The White House's proposed budget for FY 2027 federal budget request for NASA has sparked a debate with Congress over funding. The cuts, which mirror last year's proposed cuts, could result in a 23% reduction in NASA's overall budget and a nearly 50% loss for its science funding. However, Congress, not the White House, ultimately sets NASA’s funding levels through the appropriations process. Sen. Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has pledged to protect NASA's funding, stating that the agency's goals for NASA do not align with the administration's stated goals. The proposed cuts were swiftly rebuffed by many at NASA and in Congress, with some believing a new space race has begun.