ACTION ALERT for marine scientists and conservationists based in the United States. Over the weekend, the Trump administration proposed massive cuts to NOAA, including the total elimination of the SeaGrant program. Please take the time today to call your Congressperson and Senators and tell them that you oppose this, and why. Details at the link below.
(If such an overtly political post is not fit for this group, I apologize to the moderators, who can feel free to delete it.)
Suggested script for talking to your representatives:
“Hello,
My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent of [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR].I’m calling to ask [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR] to oppose any reduction in the budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA provides essential services to the American people, including weather services, coastal resilience, hurricane monitoring, and fisheries management. Programs like SeaGrant are the lifeblood of coastal communities, providing education, job training, and research grants to fund local development. NOAA’s Hurricane Center is critical for tracking hurricanes. One-third of the US economy relies upon services provided by NOAA. Any reduction in NOAA’s budget would be catastrophic to the United States’ coastal economy.
Thank you.
If your livelihood depends on NOAA, consider adding “I am a [FISHERMAN/BUSINESS OWNER/AQUACULTURIST/ETC] in [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR]’s district and my livelihood and family depend on the services that NOAA provides.”
cross-posted on Facebook