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­.s. Science Agencies Face Deep Cuts in Trump Budget


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When it comes to science, there are few winners in U.S. President Donald Trump's first budget proposal. The plan, released on 16 March, calls for double-digit cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health. It also lays the foundation for a broad shift in the United States' research priorities, including a retreat from environmental and climate programs.

Science advocates worry that the Trump administration's stance will jeopardize U.S. leadership in fields ranging from climate science to cancer biology. It is not clear how much of the plan will survive negotiations in Congress over the next several months, however.

The White House proposal is also notable for what it does not mention. The barebones document omits detail about many programs and even entire agencies, including the National Science Foundation.

Within the agency's science directorate — which encompasses astrophysics, Earth science, heliophysics, and planetary sciences — the planetary division is expected to gain the most. Its budget would grow from $1.6 billion to $1.9 billion. And the White House proposal would accelerate NASA's plans to explore Jupiter's moon Europa. 

From Nature
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