Science on the docket: The 2024 Congressional Day of Action

This funding level requested in the bipartisan letter will allow the NASA Science Mission Directorate to support its program of existing and next-generation space missions. By funding NASA SMD at $9 billion, Congress will enable:

• Increased support for technology development for the next Great Observatory, the Habitable Worlds Observatory;

• Sufficient funding for NASA to move expeditiously on a new path forward for Mars Sample Return;

• Restoration of funding for the Chandra and Hubble space telescopes;

• Full support for the Dragonfly mission to Titan as it reaches a critical stage in its development;

• Keeping NEO Surveyor on track to be the next dedicated space-based telescope to hunt for near-Earth objects;

• Adequate funding to advance the DAVINCI and VERITAS missions, facilitating the investigation of Venus’ atmosphere and surface in the early 2030s;

• Restored funding for other priorities for the Planetary Science, Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Earth Science, and Biological & Physical Science communities.

Joining in on the Day of Action were Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye, Board President Dr. Bethany Ehlmann, Board Members Dr. Jim Bell and Dr. Britney Schmidt, and Space for Humanity Executive Director Antonio Peronace. This group met with Members of Congress to discuss our priorities, current topics in space policy, and the urgency of supporting a balanced, forward-looking portfolio for NASA Science. These meetings included high-ranking members of both parties and leadership of relevant committees. The common thread through all of these meetings was that NASA is the best brand that the United States has. The agency’s science priorities capture the imaginations of people around the world and have strong support in Congress.

The Day of Action and grassroots advocacy is making a difference. As the space science community reels from recent budget cuts that have cost hundreds of jobs at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and industry partners across the country, space advocates showed up to demonstrate the broad support for NASA’s science programs. And as demonstrated by the level of support for the bipartisan letter, space unites people across political, ideological, and demographic backgrounds under a common purpose.

We hope to see you in D.C. next year.

Letter signatories

The following members of Congress signed the letter led by Representatives Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), Judy Chu (D-California), and Glenn Ivey (D-Maryland) requesting a funding level of $9 billion for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, in line with the advocacy goals of The Planetary Society:

Name	Party	State
Don Bacon*	R	Nebraska
Ami Bera	D	California
Jamaal Bowman	D	New York
Julia Brownley	D	California
Salud Carbajal	D	California
Judy Chu*	D	California
Jason Crow	D	Colorado
Mark DeSaulnier	D	California
Debbie Dingell	D	Michigan
Brian Fitzpatrick	R	Pennsylvania
Bill Foster	D	Illinois
Raúl Grijalva	D	Arizona
Jahana Hayes	D	Connecticut
Chrissy Houlahan	D	Pennsylvania
Jared Huffman	D	California
Glenn Ivey*	D	Maryland
Jonathan Jackson	D	Illinois
William Keating	D	Massachusetts
Jen Kiggans	R	Virginia
Raja Krishnamoorthi	D	Illinois
Summer Lee	D	Pennsylvania
Mike Levin	D	California
Ted Lieu	D	California
Stephen Lynch	D	Massachusetts
Seth Magaziner	D	Rhode Island
Jennifer McClellan	D	Virginia
James McGovern	D	Massachusetts
Seth Moulton	D	Massachusetts
Kevin Mullin	D	California
Grace Napolitano	D	California
Richard Neal	D	Massachusetts
Ilhan Omar	D	Minnesota
Chris Pappas	D	New Hampshire
Scott Peters	D	California
Brittany Pettersen	D	Colorado
Katie Porter	D	California
Linda Sánchez	D	California
John Sarbanes	D	Maryland
Mary Gay Scanlon	D	Pennsylvania
Adam Schiff	D	California
Bobby Scott	D	Virginia
Adam Smith	D	Washington
Abigail Davis Spanberger	D	Virginia
Paul Tonko	D	New York