Bill Nye, the former host of “Bill Nye the Science Guy” and CEO of Planetary Society, visited Capitol Hill to advocate for NASA’s funding amid President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts. Nye was joined by over 300 space advocates representing groups such as the American Astronomical Society and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The White House has proposed cutting NASA’s budget by about 24% for the 2026 fiscal year, citing a need to reduce government spending and maintain cost-effectiveness.
Approximately $6 billion in cuts would impact research funding in the earth science, planetary science and astrophysics sectors. Nye and other advocates have voiced their concerns about the impact these cuts will have on current and future missions, including NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover and the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon.
“Cutting NASA science in half would end several missions that are spacecraft that are already flying and several missions that are scheduled to fly,” Nye said on ABC News Live. “And why this matters is if you cut it in half, cut the science budget in half, you’ll probably turn the whole thing off.”
Nye also stressed the broader consequences these cuts will have on the country’s economy, as it puts NASA’s job growth and technological innovations at risk. “NASA science is a bargain,” Nye said at his press conference. “For every dollar spent, at least three come back into the economy.”
Despite these proposed cuts from the White House, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have their own proposals in place that would keep NASA’s funding at about $24.9 billion, like in previous years.
Although Congress holds the constitutional power to control government spending, a budget agreement must still be met by the White House and Congress.
Lawmakers have supported Nye’s warnings, pointing to the global competition that has been unfolding in space exploration.
“We’re falling behind with respect to China,” U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey said during a Capitol press conference.
“They’re pushing money and engineers and scientists towards advancing science in China, competing against us, while we’re doing the exact opposite.”
If the U.S. pulls back on space investment, advocates warn that they may lose their position as a leader in space exploration, especially as other nations rapidly expand their programs.
