Reps. McClain Delaney; SST Ranking Member Lofgren; and Neguse Lead 19 Colleagues in a Letter Demanding Answers on Decision to Terminate Employees at NIST

Representatives April McClain Delaney; Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren; and Joe Neguse Lead 19 Congressional Colleagues in a Letter Demanding Answers from Trump Administration on Decision to Terminate Employees at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representatives April McClain Delaney (D-MD); Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA); and Joe Neguse (D-CO) led 19 of their Congressional colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick pressing for further explanation on the Administration's termination of probationary employees and its planned reduction in force (RIF) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which operates campuses in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Boulder, Colorado.

Over its 125-year history, the agency has supported critical programs that have advanced American industrial competitiveness and improved Americans' quality of life. NIST is highly regarded around the world, representing the gold standard for measurement science, research, and innovation. Projects managed by NIST scientists have incredibly important applications to everyday health and safety, including developing technologies to combat the opioid epidemic and improving bomb detection capabilities. According to recent reports, the Administration has already laid off over 70 probationary employees at NIST and may target additional probationary scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and other staff authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act.

"We write to express our serious concern with the Administration's recent termination of probationary employees and its planned reduction in force (RIF) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)," the lawmakers began. "These potential changes come on the heels of the deferred resignation program, which already is affecting the capacity of the NIST to fulfill its statutory obligations. Removing national and international leaders from the nonpartisan and professional civil service at NIST would hamper the development of critical standards, threaten industrial and consumer safety, and weaken American leadership around the world."

"Jeopardizing the scientific research, standards development, and global leadership provided by NIST would lead to numerous negative consequences: consumer and industrial standards would be undermined, American leadership would be abandoned, and our adversaries would be given more opportunities to advance their interests against our own. We call on the Administration to reverse course, reinstate all separated employees, and take a more thoughtful and pragmatic approach to governing," the lawmakers continued.

In their letter, the lawmakers press for answers to the following:

• How will your plan for a reduction in force at NIST affect the agency across mission areas? Please provide details by campus, office, and project. Please include the projected impact on NIST facilities if personnel responsible for utilities and physical maintenance are fired.
• What is the long-term plan to retain scientists and researchers to ensure that research and projects across mission areas are not jeopardized? Please provide details by campus, office, and project.
• How will your plan for a reduction in force at NIST affect the participation of NIST staff in international standards setting? Provide details by standards development organization, leadership positions affected, and topic (e.g., AI standards development in ISO/IEC 42001).
• How will the reduction in force at NIST impact the global arms race in AI, quantum information science, and semiconductor design, development, and production?

The full text of the letter is available hereand below.

The letter was also signed by: Steny H. Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, James P. McGovern, Bill Foster, John Garamendi, Betty McCollum, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ro Khanna, Jill Tokuda, Laura Friedman, Mary Gay Scanlon, Haley M. Stevens, Chrissy Houlahan, Suhas Subramanyam, Gabe Amo, Brittany Pettersen, and Sara Jacobs

April 2, 2025

The Honorable Howard Lutnick

Secretary of Commerce

United States Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20230

Dear Secretary Lutnick,

We write to express our serious concern with the Administration's recent termination of probationary employees and its planned reduction in force (RIF) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which operates at campuses in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Boulder, Colorado.

The Department of Commerce as a whole is looking to reduce as much as 20 percent of its staff at the direction of the Office of Management and Budget. According to recent reports, the Administration has already laid off over 70 probationary employees at NIST and may be targeting additional probationary scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and other staff authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act. These potential changes come on the heels of the deferred resignation program, which already is affecting the capacity of the NIST to fulfill its statutory obligations. Removing national and international leaders from the nonpartisan and professional civil service at NIST would hamper the development of critical standards, threaten industrial and consumer safety, and weaken American leadership around the world.

Congress empowered NIST with a critical function that is spelled out in Article 1 of our constitution to "fix the standard of weights and measures". Over its 125-year history, this agency has supported innumerable critical but often-overlooked programs that have advanced American industrial competitiveness and improved our quality of life. NIST is highly regarded around the world, representing the gold standard for measurement science, research, and innovation. Projects managed by NIST scientists have incredibly important applications to everyday health and safety, including developing technologies to combat the opioid epidemic and improving bomb detection capabilities. NIST's standardization work ensures the accuracy of the weights and measurements that underpin American industry. NIST's advancements in atomic clocks support the global position system (GPS), financial markets, and telecommunications networks worldwide.

