Keith’s note: this memo was sent out by NASA on 29 January 2025: “Dear NASA Grants Community On January 23, 2025, NASA’s Office of Procurement (OP) released a memorandum for the NASA contractor and grant community regarding Executive Order “Initial Recission of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions” and the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) memorandum “Initial Guidance Regarding DEIA Executive Orders.” Per OP’s memo, NASA grant and cooperative agreement recipients shall immediately cease and desist all DEIA activities required for their award. This work may include but is not limited to: DEIA plan requirements, training, workshops, reporting, considerations for staffing, or any other direct or indirect grant activity related to DEIA. All grant recipients shall notify their cognizant Grant Officer if they identify requirements within their awards that are in violation of this guidance. Your Grant Officer’s contact information can be found on your NF 1687, Notice of Award for Grant and Cooperative Agreement (NOA). Thank you for your work and partnership with NASA.”

Keith’s note: Looks like this DEIA-oriented page at NASA.gov needs to be erased ASAP: “45 Years Ago: NASA Selects 35 New Astronauts On Jan. 16, 1978, NASA announced the selection of 35 new astronauts, the first time in more than eight years that the agency had admitted new astronauts. The selection of the first class of space shuttle astronauts held historic significance not only because of its then-record size but also because, for the first time, the group included women and minorities. Previous astronaut selections in the 1960s consisted of test pilots or scientists, in those days the domain principally of white men.“ Update: I posted this on Sunday morning, 26 January. I checked today – 27 January – and it is gone. This is what it looked like 2 days before being removed.

Keith’s note: According to this OPM Guidance issued 24 January 2025: “In accordance with that order, each agency, department, or commission head shall take action to terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” offices and positions within sixty days. OPM’s initial guidance required agencies to submit written plans no later than January 31, 2025, for executing a reduction-in-force (RIF) action regarding the employees who work in a DEIA office. However, agencies can and should begin issuing RIF notices to employees of DEIA offices now. Agencies are reminded to define the competitive area solely in terms of the DEIA office where the employees worked. See 5 C.F.R. § 351.402.”