ESA Action Alert: Contact your senators to advocate to fund science agencies and programs

June 2, 2025

Dear ESA Member:

The Senate Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees are writing appropriation bills for the federal government FY26 budget now.

Alongside its counterpart in the House, the Senate Committee on Appropriations is responsible for federal funding and supplemental spending bills. On Friday, the White House released details of its Fiscal Year 2026 budget request, which would slash science funding to levels not seen in decades — including a 90% cut to the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, a 72% cut to NSF’s Directorate for Biological Sciences and a halving of NASA’s Earth Science Division, among others.

Call or email your senators and ask for strong funding levels for science agencies. It is especially important if your senator serves on the Appropriations Committee or a Subcommittee with responsibility for writing scientific agencies’ appropriations bills.

ESA urges you to WRITE a short message or CALL your senator’s DC Capitol Hill office with a request for robust funding in the science agencies’ appropriations bills.

• Email: Web contact forms are available on most senators’ websites.
• Phone: Dial the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your senator’s office.

We thank you for contacting federal lawmakers to ensure that FY26 appropriation bills provide robust funding for scientific research ― especially for ecological research.

Thanks for your consideration,
ESA Public Affairs Office

Example Call or Email Script:

“I am a constituent and ask that Senator [NAME] request full FY 26 funding for the science agencies under their jurisdiction at the current FY 25 budget levels. I am greatly concerned that the President’s Budget Request would devastate our nation’s ability to provide the science that underpins our economy, security and public health. Thank you for your strong support of science in the FY 26 appropriation bills.”

Additional Resources:

• ESA Policy Toolkit: Tools to make sure you’re well-equipped when talking with decision-makers
• View ESA’s “Communicating with Congress” webinar
• Look up your federal Congressional delegation

Is Your Senator on One of These Appropriations Subcommittees?

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittees listed below at left fund the scientific agencies listed to the right. Click each subcommittee to see if your senators are among its members.