Bipartisan Bill Blocks Trump’s Cuts to NOAA and NASA Climate Research
US lawmakers are set to block President Trump’s planned cuts to key climate and science programmes at NOAA and NASA. The move comes as the administration continues to scale back environmental research and withdraws from international climate agreements. A bipartisan spending bill now protects funding for agencies the White House had targeted for elimination or deep reductions.
The Trump administration has repeatedly sought to reduce funding for climate science. Earlier proposals included shutting down NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and dismantling NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Last week, the US also became the first country to exit the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The new bill, however, rejects these cuts. It allocates $634 million to NOAA’s research office—an agency the White House had proposed defunding entirely. NASA’s Earth science programmes will see only a 1% budget reduction compared to 2025 levels, far less than the administration’s original plan. The Goddard Institute, slated for closure, will remain operational under the legislation. Senator Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, played a key role in shaping the bill. The House has already approved the funding, and the Senate is expected to follow this week. The measure also includes a small funding boost for the National Weather Service and requires the administration to submit a NOAA staffing plan to Congress.
The final bill keeps overall funding for NOAA and NASA near 2025 levels, avoiding the steep reductions proposed by the White House. Both agencies will retain their core climate research functions, though without significant budget increases. The legislation now awaits final approval before becoming law.
