Ranking Member Lofgren Seeks to Understand Damage to Science Agencies as Result of Trump’s Reckless Executive Orders
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Sunday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren sent a series of letters to several agencies under the Science Committee’s jurisdiction demanding answers regarding each agency’s implementation of the President’s Executive Orders attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the federal scientific enterprise. The letters were sent to the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). In each letter, Ranking Member Lofgren notes her intent to vigorously uphold the Committee’s oversight responsibilities and ensure federal research agencies comply with the law.
“The rich diversity and astounding intellectual capacity of the American people have proven to be among the great creative engines of modern-day scientific advancement,” said Ranking Member Lofgren in the letters. “Every American deserves the opportunity to participate and reap the benefits of our nation’s scientific enterprise. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has promoted these values on a bipartisan basis for many years. As the Committee’s Ranking Member, I am proud to carry this legacy forward by advocating for greater scientific opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds. Anything that undermines the ability of brilliant individuals from every walk of life to participate in scientific endeavors is a threat to American science. It should always be the mission of the federal government to dismantle obstacles to scientific participation. It should never be the policy of the federal government to create them.”
In her letter to NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Ms. Lofgren writes, “I am profoundly disturbed by President Trump’s attack on American science. I am also disturbed that NSF, which plays such a critical role in supporting scientific research across a broad range of disciplines, appears willing to carry out these destructive policies without pushback or protest.”
The Ranking Member continues, “Efforts to promote greater scientific diversity in this country did not arise on a whim. Over the course of many decades, this Committee has worked in bipartisan fashion to authorize federal programs and offices that broaden representation across the scientific workforce and harness the intellectual capabilities of Americans throughout society. These laws strengthen American science and enhance our domestic prosperity and international competitiveness. They represent the will of Congress. They are not optional, and they cannot be unilaterally wished away by executive order.”
Read the letters here.
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