Lawmakers, Former NSF Leaders Push Trump Administration to Restore Science Board

The Trump administration is facing mounting pressure from lawmakers and former National Science Foundation (NSF) leaders to restore the National Science Board (NSB), with critics warning that weakening the agency’s leadership could undermine U.S. competitiveness in emerging technologies.

The calls for action follow the resignation of NSF’s director more than a year ago and the White House’s dismissal last month of all 22 members of the NSB. The NSB serves as the agency’s governing board and provides strategic oversight for NSF’s research agenda and investments.

In a pair of May 12 letters, Senate and House Democrats argued the administration’s removal of NSB members threatens the nation’s premier science agency at a time of intensifying global tech competition with China.

Top Democrats on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee warned that firing the entire board “jeopardizes the integrity and continuity of NSF’s mission” and risks undermining “America’s global scientific and technological leadership.”

A separate Senate letter led by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., argued the dismissals “threaten the bipartisan foundation that has made NSF one of the world’s premier scientific institutions” and called on the administration to reinstate the board members.

Former NSF directors and former NSB chairs voiced similar concerns in an April 30 letter shared with MeriTalk that framed the issue as both a national security and tech competitiveness challenge.

“The United States is engaged in a consequential race for global leadership, which in turn depends on scientific and technological leadership,” the former officials wrote. They pointed specifically to China’s investments in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, quantum technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The former NSF leaders warned that the United States risks falling behind if the agency lacks stable leadership and independent scientific oversight.

“NSF needs both its Director and its Board to meet its mission,” they wrote, describing the board as providing “vision, strategic oversight, national perspective, and connection to the research frontier.”

The former officials urged the Senate to move quickly to fill the NSF director position and called on the White House to “quickly seat a highly qualified new National Science Board.”

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump nominated James “Jim” O’Neill to serve as NSF director, but the Senate has yet to confirm him.

Pressure on Congress to intervene also intensified this week after thousands of scientists affiliated with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine signed a May 11 open letter organized by Stand Up for Science.

The signatories called the dismissals “an alarming attack” on the nation’s research enterprise and urged lawmakers to support the reinstatement of terminated board members.

“This dismantling of a critical national advisory body is but one of many such actions taken by the current administration that deprives our government of independent, apolitical, oversight and expert advice, not only in the sciences but also in healthcare and technology,” they wrote.