Join members of NSTA’s Legislative and Advocacy Team on January 14 from 7 to 8 p.m. eastern to learn more about the new NSTA Advocacy Initiative, Congressional action around K-12 education, government funding in light of the Jan. 30 shutdown, and efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Register for the free webinar here.

On January 6, 2026 top appropriators in the Senate and House released the text of three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year appropriations bills, including the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill, which funds federal agencies such as NSF, NOAA, and NASA.

According to the committee press release, the Commerce, Justice, Science bill “funds the National Science Foundation (NSF) at $8.75 billion, rejecting President Trump’s ludicrous proposal to cut federal investment in this essential scientific research and innovation by 57%, which would have returned NSF to its fiscal year 2000 funding level just as our global competitors are doubling down on their investments. The bill invests $7.18 billion for NSF’s research and related activities, level with fiscal year 2025, to help drive U.S. economic competitiveness, including investments in artificial intelligence and quantum information science, and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. NSF’s education and training programs to build tomorrow’s innovation workforce are funded at $938 million, rejecting President Trump’s proposal to eliminate these programs. This funding level for NSF should support nearly 10,000 new competitive awards and more than 250,000 scientists, technicians, teachers, and students” (emphasis added). 

The bill provides $6.171 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), $1.67 billion above President Trump’s request and provides $1.46 billion for the National Weather Service to improve weather prediction capabilities, including a $10 million increase to bolster staffing at Weather Forecast Offices. The bill also provides $1.67 billion to maintain the current generation of NOAA weather and climate satellites and to invest in next-generation satellites—$135 million above President Trump’s request. It also rejects more than $300 million in proposed cuts to the National Marine Fisheries Service. It provides $224 million for climate research at NOAA, rejecting President Trump’s push to eliminate much of this funding. 

The bill provides $24.44 billion for NASA, which is $5.63 billion above President Trump’s request, and rejects the administration’s devastating proposal to cut NASA Science by 47% and terminate 55 operating and planned missions. It instead provides $7.25 billion. 

This Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill represents a huge win to maintain science funding and continue the STEM Directorate at the NSF.  It is important to note, however, that work on other spending bills, notably the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending bill, which funds the majority of K-12 programs, is still not done. It is anticipated (and hoped) that this spending bill will largely resemble the bipartisan proposal approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this year, which would mean level funding for most Education Department programs, including ESSA Title IV.A and ESSA Title II.A.

There is still time to speak out. We urge you to contact your members of Congress today through the NSTA Legislative Action Center and ask them to support these critical programs for teachers and our schools. Take two minutes to email your members of Congress and ask them to support strong funding for education in the FY26 appropriations bill.

For the latest advocacy and policy updates, be sure to check out our Legislative Updates blog series, which is featured in our e-newsletters, NSTA Reports, and NSTA Weekly. 

The mission of NSTA is to transform science education to benefit all through professional learning, partnerships, and advocacy.