Congress Rescues NASA 2026 Fiscal Year Budget After Proposed 50% Slashes

The future of space exploration nearly went dark. In June 2025, the White House released a budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year that aimed to gut NASA's science programs by nearly 50 percent. By July, the administration had already instructed leaders of dozens of missions to prepare "closeout" plans for their spacecraft, signaling an abrupt end to years of research.

How Congress Saved the NASA 2026 Fiscal Year Budget

It's a dramatic reversal for the space agency. While things looked grim for a while, Congress—which ultimately controls the federal purse—stepped in to challenge the executive branch's directive. Throughout the summer and fall, lawmakers made it clear they intended to maintain funding for the majority of NASA's science portfolio, effectively putting the shutdown of active missions on hold.

The conflict highlights a significant tension in Washington. Although the Trump administration saw some authority abdicated to it last year, Congress isn't backing down on federal spending for high-stakes science. Lawmakers argued that dismantling these programs would waste billions in previous investments and cede American leadership in space.