On 14 May 2026, AGU joined a letter with the Coalition for National Science Funding. (CNSF) to urge the HELP Committee to schedule a confirmation hearing for James O’Neill, the President’s nominee to serve as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The NSF Director sets the scientific and strategic priorities of the agency, represents NSF before Congress and the scientific community, and serves as a steward of public trust that undergirds federal investment in research. The six-year term of the NSF Director provides the kind of institutional stability and insulation from short-term political pressures that fundamental research requires. In short, the person occupying this role matters enormously.

Read the full letter.