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.
Representative Arrington, as Chairman of the House Budget Committee, is a vocal advocate for federal spending cuts, which presents a significant challenge for increasing NASA science funding. His past opposition to certain environmental regulations also suggests potential resistance to NASA's Earth science activities.
However, his professional background in research and commercialization, coupled with his district's substantial NASA science investments—including significant contracts for lunar exploration, planetary science, and asteroid discovery at Texas Tech and Hardin-Simmons—offer a compelling basis for engagement. These direct economic and innovation benefits to his constituents could make him receptive to arguments for maintaining or growing NASA's science portfolio, especially when framed around district impact and non-climate related research.
Direct District Investment in NASA Science: Institutions within Representative Arrington's district have received substantial NASA contracts and grants for diverse science activities, including lunar exploration, planetary science, Earth science, astrophysics, and biological and physical sciences. Texas Tech University System in Lubbock, TX, received over $7.7 million for projects such as lunar instrumentation and Mars atmospheric studies, while Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX, received $886K for asteroid discovery programs. (USAspending, FY2022-FY2024)
Experience in Research and Commercialization: Representative Arrington's previous role as Vice Chancellor for Research and Commercialization at the Texas Tech University System demonstrates a professional background in fostering scientific research and its application. He has publicly stated the importance of research for "advancing discovery, creating economic opportunity and improving our quality of life." (Texas Tech University System, 2011-08)
Advocacy for Domestic R&D Tax Incentives: As the lead sponsor of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (P.L. 119-21), Representative Arrington supported a provision allowing full expensing of domestic research and experimentation expenditures for tax purposes. This general support for R&D could benefit research institutions in his district, including those engaged in NASA-funded science. (Wikipedia, 2025-07)
Sponsorship of Bill with NASA Appropriations: The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (P.L. 119-21), sponsored by Representative Arrington, included specific appropriations for NASA, such as $700 million for a high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter and $4.1 billion for the Space Launch System for Artemis missions. This directly supports NASA's planetary science and human exploration programs. (Congress.gov, 2025-08)