On July 22, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (HSST) held a hearing with Michael Kratsios, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Following open remarks and the witness testimony, questions from Committee members focused on research, artificial intelligence (AI), and funding allocations. The hearing followed the release of an OSTP report “Science: A Golden Age.” The report, authored by Director Kratsios, aspired to update Vannevar Bush’s foundational 1945 report “Science: The Endless Frontier.”
Hearing [Webcast]
Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) opened the hearing by welcoming Director Kratsios and commending the administration’s prioritization of emerging technologies and approach to federal research investment, asking for results instead of using funding levels alone as a measure of success. Babin expressed caution over foreign competition, specifically from China, a common refrain across Capitol Hill. Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) raised concerns that the administration’s actions are systematically weakening America’s research enterprise. She cited reports from the Association of American Universities (AAU) showing a 15 percent decrease in PhD program applicants in fall 2026 compared to fall 2025. She noted that China is recruiting researchers away from the U.S. Lofgren criticized the administration’s grant cancellations, delays in awards, and the blacklisting of research institutions. On the National Science Foundation (NSF) specifically, she noted that despite Congress’ rejection of the president’s $3 billion cut to the agency, credible reports indicate that the administration is illegally diverting close to 30 percent of those funds to create a “slush fund” for administrative priorities. Lofgren warned that applying Kratsios’s venture capital background to government risks hollowing the fundamental research base that underpins American innovation.
In his testimony, Kratsios emphasized the need to reform prior notions of scientific advancement with changing times and technologies. He outlined the obstacles American researchers currently face and how the scientific enterprise has evolved since Bush’s 1945 report, which he also explained in his updated report to President Trump. Kratsios then spoke of the Genesis Mission as the hub for the federal government to drive the coordination between academia, industry, and AI.
Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Gabe Amo (D-RI), and George Whitesides (D-CA) asked Kratsios pointed questions about the lack of transparency in the processes and decision making and shared figures on a wide range damage to the federal scientific infrastructure.
Representative McLean Delaney (D-MD) declared disappointment at the report being released only 24 hours prior to the hearing, stating it undermined the bipartisan progress made by the Committee.
Science Report
Kratsios framed the Golden Age initiative as an effort to test new models for accelerating breakthroughs and accordingly requires a fundamental redesign of how the federal government funds research. Unfortunately, the report includes conflicting narratives and recommendations that directly contradict administration actions.
For example, the first of the four overarching goals (listed below) is to “prioritize the individual scientist over legacy institutions.” However, this is the exact opposite of what has happened at the NSF over the past 18 months. Despite the absence of a permanent director, NSF has reorganized, moving away from Directorate portfolios. NSF has also shifted funding opportunities away from individual researchers to new initiatives, such as X-Labs, which support big teams that include entrepreneurs and technologists in addition to scientists. Relatedly, the biggest contradiction is the report’s ambitious goals that come while the administration proposes dramatic cuts across federal agencies funding science.
Four goals FABBS recommends for the federal government:
- Prioritize the individual scientists over legacy institutions
- Fundamentally change how research dollars are allocated, distributed, and assessed
- Set clear scientific goals and build the industrial muscle to translate scientific discovery into technological strength
- Prepare our research enterprise for the AI revolution
