Viewpoint: Saving science and energy efficiency

Reggie Spaulding

Science is not a partisan issue. It has historically been supported by both Republicans and Democrats. But in 2025 DOGE took a sledgehammer to all kinds of science, from ocean monitoring to cancer research.

Then came President Trump’s proposals, which cut science funding by as much as 50% and got rid of funding for STEM education, which fuels and trains the next genera-on of scientists. Unfortunately, Republican lawmakers, including those from Montana, were not willing to take a stand against the destruction, leaving many scientists to believe that our days in research, and America’s leading role in science, were short-numbered.

But in January the US Congress overwhelmingly stood with science when it passed FY26 funding of NASA, NOAA, NSF, DOE, EPA, USGS, and NIEHS at roughly 2023 levels. Congress also funded the Energy Star program that the president tried to kill. Energy Star helps builders and homeowners to make buildings and homes energy efficient, saving everyone money and cutting CO2 emissions. This support for science and energy efficiency is great news for the country and the world, and all of Montana’s Senators and Representatives voted for these bills.
I would like to thank Senators Daines and Sheehy and Representatives Zinke and Downing, for doing the right thing. Their next task is to stop the destruction of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NCAR is the country’s leading laboratory for studying climate change, climate resiliency, and climate education, and directly helps Montana by providing weather forecasting tools, wildfire prediction, and agricultural planning tools.

Two thirds of Montanans understand that climate change is real and human caused, so it seems that our representatives should start taking it seriously. They can start by saving NCAR.