Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse, Hurd Mobilize Bipartisan Coalition to Protect NCAR

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and Representatives Joe Neguse and Jeff Hurd led a bipartisan, bicameral coalition to protect funding for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder. They mobilized 76 lawmakers to demand top congressional appropriators include language in the government funding package to prevent the dismantling of NCAR and ensure NCAR can maintain its core capabilities and continue delivering vital Earth system science that promotes public safety and improves national security.

"Donald Trump's vengeful plan to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research is not only illegal, it's indefensible," said Hickenlooper. "It will have devastating consequences not only for Colorado, but across the country. Colorado won't be intimidated by the bully in the White House. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to fight back."

"Last week, I blocked the Senate appropriations process to demand full funding for NCAR in response to President Trump's threat to dismantle it," said Bennet. "NCAR's work is indispensable for communities, decision-makers, and emergency responders. From predicting extreme weather conditions to supporting disaster preparedness to understanding how wildfires spread, the elimination of NCAR would be catastrophic for public safety and national security. I am grateful to Representatives Neguse and Hurd for their partnership on the effort to protect NCAR. We will explore every avenue to ensure we don't lose this vital institution."

"The work being done at NCAR is vital to our state, our country, and our planet. The breathtaking advancements these scientists and researchers are making every day play a critical role in alerting communities to extreme weather conditions and the advanced modeling systems they are creating are vital to our national security. Any attempt to dismantle this institution is dangerous, reckless, and would, ultimately, put the United States at a very deep competitive disadvantage," said Neguse. "I'm grateful to Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for taking critical action last week to stand up for NCAR's continued funding, and I'm proud to work with my Republican colleague from the Western Slope, Jeff Hurd, to carry the baton in the House. As Coloradans, first and foremost, we intend to fight back against attempts to gut this cutting-edge institution"

"NCAR does critical work in Colorado that helps predict severe weather and keeps America competitive in climate science. The research happening there protects communities and supports our national security. Dismantling this institution doesn't make sense, and I'm glad to work with my colleagues in both chambers to make sure NCAR has the funding it needs to keep operating," said Hurd. "The scientists at NCAR are doing work that matters - work that helps families prepare for storms, helps farmers plan their seasons, and keeps us ahead on the world stage. Supporting NCAR is a smart investment we should continue to make, not walk away from. I'm grateful to my House colleague, Joe Neguse, for his partnership in protecting an institution that matters to Colorado and the country."

NCAR is one of the world's premier research centers and was founded in 1960 by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its mission is to understand global weather systems and support the capabilities of the university community and broader scientific community, nationally and internationally.

Following the Trump admin announcement to dismantle NCAR in Boulder, Hickenlooper has led the fight against their effort by blocking a Senate funding package, which did not fully protect NCAR funding, and joining a rally to save NCAR in Boulder.

Full text of the letter available HERE and below.

Dear Chair Collins, Ranking Member Murray, Chair Cole, and Ranking Member DeLauro:

We write to express our bipartisan bicameral support for continued funding for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) as the FY 2026 appropriations process moves to conference. As the Committees finalize the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill, we believe NCAR represents a sound, forward-looking federal investment that delivers tangible benefits to communities, industries, and public agencies across the nation, particularly in weather forecasting, disaster preparedness, agriculture, and water management.

We agree with the President's FY 2026 National Science Foundation Budget Request regarding the importance of NCAR as a national research and infrastructure asset. As the Budget request states:

"The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is an NSF-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) guided by the vision: 'a world-class research center leading, promoting and facilitating innovation in the atmospheric and related Earth Systems sciences.' NCAR addresses this vision with integrated research and facilities organized around

three overlapping areas of activity: cutting-edge airborne and ground-based observational facilities; community weather and climate models with thousands of users worldwide; and petascale high-performance computing."

NCAR's integrated approach ensures that federal investments in weather and Earth-system science translate into practical, usable tools. Its community weather and seasonal forecast models underpin forecasting systems used by federal agencies, the military, state and local governments, universities, and private-sector partners. These models support a wide range of real-world applications, including agricultural planning, drought and water management, wildfire behavior analysis, flood forecasting, aviation safety, and emergency preparedness. Their research in the Earth-sun system is invaluable for understanding and predicting solar weather. Solar weather storms threaten satellites in orbit that provide crucial GPS and communications capabilities,

posing a risk to our military, emergency responders, and banking systems.

In agriculture, NCAR-supported modeling and data tools help producers anticipate seasonal variability, manage water resources, and mitigate weather-related risk. In wildfire-prone regions, NCAR research improves understanding of fire behavior and smoke transport, supporting more

effective preparedness and response. For emergency managers, improved modeling and data integration contribute to earlier warnings and better coordination during extreme weather events-saving lives and reducing economic losses.

As the President's Budget further recognizes, continued operation of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputer Center is essential for the integration, analysis, and modeling of large and complex data sets. This computing capacity enables more accurate forecasts and supports the growing demand for data-intensive applications across government and industry, including defense, aviation, and critical infrastructure planning, ensuring the United States remains competitive in weather and Earth system science.

As an NSF-sponsored FFRDC, NCAR serves as a shared national resource that promotes efficiency and collaboration. By providing common infrastructure and open modeling frameworks, NCAR reduces duplication, strengthens partnerships, and ensures that federal research dollars are leveraged across states and sectors.

As conferees complete the FY 2026 bill, we respectfully request sustained funding for NCAR. Continued investment will ensure that NCAR can maintain its core capabilities and continue delivering practical, high-value outcomes that support economic resilience, public safety, and informed decision-making nationwide. Funding for NCAR is essential to maintaining America's

leadership in global weather forecasting and to protecting our economy, our communities, and the everyday livelihoods of families across the nation.

Thank you for your consideration and for your leadership throughout the appropriations process.

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