Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

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.

NASA-related Committee Assignments or Caucuses

• Member, Senate Committee on Appropriations
• Member, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Overall Summary

Senator Baldwin's committee assignments on Appropriations and Commerce, Science, and Transportation, coupled with her historical co-sponsorship of the "American Innovation Act" to increase NASA Science Directorate funding, suggest a foundational receptiveness to supporting space science. Her consistent opposition to federal research funding cuts, particularly highlighting impacts on Wisconsin institutions, and the substantial NASA science contracts and grants received by the University of Wisconsin System for Earth and planetary science research, provide strong local and policy-based arguments for increased investment.

However, her primary and most recent public advocacy for science funding has been heavily concentrated on biomedical research and NIH, potentially indicating a narrower focus within the broader science portfolio. Furthermore, her acknowledgment of federal budget constraints and the need to prioritize programs may present a challenge in securing new, significant investments for NASA science amidst competing domestic priorities.

Preparation Recommendations

• Explore how specific NASA science projects at the University of Wisconsin System, such as the VIIRS, REFIRE, and astrobiology research, directly contribute to Wisconsin's economy, job creation, and scientific leadership, providing concrete examples of local impact.
• Consider how NASA's space science initiatives, particularly in Earth science or astrobiology, contribute to broader scientific understanding and innovation, potentially drawing parallels to her family's biochemistry background or her strong advocacy for federal research funding.
• Look into how a sustained investment in NASA's space science aligns with the spirit of the "American Innovation Act" she co-sponsored, emphasizing how these investments yield long-term economic returns, technological advancements, and educational benefits for Wisconsin.

About Tammy Baldwin

• Graduated from Smith College and University of Wisconsin Law School.
• Served as a lawyer in private practice.
• Held various elected offices in Wisconsin before Congress.
• Served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Has family ties to biochemistry through her grandfather and aunt.

Opportunities

• Key Committee Membership: Senator Baldwin's role as a member of both the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation provides direct influence over NASA's budget and policy, offering a critical platform to advocate for space science investments. (Congress.gov, 2025-08-06; Congress.gov, 2025-05-16)

• Advocacy for Federal Research Funding: Senator Baldwin has consistently opposed proposed cuts to federal research funding, including significant increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and rejecting efforts to dismantle research enterprises, demonstrating a general supportive stance for scientific investment. She specifically highlighted the impact of NIH funding cuts on the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including delayed Alzheimer's research. (Forbes, 2025-06-10; U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Press Release, 2025-07-31)

• Historical Support for NASA Science Directorate: Senator Baldwin co-sponsored the "American Innovation Act," which proposed annual 5% budget increases for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Science Directorate, indicating a clear historical commitment to growing NASA science. (WUWM, 2019-06-18)

• Strong Local NASA Research Presence: Wisconsin institutions, particularly the University of Wisconsin System in Madison, have received substantial NASA contracts and grants for Earth science (e.g., VIIRS, REFIRE, PREFIRE) and planetary science/astrobiology research, providing a direct economic and scientific interest in increased NASA science funding. (USAspending, FY2022-FY2024)

• Opposition to Withholding Appropriated Funds: Senator Baldwin has actively challenged administrations for withholding congressionally approved funding for research and education, indicating a commitment to ensuring allocated funds reach their intended scientific recipients. She noted the administration's delay of over $5 billion in NIH research funding, impacting institutions like the University of Wisconsin. (Forbes, 2025-08-02; Forbes, 2025-05-04)

Challenges

• Competing Priorities Focus: Senator Baldwin's extensive public record demonstrates a consistent and recent focus on a wide array of domestic priorities, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and veterans' affairs, which could divert legislative attention and political capital from advocating for increased NASA science and exploration funding within a constrained federal budget.
• Fiscal Scrutiny and Budget Constraints: Senator Baldwin has publicly acknowledged "spending constraints of the federal budget" and emphasized that Congress "will not be able to fund every program," indicating a cautious approach to federal outlays that may limit openness to growing science and exploration activities.
• Primary Science Advocacy in Biomedical Research: While generally supportive of science, her most prominent and recent advocacy for science funding has been directed towards biomedical research and the National Institutes of Health, including strong opposition to proposed cuts, which may indicate a primary focus within the broader science portfolio.

Additional Sources

[1] murray.senate.gov

"Murray, Senate Democrats Call for Continued Support of NASA Lander Program. February 3, 2021. Murray, Senate Democrats Call for Continued Support of NASA Lander Program. Human Landing System program will be critical to mission to land first woman..." https://www.murray.senate.gov/murray-senate-democrats-call-for-continued-support-of-nasa-lander-program/