TO THE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. KAI. SO THE LETTERS FROM REPRESENTATIVE ZOE LOFGREN OF CALIFORNIA TO SEAN DUFFY, WHO IS ACTUALLY THE ACTING ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, AND SHE’S NOW REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO IT. CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE ZOE LOFGREN RECENTLY SENT THIS LETTER TO SEAN DUFFY, WHO IS THE ACTING NASA ADMINISTRATOR. LOFGREN, WHO IS A RANKING MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE AND TECHNOLOGY, SAYS THAT HER STAFF HAS BEEN GETTING REPORTS OF NASA POSSIBLY CLOSING LABORATORIES AND FACILITIES AT ITS GREENBELT LOCATION OR SHUTTERING THAT LOCATION ALTOGETHER. SHE SAYS, QUOTE, THESE ACTIONS PUT ESSENTIAL HARDWARE AND CAPABILITIES AT GREAT RISK. THE LABORATORIES AND FACILITIES FACING CLOSURE SUPPORT MANY NASA FLIGHT MISSIONS, AND THEY INCLUDE LABORATORIES ESSENTIAL TO THE COMPLETION OF THE NANCY GRACE ROMAN SPACE TELESCOPE. LOFGREN SAYS THAT SHE’S HEARING THAT SOME OF THE PLANNED MOVES AND CLOSURES ARE UNDERWAY AND AT RISK, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DELAYS FOR MULTIBILLION DOLLAR MISSIONS UNDER DEVELOPMENT. IN THAT LETTER, LOFGREN IS DEMANDING THE AGENCY TO STOP SAYING, QUOTE, I AM HEREBY DEMANDING THAT NASA IMMEDIATELY HALT ALL BUILDING, LABORATORY, FACILITY AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITY CLOSURE AND RELOCATION ACTIVITIES. ON TOP OF THAT, SHE SAYS THAT SHE WILL REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION BY THE NASA OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL INTO ALL OF THE AGENCY’S ACTIONS ON THE MATTER. LAST WEEK, A NASA SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS SIMPLY CONSOLIDATING OPERATIONS. LOFGREN SAYS THAT OVER THE PAST MONTH, IT APPEARS THAT GODDARD HAS PACKED UP LABS, EMPTIED OUT BUILDINGS AND RELOCATED FACILITIES IN WHICH SOME CASES, SHE SAYS, WITHOUT EVEN HAVING IDENTIFIED THE DESTINATION OF RELOCATION. SHE SAYS THAT NASA TOLD A DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE THAT THE MOVES ARE PART OF A MASTER PLAN FOR THE SITE. MARYLAND SENATOR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN TOLD WBAL TV 11 NEWS IN PART, QUOTE, THESE MOST RECENT REPORTS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNING, AND I’M IN TOUCH WITH GODDARD STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS NASA HEADQUARTERS, REGARDING THE MOVES TAKING PLACE ON CAMPUS. I AM PRESSING THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ANSWERS NOW. THAT LETTER WAS ACTUALLY ISSUED ON MONDAY, AND LOFGREN REQUESTED THAT NASA RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS. BUT AS OF THIS EVENING, THE SCIENCE COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC STAFF SAYS THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER. I REACHED O
US Rep. pens letter to Sean Duffy over ‘disturbing reports’ of Goddard Space Flight Center closure
Updated: 10:17 PM EST Nov 11, 2025
The future of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center appears to be in jeopardy, according to a letter penned by a United States representative on Monday.In the letter, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, a ranking member on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, brought forth concerns about “disturbing reports” of a potential imminent closure at the Greenbelt campus.| READ: Letter to Sean Duffy over the possible closure of NASA GoddardThe letter, written to Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary and acting administrator of NASA, said the possible closure of labs and facilities at the campus “put essential hardware and capabilities at great risk.”Lofgren is urging the agency to halt the actions and said she plans to request an investigation by the NASA Office of the Inspector General. Robert Steinau, a senior official for the NASA OIG, was included in the letter.”The laboratories and facilities facing closure support many NASA flight missions, and they include laboratories essential to the completion of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope,” Lofgren wrote in the letter.Lofgren noted that some planned moves and closures are already underway, risking significant delays for multi-billion-dollar missions under development.”I am hereby demanding that NASA immediately halt all building, laboratory, facility, and technical capability closure and relocation activities,” Lofgren said in the letter.Last week, a NASA spokesperson said the White