Ranking Member Lofgren Commends University Leaders Rejection of Trump Attempt to Control and Intimidate Academia through Compact Agreement
(Washington, DC) - As of today, the majority of the universities that were initially offered a “compact” by President Trump formally rejected the offer of preferential treatment and funding in exchange for agreeing to terms laid out by the administration. “I am glad to see universities stand together and reject this ridiculous compact offer by the Trump administration,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren. “Anything short of a wholesale rejection of this bribe would be a capitulation to the Trump … Continue Reading
October 17, 2025Ranking Members Lofgren and Stevens Demand NSF Reverse Cruel Changes to the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Members Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Research and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Haley Stevens (D-MI) sent a letter to National Science Foundation (NSF) Acting Director Brian Stone demanding reconsideration of recent policy changes to the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The Trump administration's changes to GRFP include excluding second-year Ph.D. students as eligible participants for the program while also halving the application window … Continue Reading
October 10, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Slams Trump White House for Start of Illegal Firings of Public Servants During Shutdown
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Trump White House announced that reductions in force (RIFs) have begun, blaming the Republican-forced government shutdown. The Trump administration threatened RIFs of federal employees if Congress did not fund the government, despite an overwhelming consensus among legal experts that firing public servants during a government shutdown is illegal. “This is illegal and it cannot stand,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “Pretending these public servants have … Continue Reading
October 10, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Congratulates 2025 Nobel Prize Winners
(Washington, DC) - This week, the Nobel Prizes in Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry were announced. These awards honor the extraordinary accomplishments and innovations of their recipients. Each year, thousands of nominators submit candidates for the Nobel Prize, and Laureates are announced in October. “The Nobel Prize is a powerful representation of achievement and progress," said Ranking Member Lofgren (D-CA). "I extend my sincere congratulations to this year’s laureates. I’m very proud to … Continue Reading
October 01, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren’s Statement on the Republican-Forced Government Shutdown
(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) made the following statement on the government shutdown: “Republicans have shut down the government after refusing to work with Democrats to ensure the American people have access to healthcare they need and deserve. Despite cheap talking points and spun-up lies, Republicans have proven that they do not care about the health of their constituents. They’ve encouraged the nation’s biggest polluters to keep polluting with little consequence. … Continue Reading
September 30, 2025House Small Business and Science Committees React to Imminent Lapse of SBIR/STTR Programs
(Washington, DC) - House Committee on Small Business Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX), Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX), and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) issued the following statement as the SBIR and STTR programs are set to expire at midnight: “We are disappointed that the Senate failed to extend the SBIR and STTR programs. For more than forty years, these initiatives have kept small businesses at the … Continue Reading
September 25, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Condemns Trump’s RIF Threat
(Washington, DC) - Last night, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo instructing federal agencies to prepare for Reductions in Force (RIF) if Congress does not pass a stopgap to fund the government by September 30. “The Trump administration continues to use public servants as pawns in their game to distract and destroy our federal agencies," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "This threat of further RIFs is shortsighted and stupid. The government can’t be … Continue Reading
September 19, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Requests Information from Member of Now-Dissolved Trump Climate Working Group
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to Dr. Judith Curry, a former member of the now-disbanded Department of Energy (DOE) Climate Working Group (CWG), expressing concern over allegations raised by Dr. Curry in an interview with E&E News. The CWG recently released a report designed to back up the Trump Administration’s effort to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Endangerment Finding. In the interview with E&E, Dr. Curry reveals … Continue Reading
September 17, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Expresses Concern Over NASA’s Relationship with Department of Defense
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy expressing her serious concern regarding NASA’s relationship with the Department of Defense (DoD). “NASA is empowered by Congress to exercise civilian leadership over America’s space program for the peaceful purposes of research and exploration,” Ranking Member Lofgren wrote in her letter. “The agency’s long and storied history in … Continue Reading
September 16, 2025Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren Statement on House Passage of Bill to Extend SBIR and STTR Programs
