Congress passes NASA spending bill
Posted: Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 8:04 AM ET (1304 GMT)
Congress has passed a spending bill that largely rejected proposed steep cuts at NASA. The Senate passed the minibus appropriations bill on a 82-15 vote Thursday, a week after the House overwhelmingly passed the measure. The bill includes $24.4 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2026, slightly less than what it received in 2025 but far more than the $18.8 billion requested by the White House in May. It restores funding for science and space operations close to 2025 levels. However, the bill accepts NASA’s proposal to cancel the Mars Sample Return program, directing some funding to technologies that could be used for future Mars missions.
Congress has passed a spending bill that largely rejected proposed steep cuts at NASA. The Senate passed the minibus appropriations bill on a 82-15 vote Thursday, a week after the House overwhelmingly passed the measure. The bill includes $24.4 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2026, slightly less than what it received in 2025 but far more than the $18.8 billion requested by the White House in May. It restores funding for science and space operations close to 2025 levels. However, the bill accepts NASA’s proposal to cancel the Mars Sample Return program, directing some funding to technologies that could be used for future Mars missions.
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