NIST's work is routinely used to influence and set global technical standards which govern product safety, systems security, and industrial resilience - ensuring the U.S. leads our competitors in international standards bodies. The dedicated staff at both NIST's Gaithersburg, Maryland and Boulder, Colorado campuses work to enhance U.S. competitiveness in industries of the future, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology. NIST staff operate five laboratories, two national user facilities, and dozens of partnerships with companies, governments, and institutions of higher education, including with local universities. Each of these facilities and partnerships serve as epicenters for U.S. innovation and leadership in critical technologies. For example, NIST partners with both the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado, Boulder on centers focused on quantum information science. As a result, both Maryland and Colorado have become two leading global innovation ecosystems in quantum technology, spinning off numerous companies in this cutting-edge field, such as IonQ, Vescent Photonics, Stable Laser Systems, and ColdQuanta. Gutting NIST will lead to brain drain in these regions and could result in forfeiting Gaithersburg's and Boulder's international leadership in the critical fields driven by NIST's research.

These public servants are our constituents and neighbors, and they are a critical part of the economic activity in each region. More than 2,800 federal employees and an additional 3,200 visiting associates work out of NIST's Gaithersburg campus. An additional 560 federal employees and 940 visiting associates live and work in Boulder, Colorado. Every federal dollar spent on these campuses results in $9 in economic output. Firing NIST employees will not only affect those civil servants and their families, but will make the communities surrounding the campuses less prosperous.

Indiscriminate cuts will have ripple effects far beyond Maryland and Colorado. Reducing the workforce at the agency would undermine consumer safety, remove a key area of partnership between the government and private sector, and cede influence over international standards-setting to other nations that are making robust investments in science and technology. For example, recent reporting revealed the upcoming RIF plans would remove the entire Atomic Spectroscopy Group at NIST. Among many activities, this key group operates the Atomic Spectra Database, which receives 70,000 queries each month from professionals across industries that rely on access to this unique comprehensive collection of atomic spectroscopy research. Losing this capability will have negative impacts on dozens of scientific fields and across diverse industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to nuclear reactors.

RIF plans at the agency may irreparably impair the federal government's ability to recruit and retain top talent, leading to an exodus of scientists and researchers. This is not idle speculation. Past hostility towards the federal scientific workforce precipitated brain drain at targeted scientific agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. Internationally lauded experts may then decide to seek employment abroad to our own detriment as our competitors increase their own investment in AI, cybersecurity, and other vital industries. At a time where our adversaries are deploying increasing numbers of experts to international standards bodies, reductions in the NIST workforce will give other nations a clear advantage in setting necessary standards for the safe deployment of emerging technologies.

NIST's track record of improving Americans' quality of life and advancing industrial development nationwide and around the world speaks for itself and the vital work done by its staff. Given the national and international importance of NIST's work in upholding the modern world, we call on you to provide immediate and comprehensive responses to the following questions:

1. How will your plan for a reduction in force at NIST effect the agency across mission areas? Please provide details by campus, office, project. Please include the projected impact on NIST facilities if personnel responsible for utilities and physical maintenance are fired.
2. What is the long-term plan to retain scientists and researchers to ensure that research and projects across mission areas are not jeopardized? Please provide details by campus, office, project.
3. How will your plan for a reduction in force at NIST affect the participation of NIST staff in international standards setting? Provide details by standards development organization, leadership positions effected, and topic (e.g., AI standards development in ISO/IEC 42001).
4. How will the reduction in force at NIST impact the global arms race in AI, quantum information science, and semiconductor design, development, and production?

Jeopardizing the scientific research, standards development, and global leadership provided by NIST would lead to numerous negative consequences: consumer and industrial standards would be undermined, American leadership would be abandoned, and our adversaries would be given more opportunities to advance their interests against our own. We call on the Administration to reverse course, reinstate all separated employees, and take a more thoughtful and pragmatic approach to governing.

We request your prompt and detailed response to the questions outlined above no later than April 16, 2025.