White House Proposes Significant Budget Reductions for Science Agencies in FY2027

OMB Proposes Steep Cuts to U.S. Science Agencies in FY2027 Budget

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, outlining substantial reductions for numerous U.S. science agencies. This includes a 23% overall cut for NASA and over 50% cuts for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The proposal, which also includes reductions for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other research-focused departments, suggests maintaining funding for select areas such as quantum information and artificial intelligence. These proposed cuts have drawn criticism from scientific organizations and members of Congress, who have advocated for increased funding for science and space exploration.

Overview of the Proposal

The White House's FY2027 budget proposal, released on April 3, calls for significant budget decreases across federal agencies that fund or conduct research in health, space, and the environment. This marks the second consecutive year that such substantial cuts have been proposed. The proposal is intended to serve as a starting point for negotiations with Congress, which holds the authority to finalize the federal budget.

NASA Budget Adjustments

The OMB proposes an $18.8 billion budget for NASA for FY2027, representing a 23% reduction from the agency's FY2026 appropriation. This figure aligns with the OMB's budget request for FY2026, which also sought $18.8 billion.

Proposed Reductions for NASA:

• Science Programs: A $3.4 billion cut, or 47%, targeting over 40 missions deemed "low-priority." Examples cited include the Mars Sample Return program, which Congress did not fund in 2026 and has a planned cost of up to $11 billion, and SERVIR, an Earth science data distribution program with an annual cost of $10 million. NASA officials have indicated a reconsideration of support for extended missions that have completed their primary scientific objectives.
• International Space Station (ISS) Operations: A $1.1 billion reduction, citing the ISS's "looming retirement" and prioritizing the development of commercial successors.
• Space Technology: A $297 million reduction, nearly one-third of the 2026 appropriation. Funding would focus on lunar exploration technologies, with reductions in projects related to in-space sustainability.
• Education Programs (STEM Engagement): Termination of these programs, which received $143 million in 2026.

Proposed Increases for NASA:

• Exploration Programs: A nearly 10% increase to $8.5 billion, allocated to fully fund elements of the Artemis program.
• Lunar Base Development: $175 million for new robotic missions to support establishing a lunar base. The administration also plans to seek congressional permission to repurpose $2.6 billion from the lunar Gateway for this initiative.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly addressed the proposed budget on April 5, defending the agency's ability to execute its primary exploration goals despite the cuts to science, space operations, and space technology. He cited a $10 billion supplemental funding from a budget reconciliation bill enacted in July of the previous year, which he stated facilitates accelerated production for lunar missions, including the addition of an Artemis 3 mission in 2027, and the development of a moon base. Isaacman stated that NASA's budget surpasses that of any other global space agency, and its science budget exceeds all other space agencies combined. He emphasized that the agency needs to concentrate on execution and delivering outcomes.

Other Science and Health Agencies Targeted

The proposal outlines significant reductions for a range of other federal science and health agencies:

• National Science Foundation (NSF): Over 50% reduction from current levels, to $4 billion. The proposal would eliminate funding for its Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences directorate.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Over 50% reduction from current levels, to $4.2 billion.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): A 13% budget drop to $41.3 billion, representing a $5 billion cut from its current funding. The proposal would also shutter three of NIH's 27 institutes and centers: those focusing on minority health and disparities, international research, and alternative medicine.

  The OMB characterized the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities as "replete with DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] expenditures," citing "wasteful spending, misleading information, risky research, and the promotion of dangerous ideologies" as reasons for cuts.

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Funding for its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would be eliminated, with its total budget reduced to $4.5 billion.
• Department of Energy Office of Science: Budget would fall to $7.1 billion from $8.4 billion.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Budget would fall to $900 million from $1.8 billion.
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): A proposed $15.8 billion reduction for the department overseeing NIH.
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): A proposed $129 million reduction.
• Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR): A proposed $356 million reduction, with the OMB indicating ASPR had become overextended by the COVID-19 pandemic, moving away from its core mission.

The budget also suggests reorganizing several agencies under a proposed "Administration for a Healthy America," which is projected to save approximately $5 billion by consolidating or eliminating programs deemed to duplicate federal spending, promote specific ideologies, or support non-profits not aligned with administration policies.

Research Priorities and Publishing Fee Restrictions

The budget document indicates that funding would be maintained for research on quantum information and artificial intelligence to ensure U.S. leadership. The administration plans to increase applied research funding in these areas at the defense and energy departments. However, basic quantum and AI research funding at the NSF would be cut by 37% and 32%, respectively.

Additionally, the proposal includes a prohibition on using federal funds for "expensive subscriptions to academic journals and prohibitively high publishing costs" unless legally mandated or pre-approved by a federal agency. The OMB stated that many journals charge the government for both publishing and accessing the same research, suggesting that "low cost outlets" are available for federally funded research.

Congressional and Advocacy Group Response

The Planetary Society expressed disappointment regarding the White House's budget proposal for NASA, stating it presents a threat to U.S. leadership in space science and exploration. The organization cited ongoing projects like Artemis II, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, Dragonfly, and NEO Surveyor as critical endeavors potentially undermined by the proposed cuts and associated workforce disruption. The Society indicated its intent to advocate for the rejection of the proposed cuts by Congress, urging swift action from the Appropriations Committees to support an "ambitious, balanced, and science-driven agenda for space exploration."

Many congressional and space industry officials anticipated these proposed cuts. Over 100 members of Congress, primarily Democrats, sent a letter on March 13 requesting that House appropriators increase NASA's science funding to $9 billion for FY2027, a 25% increase from 2026. They also advocated for an overall increase to NASA's budget to address inflationary pressures and urged appropriators to disregard the OMB's proposal. Kayla Hancock of Protect Our Care's Public Health Project commented that the health-related cuts could lead to increased preventable diseases and substantial economic losses.

Congressional Role and Past Precedent

The U.S. Congress is responsible for finalizing the federal budget, not the President. In 2026, Congress rejected similar requests for substantial cuts to science and health agencies, restoring funding to many programs. This budget proposal serves as a starting point for congressional negotiations, which may extend beyond the October 1 start of the 2027 fiscal year due to Congressional elections in November.