role in maintaining American leadership in science and technology. Its work supports universities, state agencies, private industry, and federal partners across the country. If Congress allows NCAR to be hollowed out or shuttered, the United States will fall behind global competitors who are investing heavily in atmospheric science, artificial intelligence, and climate modeling. That is a strategic failure, not a budgetary one. Science is not a luxury. It is the foundation of a functioning, modern nation. No country can protect its citizens, economy, or infrastructure without accurate data, rigorous research, and long-term planning grounded in evidence. Undermining NCAR undermines the very tools that allow government to govern responsibly. I urge Congress to: • Publicly affirm its commitment to keeping NCAR open and operational • Provide stable, sufficient funding to allow NCAR to retain expertise and continue critical research • Reject any efforts to politicize, defund, or dismantle federally supported scientific institutions The consequences of inaction will be felt by farmers, pilots, first responders, military planners, businesses, and families across the country. Congress has a clear responsibility to protect institutions that serve the public good and safeguard the nation’s future. Keep NCAR open. Fund it adequately. Let science do its job.