In the midst of a turbulent political environment, Congress offered Americans a rare and welcome sign of consensus. By overwhelming bipartisan margins, lawmakers rejected proposed cuts to federal science agencies and sent President Trump a budget that reflects a foundational principle visible since the Nation’s earliest days: The United States’ scientific enterprise is not optional – it is an engine of safety, prosperity, and economic leadership.
This decision was not about abstract support for research. Funding federal science directly sustains essential industries that touch nearly every aspect of daily life. Millions of hardworking Americans that rely, often without realizing it, on the data, forecasts, and services federal science agencies provide every day.
This budget, now signed into law by President Trump, maintains critical funding for science programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research receives $589 million to advance weather, climate, and ocean science. Another $104 million supports NOAA’s Cooperative Institutes—partnerships with universities that help turn cutting-edge science into practical forecasts and services.
NOAA’s satellite operations, which provide the backbone of weather forecasting and environmental monitoring, received roughly $398 million for research and development and $1.27 billion for operational satellite systems. These investments ensure the data streams that power daily weather forecasts, hurricane tracking, aviation safety, and long-term weather intelligence remain reliable and uninterrupted.
Beyond NOAA, Congress also reinforced the broader scientific ecosystem that supports these services. This provides $7.18 billion to NSF, in part to continue conducting foundational atmospheric and climate research that feeds directly into NOAA’s forecasting and modeling systems. Similarly, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is funded at $7.25 billion, supporting Earth-observing satellites that track storms, droughts, wildfires, sea-level rise, and other hazards that affect communities nationwide.
Taken together, these investments show that federal science funding is not abstract or duplicative—it is coordinated infrastructure. Each dollar supports the data, research, and expertise that help farmers plan, pilots fly safely, insurers price risk responsibly, and communities prepare for extreme weather. This is a win for industries in the U.S. that shape how we eat, how we travel, and how we live- quietly supporting the routines and decisions that make modern life possible.
Keeping Air Travel Safe
Daily operations of both commercial and private aviation are supported by critical high-quality weather information provided by NOAA. This includes readings of temperature, humidity, windspeed, visibility, turbulence, precipitation, lightning, and hail, for both pilots in the air and crews on the ground. The National Weather Service provides specialized forecasts for both commercial and private aviation, helping pilots avoid hazardous conditions every day. Its forecast centers produce over 4,000 aviation-specific predictions daily, a critical service in an industry where weather causes over 70 percent of delays at major U.S. airports. Accurate, timely forecasts reduce disruptions, save fuel, protect passengers, and ensure safer takeoffs and landings nationwide.
Additionally, NASA’s aviation research has transformed flight safety and fuel efficiency, giving U.S. aerospace manufacturers decisive technological advantages. U.S. manufacturers rely on NASA wind tunnels and testing facilities that advance the technology in the field. Some of these advances are key to lowering operating costs for airlines through fuel-savings.
Protecting Farmer’s Harvests
NOAA’s forecast predictions provide farmers critical information that increase options for planting schedules and fertilizer applications. NOAA’s daily forecasts deliver substantial economic value to the agricultural sector by helping farmers avoid billions in losses by timing treatments to avoid washout from upcoming storms. Without funding for this critical weather information, farmers could experience lower crop yields and increased costs, ultimately raising food prices for all consumers.
Continued funding for NASA science also keeps U.S. agriculture at the technological frontier. NASA satellites track soil moisture, crop conditions, and drought patterns with precision impossible from the ground. This helps U.S. farmers refine irrigation, forecast harvests, and allocate resources more effectively, translating to billions in savings while preserving water supplies.
Safeguarding Our Homes
In hurricane-vulnerable coastal regions and tornado-prone areas, access to dependable weather predictions can make the difference between safety and disaster, and between affordable coverage and homes that become uninsurable. Insurance providers rely on NOAA information and NASA satellites to track sea-level rise, extreme weather, and flood patterns used to evaluate risk and set policy rates. Degraded weather data could result in improperly priced policies and elevated financial exposure for insurers, causing homeowners to pay increased premiums and risk the safety of their home.
Included in the budget is funding for coastal resilience programs including the National Ocean and Coastal Security Fund and the Coastal Zone Management Grants. This is a huge win for coastal residents across the country. This funding will support natural barriers to sea level rise, protecting property and amounting to major flood insurance savings. This funding will also help towns build infrastructure better fit to withstand severe weather and sea level rise, protecting local businesses, tourism infrastructure, and the tax base that coastal economies depend on. Over 40 percent of Americans live in coastal counties. These programs help protect where 129 million people live, work, and raise families.
Investing in America
For 250 years, the United States has benefited from investments in science to shine bright the light of prosperity – when times seemed darkest, when it is most needed, and in times of hope when it sustained our strength. It is remarkable that a few simple sentences in a budget document provide the lifelines of communities and industries across America. When Congress chooses to invest in science, they’re investing in safer families, stronger economies, and a more prosperous America. This is something every American should remember, celebrate, and champion.