HASC, SST Democrats Demand Answers on Potential SpaceX, Musk Conflicts of Interest and Alleged Chinese Investment Cover-Ups
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee; Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee; Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee; and Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee sent a letter today to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Administrator for NASA, Janet Petro, highlighting concerns … Continue Reading
May 05, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Sends Letter to OSTP Director Kratsios after Dismissal of Climate Assessment Scientists
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to Director Michael Kratsios of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) regarding the dismissal of hundreds of scientists working on the forthcoming National Climate Assessment (NCA). In the letter, Ranking Member Lofgren wrote, “This decision encapsulates many of the ongoing themes of this Administration - it sets the stage for a violation of the law, it guts federal scientific capabilities, and … Continue Reading
May 05, 2025Top Committee Leaders Press Energy Department for Answers on Detrimental Departmental Policies and Unlawful Funding Freeze—Following Up on Repeated Requests
Washington, D.C. — Today, the top Democrats in Congress with oversight over the Department of Energy (DOE) sent a letter to Secretary Chris Wright demanding information the Department has thus far failed to provide about its suspension of critical energy programs, cancellation of awards and contracts, mass reductions in force, and other detrimental actions. In their letter, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Reacts to Trump Administration Plan to Gut EPA ORD
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laid out its plan to gut the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). Plans to dismantle EPA ORD were first revealed in a document reviewed by Science Committee Democratic Staff in March and reported by the New York Times. EPA ORD is critical to American public health and is tasked with conducting the science and research that enables the EPA to make life-saving decisions on toxins and chemicals in the environment. “By … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025Committee Leaders Demand Answers After NOAA Complaints Reveal Firings Decisions Came from Outside of NOAA Leadership
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Members Lofgren (CA-18), Sykes (OH-13), and Amo (RI-1) sent a letter to NOAA Acting Administrator Grimm demanding answers on who exactly is in charge at NOAA after a document reviewed by the Committee has raised questions on where authority lies at the agency. According to a document obtained by the Committee, Vice Admiral Nancy Hann submitted responses to a series of questions posed to her by the NOAA Office of … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Blasts Trump Administration for Short-Sighted Budget Proposal
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Trump White House released its skinny budget. The proposed budget includes major cuts across Science Committee jurisdiction. "This budget spells disaster for our nation’s science enterprise - and with it, our economic and national security future," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (CA-18). "The president obviously doesn’t understand that without robust American science, America will lose - plain and simple. For decades, we have worked on a bipartisan basis to … Continue Reading
April 24, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren's Statement on NSF Director Panchanathan's Resignation
“For much of the last five years, Director Panchanathan led the National Science Foundation through an era of great progress. In his letter of resignation, he notes the accomplishments of his tenure, including implementing provisions of the landmark CHIPS & Science Act, adapting to the generational challenge of COVID, and tackling the pervasive issue of sexual harassment and assault in STEM. In the last three months, things have been far bleaker at NSF. Hundreds of meritorious grants have … Continue Reading
April 22, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren's Statement on Earth Day
(Washington, DC) - Today is the 55th celebration of Earth Day. “The Trump administration will stop at nothing to decimate our environment and destroy the progress we have made in fighting the climate crisis,” said Ranking Member Lofgren (CA-18). “From dismantling critical climate monitoring programs at agencies like NOAA and NASA to plans to gut environmental research and development at the EPA that keep harmful chemicals out of our air, soil, and water—it seems Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s … Continue Reading
April 18, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren’s Statement on NSF Terminating Awards
(Washington, DC) - Today, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced it was terminating awards “not aligned with NSF's priorities,” including awards relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion and misinformation/disinformation. This cancellation comes the day after Ranking Member Lofgren transmitted a letter and Minority Staff Report to NSF Director Panchanathan stressing the importance of protecting the Foundation’s gold-standard merit review process. “Director Panchanathan suggests … Continue Reading
April 17, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Urges NSF to Ignore Inflammatory Cruz Report, Releases Democratic Staff Report in Rebuttal
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) sent a letter to National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan urging the Director to disregard Senator Ted Cruz’s inflammatory report in any NSF grantmaking decisions. In addition to the letter, the Ranking Member also transmitted a Minority Staff Report that details how Senator Cruz’s report is deeply flawed, and his demand for grant cancellations is therefore misinformed. “I write to you to convey my assessment of … Continue Reading
