Story perspectives

Trump Halts Ocean Observatory Cuts After Senate Block

6/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump paused dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative after bipartisan Senate opposition.
Congress restored funding after the administration sought cuts for two years, following a Senate measure sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski that blocked the dismantling.
The National Science Foundation planned to remove instruments from Pacific and Atlantic sites to save $48 million annually, which fisheries and oceans commissioner Costas Kadis called an “extremely worrying” signal.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump paused dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative after bipartisan Senate opposition.
Congress restored funding after the administration sought cuts for two years, following a Senate measure sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski that blocked the dismantling.
The National Science Foundation planned to remove instruments from Pacific and Atlantic sites to save $48 million annually, which fisheries and oceans commissioner Costas Kadis called an “extremely worrying” signal.