Unions And Congress Protest NASA Cuts

Keith’s note: according to “No Cuts to NASA, Say Supporters & Experts at Rally Outside Headquarters”: Yesterday, NASA supporters held a rally outside the agency’s headquarters to call for a congressional budget that fully funds the agency, and to call on NASAs leadership to stop making cuts to programs before the budget has even been passed. A crowd heard from speakers ranging from NASA employees to science advocates to Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10). (More below)

We urge Congress to pass a full appropriation for NASA in the next budget, and to demand that NASA’s administration refrain from further actions to dismantle programs and contracts, said a planetary scientist at NASA who attended and spoke on their own time and not in any official capacity. The President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026 for NASA would shut down 41 space missions, including spacecraft already paid for, launched, and making discoveries. Billions of taxpayer dollars would be wasted.

Since January, more than 4,000 experts, engineers, scientists, communicators, and other employees have been forced out at NASA. A reduced budget would result in even fewer staff and greatly reduced programs.

I call on Congress to pass a fighting Continuing Resolution, to stand up for science, to protect our civil servants, and to respect our institutions, said Colette Delawalla, Executive Director of Stand Up for Science. Dismantling NASA, an American institution, is a travesty that no one voted for.

NASA is one of the best investments we can make in our country and NASAs workforce is critical to making our country great, said Rep. Subramanyam.

Monica Gorman, an Area Vice President for the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA), spoke about the Trump administrations claim that NASA employees are no longer entitled to union representation. Taking away union rights is going to put NASAs missions at risk and its going to put NASAs people at risk, Gorman said. What weve learned from Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia is that these catastrophes dont happen out of nowhere. Workers see them coming, workers have concerns, but if they dont trust that they can speak up and raise those concerns without retaliation, those concerns will get buried and people will die.

NASA means innovation. NASA means jobs. NASA means inspiration, said Jack Kiraly, Director of Government Relations for the Planetary Society. Its synonymous with the best of us. Everyone understands that. Thats why tens of thousands of people are writing letters in support of our mission to save NASA science, from every single congressional district.

More information can be found in the NASA Needs Help press kit here. (below)

Media contact: caseymcgrath77-at-yahoo.com’

PRESS KIT

NASA Needs Help – Protest Event, Monday, Sept 15, at NASA HQ, from 0800-1300

NASA supporters protest outside of NASA headquarters demanding the reversal of budget cuts. We urge Congress to pass a full appropriation for NASA in the next budget, and we urge them to demand now that NASA’s administration refrain from further actions to dismantle programs and contracts until the Congressional budget process can be completed. Speakers, beginning at 12:00 pm – with the NASA HQ Worm Logo in the background:

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, VA-10 – House Cmte on Space, Science, and Technology
Monica Gorman, Area Vice President, Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) – Union Representing Goddard civil technical civil servants
Dr. Barbara Cohen, a planetary scientist, speaking on her personal time and capacity
Colette Delwalla – Executive Director, Stand Up For Science
Matthew Biggs – President, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) – National body for GESTA
Dr. Mollie Manier – signer of the Bethesda Declaration
Jack Kiraly – Director of Government Relations, Planetary Society

We demand NASA leadership fulfill their oath to support the Constitution and be faithful to the American people. We demand no more illegal terminations and for the agency leadership to stop undermining NASAs fundamental principles of science and exploration for the sake of human kind.

We demand Congress to pass a full appropriation for NASA in the next budget, supporting the full suite of NASA missions and priorities. We further urge them to join us as we demand that NASA’s administration refrain from further actions to dismantle programs and contracts until the Congressional budget process can be completed. We ask that the American people who love space, science, and exploration join us in our demands.

Press Liaison: rb-ben-pierce-at-proton.me
Link to the Voyager Declaration: https://www.standupforscience.net/nasa-voyager-declaration

Facts About NASA’s Budget Cuts:

To win the Space Race to the Moon, NASA was prioritized and appropriated $68 billion in 1965 alone (adjusted for inflation). In 2026, with goals to reach Mars, NASA proposed budget is only $18.8 billion. NASA’s budget is only 0.3% of the entire US spending.¹
Approximately 50% cuts to NASA’s science budget will drastically hinder NASA’s ability to produce science from current and future missions.²
Some of the cuts to NASA science involve turning off spacecraft that are already in space and actively sending back data.
NASA contributes to agriculture, weather predictions and safety. Without NASA Earth science, early detection for natural disasters and forecasting would be imprecise and difficult.
Technology created at NASA has real world benefits! GPS, cell phone cameras, robotic surgery, and Velcro are all commercial products from NASA technologies.³
NASA has lost at least 4000 talented experts, engineers, scientists, communicators, and more. Expected labor numbers would require laying off 3,000+ federal employees, plus contractors and co-op interns.
The budget proposes 100% cuts to the office of STEM Engagement, which offers hundreds of NASA internships year round.¹
There will be a loss of NASA jobs and money in communities across the nation, including Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida.⁴
Losses of budget and talent will set American space exploration behind global competitors and cede space exploration to China and India.
Cuts to NASA’s safety groups could lead to disasters like Apollo 1, Challenger, or Columbia.