April 16, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren's Statement on Degraded Services at Weather Forecasting Offices as a Result of Trump Firings
(Washington, DC) - Today, the New York Times reported that the National Weather Service (NWS) is planning for “degraded operations” due to cuts to the workforce made by the Trump administration. The reporting references an agency document, which has been reviewed by Science Committee Democratic Staff, that details contingency plans for the strained workforce at the nation’s 122 Weather Forecasting Offices (WFO). “This confirms what Democrats have pointed out since Trump took office,” … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Condemns Trump Administration's Plan to Slash Support for NASA
(Washington, DC) - Today, various reporting has detailed the Trump Administration’s plan to slash funding and eliminate crucial functions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). According to reporting, the cuts significantly impact NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD), nearly halving SMD’s budget. "President Trump and OMB Director Vought are proposing a slash and burn of NASA’s world-leading science programs," said Ranking Member Lofgren (CA-18). "Effectuating these … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Blasts Trump Administration’s Reckless Budget Plan for NOAA
The plan eliminates NOAA’s research arm, which is crucial for life-saving, accurate forecasting. (Washington, DC) - Today, various reporting has detailed the Trump Administration’s plan to slash funding and eliminate crucial functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The plan, which has been reviewed by Science Committee Democratic Staff, notably decimates NOAA’s research capabilities by eliminating the Agency’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research line office. … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025Committee Leaders Demand Answers from NASA on DOGE Access After the Agency Refuses to Comply with Investigation
(Washington, DC) - Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Ranking Member Valerie Foushee (NC-4) of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, and Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (OH-13) of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight sent a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), continuing their months-long investigation regarding DOGE personnel and their access to sensitive data and systems at the Agency. In today’s letter, the Members double down on their … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025Lofgren and Amo Condemn Trump Administration Plan to Shut Down NOAA Research Websites and Their Data
The members call out the administration for its latest attempt to censor science and demand the websites be saved. (Washington, DC) - Last night, reporting revealed that the Trump administration plans to shut down websites associated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) research division. President Trump and Commerce Secretary Lutnick plan to cancel the contracts of webservers that support these websites. If the websites are eliminated, the climate and weather … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025House Energy Leaders Call for Investigation into Department of Energy’s Scheme to Cancel Awards and Contracts
DeLauro, Kaptur, Pallone, Castor, Lofgren, Ross Raise Concerns that Trump Administration is Contributing to Rising Prices and Targeting Democratic-Leaning States and Districts Washington, D.C. — Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03); Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06); Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Kathy Castor … Continue Reading
April 02, 2025Science Committee Members Blast Trump Administration for its Attack on American Manufacturing
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, funds for ten of the 51 centers that make up the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) were withheld by the Trump administration. The ten centers are in the following states: Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming. The Trump administration has notified these centers that they will no longer receive funding, effectively ending the programs. It is … Continue Reading
March 29, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Reacts to the President's Move to Destroy Union Rights
Washington, DC - On Thursday, the president signed an executive order that seeks to end collective bargaining at several federal agencies. "This latest assault on federal workers is especially egregious,” said Ranking Member Lofgren (CA-18). “Trump and DOGE are having trouble getting their way as Democrats and federal courts work to stop their extremely unpopular sweeping attacks on federal institutions. Childishly, Trump is trying to change a decades-old agreement to get his way and strip … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025Ranking Member Lofgren Reacts to EPA Offering Companies Permission to Pollute
Lofgren warns companies thinking of taking advantage of an offer to pollute. Washington, DC - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun a campaign that will allow polluting companies to apply for exemptions of regulations in the Clean Air Act. On the EPA website, where companies can use an EPA-provided template to apply to bypass clean air regulations, it states that exemptions will be decided by the president. … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025Committee Members Demand EPA Administrator Stop Plans to Close Office of Research and Development
Washington, DC - Yesterday, Democratic Science Committee Members sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator (EPA) Zeldin demanding that he cease any plans to weaken or shutter EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). The EPA, along with other federal agencies, was ordered by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit an Agency RIF and Reorganization Plan (ARRP) to OMB in early March. In EPA’s Reduction in Force (RIF) plan, the agency made a proposal to … Continue Reading