Though NASA’s astronauts are back on Earth following the completion of the Artemis II mission, the scientific impact of their historic trip around the moon will continue to reverberate for years to come – and research from AAU member universities is partially responsible for the success of the program that launched it.
AAU urges Congress to reject the proposed cuts to scientific agencies in the FY27 Presidential Budget Request.
FY27 | Press Releases | National Institutes of Health | National Science Foundation | Department of Energy | NASA | Federal Budget
The Coalition for Aerospace and Science Urges Congress to Appropriate at Least $26B for NASA in FY27
The Coalition for Aerospace and Science urges Congress to appropriate at least 26 billion dollars for NASA in FY 2027, including specified increases across NASA’s science, technology, exploration, operations, aeronautics, and STEM engagement directorates, to sustain U.S. leadership in a new era of space exploration and competition.
Letters | FY27 | Appropriations Tables | NASA
A coalition of science, education, and space advocacy organizations, led by the Planetary Society and including AAU, called on congressional leaders last week to protect NASA Science from destructive budget cuts proposed by the White House.
AAU signs letter urging congressional appropriators to include an anomaly in any continuing resolution to prevent NASA’s Science Mission Directorate from effectively receiving the White House’s proposed 47% cut, which would force the premature termination of dozens of missions despite Congress rejecting such reductions.
The Senate and House are advancing competing FY26 appropriations bills that would set different funding levels for key science agencies like the National Science Foundation and NASA.
President Trump’s FY26 budget proposal, if adopted, would destroy America’s longstanding role as the global leader in science and innovation – along with the countless health, security, and economic benefits that flow from that leadership.
Agency Budgets | Press Releases | National Institutes of Health | National Science Foundation | Department of Energy | NASA | Federal Budget
The American Council on Education (ACE), Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), COGR, and EDUCAUSE submitted comments on the proposed Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rule regarding Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), emphasizing the need for consistent definitions and exclusions for fundamental research across all fields. They also highlighted concerns about training burdens, reporting deadlines, and patent security requirements, advocating for adjustments to ensure that the final rule supports both CUI security and the efficient operation of higher education research institutions.
The Coalition for Aerospace and Science (CAS) requests Congress appropriate at least $27.18 billion for NASA in fiscal Year 2026, a vital increase to maintain development of ongoing missions while initiating work on new groundbreaking endeavors.
Agency Budgets | Letters | FY26 | NASA
AAU signed a letter requesting Congress appropriate at least $25.43 billion for Fiscal Year 2025, an ambitious but justifiable increase that maintains development of key Artemis program elements; continues development of a balanced portfolio of science missions and research; and provides the funding growth needed to accommodate new and expanded technology development programs and scientific endeavors that will support the next generation of breakthrough research and exploration.