On 21 September, AGU joined the Energy Sciences Coalition letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios requesting $10B in Fiscal Year 2028 funding for the Department of Energy Office of Science.

As you prepare the fiscal year (FY) 2028 budget request to Congress, the Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC) urges you to request no less than $10 billion for the Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE SC). ESC’s top recommendation is to increase Office of Science research funding in the physical sciences and other core scientific disciplines in order to advance current and future emerging technologies and grow the scientific and engineering workforce. This level of investment is necessary to maintain the United States’ strategic competitive advantage in science and technology and matches the ambition of the White House’s FY 2028 research and development budget priorities memo guiding future federal investments. Long-term federal investments in DOE SC laid the foundation for U.S. leadership in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and fusion. To realize the full potential of these new technologies and lead the world in future emerging technologies requires a well-funded DOE SC. U.S. strategic competitors want to dominate these new technology sectors which requires the United States to act with greater speed and scale. In addition to $10 billion in annual appropriations, ESC urges you to work with Congress to reprogram unobligated prior year funding and/or use supplemental funding up to $5 billion to accelerate investments that have bipartisan support in critical technology areas, such as AI for science, quantum, and fusion, and upgrade national lab infrastructure.

Read the full letter and signatories here.