House was consolidating operations.Lofgren said that over the past month, Goddard has packed up labs, emptied buildings, and relocated facilities — sometimes without identifying the destination for the relocation.Lofgren said a Democratic committee was briefed on Nov. 4 by NASA legislative affairs and Goddard leadership that the moves are “a mere implementation of the Master Plan.”The representative disputed the claim, though, stating that the sudden uprooting of employees and equipment without a destination doesn’t constitute a plan.In a statement on the campus’ potential closure, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said:”The Trump Administration’s ongoing attacks on NASA Goddard and its workforce are endangering our efforts to explore space, deepen our understanding of Earth, and spur technological advancements that make our economy stronger and safer.”These most recent reports are deeply concerning, and I am in touch with Goddard staff and leadership as well as NASA headquarters regarding the moves taking place on campus. I am pressing the Administration for answers and looking closely into whether these actions violate the Antideficiency Act, in order to hold the Trump Administration accountable to the law.”I’ll keep fighting to retain the unique capabilities of NASA Goddard and to support the Center’s dedicated scientists, engineers, and contractors – their work is vital to America’s scientific leadership and national security.”
GREENBELT, Md. —
The future of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center appears to be in jeopardy, according to a letter penned by a United States representative on Monday.
In the letter, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, a ranking member on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, brought forth concerns about “disturbing reports” of a potential imminent closure at the Greenbelt campus.
| READ: Letter to Sean Duffy over the possible closure of NASA Goddard
The letter, written to Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary and acting administrator of NASA, said the possible closure of labs and facilities at the campus “put essential hardware and capabilities at great risk.”
Lofgren is urging the agency to halt the actions and said she plans to request an investigation by the NASA Office of the Inspector General. Robert Steinau, a senior official for the NASA OIG, was included in the letter.
“The laboratories and facilities facing closure support many NASA flight missions, and they include laboratories essential to the completion of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope,” Lofgren wrote in the letter.
Lofgren noted that some planned moves and closures are already underway, risking significant delays for multi-billion-dollar missions under development.
“I am hereby demanding that NASA immediately halt all building, laboratory, facility, and technical capability closure and relocation activities,” Lofgren said in the letter.
Last week, a NASA spokesperson said the White House was consolidating operations.
Lofgren said that over the past month, Goddard has packed up labs, emptied buildings, and relocated facilities — sometimes without identifying the destination for the relocation.
Lofgren said a Democratic committee was briefed on Nov. 4 by NASA legislative affairs and Goddard leadership that the moves are “a mere implementation of the Master Plan.”
The representative disputed the claim, though, stating that the sudden uprooting of employees and equipment without a destination doesn’t constitute a plan.
In a statement on the campus’ potential closure, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said:
“The Trump Administration’s ongoing attacks on NASA Goddard and its workforce are endangering our efforts to explore space, deepen our understanding of Earth, and spur technological advancements that make our economy stronger and safer.
“These most recent reports are deeply concerning, and I am in touch with Goddard staff and leadership as well as NASA headquarters regarding the moves taking place on campus. I am pressing the Administration for answers and looking closely into whether these actions violate the Antideficiency Act, in order to hold the Trump Administration accountable to the law.
“I’ll keep fighting to retain the unique capabilities of NASA Goddard and to support the Center’s dedicated scientists, engineers, and contractors – their work is vital to America’s scientific leadership and national security.”