Rep. Chu & Bipartisan, Bicameral California Colleagues Urge NASA to Reverse Funding Cuts to Mars Sample Return Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) joined Reps. Adam Schiff (CA-30), Mike Garcia (CA-27), and Young Kim (CA-40) and Senators Alex Padilla (CA) and Laphonza Butler (CA) in a bipartisan and bicameral letter urging NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to reverse unilateral funding cuts to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, which would result in the loss of hundreds of California jobs, ensure the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) misses its 2030 launch window, and lead to the cancelation of billions of dollars in contracts supporting American businesses.

“We write to express our strongest opposition to NASA’s recent unilateral and unprecedented decision to prematurely move forward with funding cuts to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission before Congress has finalized its Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process. This short-sighted and misguided decision by NASA will cost hundreds of jobs and a decade of lost science, and it flies in the face of Congressional authority. The 2023 Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey identified the completion of MSR as NASA’s highest scientific priority. Therefore, we are mystified by NASA’s rash decision to suggest at this stage of the appropriations process that any cuts would be necessary,” wrote the Members.

A recently commissioned Independent Review Board (IRB) assessment of the MSR Program’s implementation plan and management approach reiterated that MSR should be a national space exploration priority, given its scientific and strategic importance.

“...NASA’s deeply short-sighted and misguided decision to unilaterally adjust the funding allocation granted to JPL to carry out the MSR mission violates Congress’s appropriations authority. Therefore, we strongly urge you to rescind NASA’s November 8th funding directive to JPL and not take any further steps to adjust funding levels for the mission until Congress enacts final FY24 appropriations for NASA,” the Members concluded.

Click here for the full letter.