Note: This analysis uses AI to help identify potential outreach strategies for space science issues. Because it uses AI, it is important to understand the sources and limitations of this analysis. Space-related committee assignments (if present), and additional sources (if present), are from congress.gov and a direct output of a targeted web search. Opportunities, challenges, overall summary, and preparation recommendations are products of AI analyses. The biography uses AI to summarize key aspects of the member's Wikipedia page. All AI-generated claims, assessments, and recommendations should be independently verified. This is an experimental feature, and intended to provide guidance and inspiration for outreach strategies for your meeting. Feedback is welcome: casey.dreier@planetary.org.
Senator Peters holds a powerful position on the Senate Appropriations Committee and its CJS Subcommittee, giving him direct influence over NASA's budget, and he has previously co-sponsored legislation supporting critical science missions. Michigan institutions, particularly the University of Michigan, receive significant NASA science contracts for instruments vital to planetary science and heliophysics, which he has highlighted as contributing to "unprecedented scientific discoveries." However, his "no" vote on the CJS Appropriations bill in subcommittee, which funds NASA, indicates potential reservations or competing priorities that could complicate advocacy for increased science funding, especially given the proposed 47% cut in FY2026.
Despite this, Senator Peters has consistently advocated against budget cuts impacting NASA's science missions and emphasized the economic and national security benefits of space weather programs, aligning with Michigan's heliophysics research. Advocates should leverage his past support for federal research investment and the tangible benefits of NASA science contracts in Michigan to demonstrate how robust funding for the Science Mission Directorate directly supports local innovation and national leadership, potentially overcoming his prior reservations.
Appropriations Committee Influence: As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and its Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Senator Peters directly influences NASA's budget, having helped secure funding for "cutting-edge research" and the Artemis Mission in the Fiscal Year 2026 CJS Appropriations Act. This role allows him to advocate for Michigan institutions like the University of Michigan, which receives significant NASA contracts for science instruments, including those for planetary science and heliophysics.
Support for NASA Authorization and Science: Senator Peters co-sponsored the bipartisan NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025, which aims to advance American leadership in deep space exploration and explicitly supports "critical science and exploration missions" including "vital life and physical science research" and the Planetary Defense Coordination Office. He stated that this bill would "help cement America's leadership in space exploration and the broader commercial space economy."
Advocacy Against Science Budget Cuts: Senator Peters has publicly questioned the impact of potential budget cuts on NASA's Moon and Mars missions and challenged proposed cuts to the Space Weather Prediction Center, emphasizing the critical role of space weather programs for national security and economic stability. The University of Michigan has NASA contracts related to heliophysics and solar wind, directly benefiting from robust space weather research.
Promoting Michigan's Aerospace Contributions: Senator Peters hosted NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in Michigan to highlight the state's aerospace manufacturing contributions to space exploration, emphasizing that these efforts enable "unprecedented scientific discoveries about our universe." This visit showcased Futuramic in Detroit and involved academics from Michigan universities, linking local industry and research to NASA's mission.
General Support for Science and Research Investment: Senator Peters has consistently advocated for federal investment in scientific research, as evidenced by his work on the CHIPS and Science Act to boost manufacturing and his visits to Michigan State University to highlight the importance of federal funding for research, stating, "you have to continually invest in this." Michigan universities are major recipients of federal research grants, including those from the National Science Foundation, which Peters has supported.
Senator Gary C. Peters (D-MI) demonstrates a generally supportive posture toward NASA's Science Mission Directorate activities and exploration programs, often highlighting their economic and national security benefits for Michigan. However, some potential risk indicators can be identified: