(NEXSTAR) – Former television host Bill Nye “The Science Guy” visited Capitol Hill on Monday to advocate against President Donald Trump’s budget for NASA.
He’s the CEO of the Planetary Society, a non-profit space organization.
President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for NASA would cut the agency’s funding by 24% from FY2025 to FY2026. In FY2025, the agency received $24.8 billion in funding. The White House proposed $18.8 billion for the next fiscal year.
“NASA science is a bargain,” Nye said. “For every dollar spent, at least three come back into the economy.”
But the appropriations committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have largely left NASA’s funding in place in their own budget proposals. Both plans leave NASA funding at roughly $24.8 billion for the next fiscal year.
“NASA funding is fully protected,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
“We can do the best of both projects — both appropriations bills, and really come out with a great NASA budget,” said Casey Dreier, the Chief of Space Policy for the Planetary Society. “This is where we get to go and say thank you to the work they’ve done, and let’s get this over the finish line.”
Dreier said he hopes Congress follows through and passes a NASA budget that is closer to current levels.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said in a report released last week that she believes the Office of Management and Budget has already started implementing the cuts to NASA proposed in President Trump’s budget.
Dreier said that complicated the view of Congress’s proposal for the NASA budget.
“Any year prior to this one, we’d be popping our bottles of champagne open right now,” Dreier said. “There’s far more uncertainty about cuts that could be made before Congress has a chance to fully weigh in.”
Nye said space research is vital to life on Earth.
“Everybody talks about where the hurricanes are going. Everybody uses the internet. Everybody uses digital cameras. All these things are derived from NASA,” Nye said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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