Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released the following statement regarding reports of President Donald Trump’s proposal to slash NASA’s science budget in half:
“Donald Trump’s attack on NASA amounts to a form of national self-destruction and will have untold effects on the country’s scientific efforts, research objectives, and our standing around the globe. The president’s proposed budget cuts would gut the Mars Sample Return program, one of our top planetary science priorities with strong bipartisan support, which will not only see hundreds of jobs lost at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, but also kneecap years of critical scientific progress that is already happening.
“This would dismantle our greatest advantage in space and destroy our top centers of innovation, not just at JPL but at NASA facilities across California and the country. It’s a gift to China, and a slap in the face to those that have dedicated years to making the American space program the best in the world.
“And NASA isn’t just space. It’s stem cells, supercomputers, and sustainability efforts. It’s reaching for the stars in the search for our future here at home.
“The administration must reverse course for the sake of American jobs, ingenuity and our future. To go forward with these cuts may be just one small step in the eyes of the Trump Administration, but it would be a giant loss for American people, and all of mankind. Congress should unequivocally reject this foolish proposal.”
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