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed under suspension of the rules H.R. 5100, which will extend the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for one year. “I am a strong supporter of the SBIR and STTR programs and it is my priority to see these programs continue without disruption,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “For more than 40 years, SBIR, and later its companion program STTR, have been … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren Blasts Trump Administration for Cruel Union Busting
(Washington, DC) - Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it will join several other agencies in terminating contracts with labor unions. “The president’s union busting stinks,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “These unions have been working hard to protect their members as Trump continues to target dedicated civil servants through illegal firings, coercions to resign, intimidation tactics, and more. Trump finds that inconvenient, so he’s … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025Science Committee Passes Weather Act Reauthorization, Strengthening U.S. Weather Enterprise
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed H.R. 5089, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025, during a full committee markup. This critical legislation, led by former SST Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, builds on the success of the committee’s Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017. It aims to further enhance the capabilities of the U.S. weather enterprise by modernizing essential research programs, … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025Ranking Members Heinrich, Lofgren, and Pallone, Jr. Slam Trump Administration for Canceling Awards to Clean Energy Projects, Killing Jobs and Skyrocketing Costs
Lawmakers to Wright: “These programs were enshrined into law by bipartisan majorities and they represent the will of Congress.” WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a … Continue Reading
August 28, 2025Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren Condemns White House Firing of CDC Director Monarez
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attempted to force the resignation of Centers for Disease Control Director Susan Monarez after Monarez reportedly clashed with RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine agenda. Later, the White House announced that Monarez had been fired. “The message is clear: get in the way of Trump and RFK Jr.’s anti-science agenda, and you will be silenced," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "The foundations of our … Continue Reading
August 26, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Calls Out Trump Administration for Gutting Natcast and Undermining CHIPS Act
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, announced that the operations of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) would be immediately moved from the National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology Center (Natcast) to the Department of Commerce. “This is yet another glaring example of the Trump Administration undercutting expertise and replacing it with shady political favoritism,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “Instead of … Continue Reading
August 20, 2025Committee Leaders Lofgren and Amo Demand Answers from Trump Administration Regarding Process to Repeal Endangerment Finding
(Washington, DC) - On Monday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers on the process by which EPA plans to repeal the Endangerment Finding. The finding was finalized in 2009 and concluded that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations. “As evidenced by nearly every action … Continue Reading
August 19, 2025Lofgren and Obernolte Introduce Bill to Accelerate Development of the Fusion Workforce
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the STEM Education and Skilled Technical Workforce for Fusion Act. The bill would authorize activities at the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy to support the retention, development, and growth of a fusion workforce. “Fusion is the future,” said Ranking Member Lofgren. “To power that future, we need a highly skilled workforce … Continue Reading
August 07, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Calls Trump Out for Corrupt Executive Order Requiring Political Appointees to Approve Federal Grants
(Washington, DC) - Today, the President signed an Executive Order that will require all federal grants be approved by Trump-appointed politicals. Civil servants and subject matter experts have long carried out this role in order to remain unbiased and apolitical. “This Executive Order is nothing short of obscene," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "In what world does Donald Trump think that Americans want political appointees - who, need I remind the President, are unelected bureaucrats … Continue Reading
July 29, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Blasts Administration for Plan to Revoke GHG Endangerment Finding
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it intends to rescind EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding. The finding was finalized in 2009 and concluded that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations. This is a major blow to science-based efforts to address the consequences of climate change. “This is delusional and unscientific," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "EPA’s longstanding … Continue Reading
July 25, 2025NEWS: Schiff, Padilla, Lofgren Demand Reversal of Layoffs, Budget Cuts at National Laboratories
California lawmakers highlight potential harms to AI development and other cutting-edge research as proposed $2.75 billion budget cut and seizure of existing funds trigger layoffs at labs across U.S. Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, urged the Trump administration to reverse the budget cuts that are triggering layoffs across the … Continue Reading