NASA Reauthorization Act Clears Committee in Bipartisan 37-0 Vote
February 26, 2026 · 2 min read
Arthur Griffin
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted 37–0 to advance the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 7273), sending the bill to the full House with unanimous bipartisan support. The three-hour markup session adopted more than 40 amendments, all by voice vote.
What the Bill Protects
For researchers and institutions, the critical provisions center on education and workforce development. An amendment by Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) included a Sense of Congress supporting the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, which funds fellowships, scholarships, and curriculum development across 52 state-level consortia. A separate amendment by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) reinforced NASA's early-career science and research programs.
The bill also reaffirms full support for NASA's STEM education portfolio and calls for a "balanced and adequately funded" approach to research that spans grant programs, technology development, suborbital research, and space missions of all sizes.
Beyond education, the legislation advances human exploration of the Moon and Mars, supports commercial partnerships in low-Earth orbit, and invests in next-generation aeronautics technologies. Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) called the bill a reaffirmation of America's space leadership, while Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) echoed the bipartisan tone.
What This Signals for Applicants
Reauthorization bills set policy direction and spending ceilings — they tell appropriators where Congress wants money to flow. A unanimous committee vote is rare in the current political environment and signals durable bipartisan backing for Space Grant and early-career research.
For graduate students, NASA's Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities program offers awards up to $84,000 — a concrete example of the pipeline this reauthorization protects.
Researchers exploring federal space and STEM funding opportunities can track emerging programs at Granted. Full analysis of how this reauthorization shapes the grants landscape is on the Granted blog.