Common Questions

What does the House Science Committee do for NASA?

It oversees NASA policy, holds hearings, and marks up NASA authorisation bills. It signals congressional intent but actual funding levels are set by the Appropriations committees.Source: background

Is Congress cutting NASA's budget in 2027?

The White House proposed cutting NASA to $18.8 billion in FY2027. Congress rejected the identical request last year and funded NASA at $24.4 billion. The House Science Committee Ranking Member called the new proposal 'should be ignored.'Source: background

Who chairs the House Science Committee?

As of the FY2027 budget debate, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) was Ranking Member. The committee is chaired by a Republican in the current House majority.Source: quick_facts

Background

The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology has jurisdiction over NASA, the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and federal research programmes. When the White House released its FY2027 budget proposal cutting NASA's funding sharply, the committee's Ranking Member, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), said the proposal 'should be ignored,' reflecting broad congressional resistance that crosses party lines.

The committee conducts oversight hearings, marks up NASA authorisation bills, and signals congressional intent on programme priorities. Its counterpart in the Senate is the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Neither authorisation body directly controls the purse strings, however: actual appropriations are set by the Appropriations committees. The House Science Committee's resistance to budget cuts carries political weight but must translate into an appropriations vote to have funding effect.

The FY2027 dispute lands during an active crewed lunar mission, giving Artemis II symbolic leverage in the budget fight. Congress funded NASA at $24.4 billion in the previous cycle against an identical $18.8 billion White House request.

How the World Sees Them

Airbus Defence and Space

perfectly to plan

Daniel Neuenschwander / European Space Agency

The European Service Module injected so precisely Artemis II towards the Moon that two planned trajectory burns were not necessary.

NASA / Jared Isaacman

We are going to fine-tooth comb every single, probably every atom on this heat shield.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman

land twice in 2028

ESA

The European Service Module put on a powerful demonstration of Europe's capability to deliver critical elements for ambitious international exploration missions

NASA

we are gonna get back into doing this with frequency, sending missions to the moon until we land on it in 2028 and start building our base

Canadian Space Agency

Collaboration needs to be the ultimate goal for humanity.