Congress moves to reject bulk of White House’s proposed NASA cuts

Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) attend the Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the "Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,” and other bills on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

A budget-writing panel in the House of Representatives passed a $24.8 billion NASA budget bill Tuesday, joining a similar subcommittee in the Senate in maintaining the space agency's funding after the White House proposed a nearly 25 percent cut.

The budget bills making their way through the House and Senate don't specify funding levels for individual programs, but the topline numbers—$24.8 billion in the House version and $24.9 billion the Senate bill—represent welcome news for scientists, industry, and space enthusiasts bracing for severe cuts requested by the Trump administration.

The spending plan passed Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee ...