The Planetary Society, the world’s largest independent space interest organization, issued the following statement in response to the Office of Management & Budget’s (OMB) proposed revision rules impacting federal science agencies, including NASA and National Science Foundation:

The Planetary Society strongly opposes the OMB’s proposed changes to federal grant-making rules. If implemented, the changes would isolate, suppress, and throttle American scientific activity by imposing burdensome new bureaucratic requirements and curtailing free speech, free association, and free inquiry. They would also enable partisan political control over grant awards and restrict the dissemination of scientific results.

NASA's success depends on world-leading scientific capabilities. The nation’s scientific workforce, working closely with their international collaborators, has enabled historic discoveries such as past water on Mars, the accelerating Cosmos, the existence of exoplanets, and more.

Science is the backbone of the American economy, generating a 3-to-1 return on the taxpayer’s investment. Our nation has always relied on merit-based, independent scientific review to select the best ideas and new technologies for development. The proposed rule changes would all but end the use of scientific merit in the selection of grants and programs across the government.

The United States cannot be first in space if it is second in science. And the nation cannot lead the world in science if the systems are driven by politics rather than merit. The U.S. would cede the next generation of discoveries in space to other nations — including the potential detection of biosignatures or even life beyond Earth — if these rules are implemented.

These rules are not final and the public has until July 13th to submit their comments on the proposed changes. We urge everyone who values science and supports the scientific exploration of space to participate in this important process and urge rejection of these reprehensible rule changes.

The Planetary Society is the world's largest and most influential space interest organization. Founded in 1980 by astronomer Carl Sagan with Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit is led today by CEO Jenn Vaughn and championed by Chief Ambassador Bill Nye. Members and donors fund programs in science and technology, public outreach, and advocacy. This work advances the exploration of space, the search for life beyond Earth, and the defense of our planet from dangerous asteroids and comets. Learn more at planetary.org.

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