Policy News Headlines

Last updated March 20, 2025

Executive Branch
The Administration backs away from international and domestic climate initiatives, but the court system orders some climate funds to keep flowing.

Congress
Congress passes a continuing resolution to fund the government through September; meanwhile, confirmation voting continues for Trump’s science nominees.

Federal Agencies
Mass layoffs continue across the federal workforce, including many scientific offices and programs, though two federal judges direct agencies to rehire most fired probationary workers.

Scientific Community
U.S. scientists consider ways to remain engaged with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and a new report documents the current state of bird conservation.

Informational Resources
Trackers, government websites and other sources of information to help you stay informed, take action, and get help.

 

Executive Branch

March 14, 2025

• Trump moves to close facility that helps track planet-warming pollution — Washington Post

March 7, 2025

• United States quits board of UN climate damage fund, letter shows — Reuters
• Trump DOJ to climate nonprofits: Hand over info and come to court — E&E News from Politico

March 6, 2025

• Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Funding Freeze for Climate Work. Will the White House Comply? — Inside Climate News

Congress

March 17, 2025

• What’s in store for US science as funding bill averts government shutdown — Nature

March 14, 2025

• 10 Democrats help Republicans advance GOP funding bill to avoid shutdown — The Hill

March 13, 2025

• Senate panels clear Trump OMB, science nominees — E&E News from Politico
• Committee approves bipartisan conservation, ocean bills — E&E News from Politico

March 11, 2025

• House Republicans pass bill to avert government shutdown — Politico

Federal Agencies

March 18,  2025

• Federal agencies recount how many workers got cut — E&E News from Politico

March 17,  2025

• Trump administration moves to reinstate 24,000 federal workers after judge’s order — The Hill
• Interior offers incentives for staffers to exit — E&E News from Politico
• Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm — New York Times

March 13,  2025

• Judge orders reinstatement for most fired probationary federal workers — Government Executive

March 12,  2025

• USGS Faces Potential Office Closures — FYI from AIP

March 11,  2025

• U.S. Energy Secretary Pledges to Reverse Focus on Climate Change — New York Times
• Staff shortages halt some federal weather balloon launches amid Trump cuts — The Hill
• USDA says it will reinstate fired probationary workers by Wednesday deadline — Reuters

March 10,  2025

• NASA Shutters Offices of Strategy, Chief Scientist, and Diversity — Eos
• NPS leaders plan 30 percent payroll cuts — The Hill

March 8,  2025

• NOAA Said to Be Planning to Shrink Staff by 20 Percent — New York Times

March 7,  2025

• EPA reverses course, reinstating dozens of environmental justice workers — Washington Post

March 6,  2025

• Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants — Nature

Scientific Community

March 20,  2025

• New US Academic Alliance for the IPCC opens critical nomination access — AGU press release

March 15,  2025

• Some US Scientists Stick with the IPCC Despite the Administration Pulling Out of International Climate Work — Inside Climate News

March 13,  2025

• About a third of bird species in U.S. need conservation help, new report says — CBS News

Informational Resources

Information

• Timeline of Administration Actions (from Research!America)
• List of Federal Staff Firings (from Government Executive)
• NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders
• Latest Memos from the Office of Personnel Management
• Akin Executive Order Tracker
• Just Security’s Litigation Tracker
• American Institute of Physics’ FYI Science Policy News & Analysis
• EJToday Daily Digest of Environment/Energy News
• UC San Diego Library’s U.S. Government Information: Weekly Roundup

Take Action

• ESA Action Alert
• ESA Policy Toolkit
• Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology’s (FASEB) Science Policy & Advocacy Resources
• Watch a recording of ESA’s “Communicating with Congress” webinar
• Share your story with ESA of how recent events are impacting you
• Respond to the survey for fired federal employees from the House Science Committee’s Democratic Staff
• Get in touch with the American Institute of Physics’ FYI science policy news team about layoffs at federal science agencies
• Get in touch with Nature’s News team to share your story
• Share how funding cuts are affecting your research with the New York Times’ Opinion section (scroll to the questionnaire at the end of this essay)

Get Help

• Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) resources
• Environmental Protection Network’s resources for EPA employees & grantees
• Alden Law Group’s archive of Executive Orders & OPM statements regarding federal workers
• These groups may be working on Class Action Lawsuits for fired federal employees (ESA does not verify or endorse these groups and is sharing for informational purposes only): Alden Law Group, Democracy Forward

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This page is produced by the Public Affairs Office of the Ecological Society of America. ESA’s policy activities work to infuse ecological knowledge into national policy decisions through activities such as policy statements, Capitol Hill briefings, Congressional Visits Days and coalition involvement.

Send questions or comments to Alison Mize, Director of Public Affairs, or Mayda Nathan, Public Affairs Manager.

Visit the ESA website to learn more about our activities and membership.