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NASA workers, supporters protest deep funding, staffing cuts

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NASA Needs Help, a grassroots group made up of NASA employees and supporters, gathered peacefully outside the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday to protest funding and staffing cuts that threaten to decimate the nation’s premier scientific institution.

Protesters chanted, “When NASA is under attack, what do we do? Rise up, fight back!” as they criticized proposed budget cuts that could slash the agency’s funding by nearly 25% and President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that strips NASA workers of their collective bargaining rights.

“NASA is a tangible product of the greatest expression of the American dream. All of humanity has mused about reaching into the stars, and through decades of unified support by Congress, by presidents and the American public, we’ve done it. Dismantling this American institution is a travesty that no one voted for,” Colette Delawalla, executive director of Stand Up for Science, said at the protest.  

“As I stand here today, the White House is tearing apart the ecosystem that has resulted in a flourishing economy, global leadership in tech and science and progress, public health efforts that save millions of lives a year, national security that keeps us safe and a rich and vibrant intellectual community and a system where kids can grow up to want to be an astronaut,” she added. 

Andrew Tennenbaum, a NASA employee, outside of NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anastasia Obis/Federal News Network)

The Trump administration has aggressively pursued funding cuts and personnel layoffs across the country’s scientific and research agencies, and NASA has become one of the biggest casualties. The agency has lost nearly 4,000 employees through the deferred resignation program – about 20% of its workforce. Now, the Trump administration has issued an executive order cancelling collective bargaining rights at multiple federal agencies, including NASA, arguing that the roles those workers perform are tied to national security. 

“NASA is not an intelligence agency. NASA is a scientific agency. And NASA workers have been collectively bargaining for decades with no harm to national security. This is just a pretext for expanding Trump’s attack on the labor movement as a whole,” Monica Gorman, area vice president of Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association, which represents employees at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said. 

The administration’s move to cancel collective bargaining agreements is the biggest rollback of labor protections NASA employees have ever faced — the executive order impacts thousands of NASA scientists, engineers and technicians and removes union rights that protected half of the agency’s workforce for decades.

Gorman argued stripping worker’s union rights will put NASA’s mission at risk since it would make the agency’s employees less likely to “speak up and bring up inconvenient concerns.” Gorman, who serves as an operations research analyst at NASA, said it’s important for her to be able to provide independent cost estimates for NASA missions without fear of retaliation. 

“A huge part of the reason that I have that independence and that my colleagues do is that as a union represented worker, I know that I am protected from unfair retaliation. I can’t get in trouble arbitrarily when I have union rights, and now the Trump administration says I don’t have union rights anymore, and that’s supposed to make us work more efficiently,” Gorman said.

“What we’ve learned from Apollo One, from Challenger and from Columbia, is that these catastrophes don’t happen out of nowhere. People see them coming. People have concerns, and if people don’t feel safe at work, if they don’t have the trust that they can speak up and bring those concerns forward without retaliation, then those concerns get buried,” she added.

Matthew Biggs, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers president. (Photo by Anastasia Obis/Federal News Network)

NASA’s implementation of the executive order includes terminating collective bargaining agreements with labor unions, stopping NASA’s collection of union dues on behalf of labor unions, and evicting unions from their office space. Matthew Biggs, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers president, said NASA will be added to an ongoing lawsuit challenging the termination of collective bargaining rights later this week.

“They’re not going to eliminate us. We are going to survive. We’re going to continue to represent our members. We’re going nowhere,” Biggs said.

“Why are they doing this? Number one, they want to silence the workforce. They want to silence the workers at NASA. And it’s also a lot easier to do [reduction in force] if there’s no labor unions there to challenge them,” he added.

Fighting continuing resolution

Many of the speakers also called on Congress to pass what they called a “fighting” continuing resolution that includes protections for scientific federal agencies.

The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is fast approaching – lawmakers have until midnight on Sept. 30 to avoid a lapse in government funding. House Republicans already unveiled legislation to keep the government open through Nov. 21, but it is unclear if they have the votes to pass the bill.

Mollie Manier, an employee at National Institutes of Health, said the group wants a stopgap funding bill that does not just “keep the lights on, but includes checks on this administration’s authoritarian overreach and protections for institutions and federal workers.”

Jayrick Hayes and Ann outside of NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anastasia Obis/Federal News Network)

“We’re urging Congress to insist on a fighting CR for the long-term benefit of this nation and we as federal workers are willing to suffer some short-term pain to get it,” Manier said.

“We do not want a shutdown, but we would rather have a shutdown than the continued dismantling of our institutions and destruction of our public goods that are causing harm to the American people,” she added.

The White House’s proposed budget for NASA is $18.8 billion for fiscal 2026 — a 24% decrease from approximately $24.8 billion in 2025. The proposal targets the agency’s entire satellite program, NASA’s fundamental science research, such as astrophysics,  planetary science and heliophysics, among others. Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, called the proposal “an extinction-level event.”

Meanwhile, the House and Senate appropriations committee have advanced their versions of the annual spending bill that funds NASA — the House voted to keep NASA’s budget the same as last year, while the Senate bill would give the agency a slight increase in spending.

If you would like to contact this reporter about recent changes in the federal government, please email anastasia.obis@federalnewsnetwork.com or reach out on Signal at (301) 830-2747.

The post NASA workers, supporters protest deep funding, staffing cuts first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Ukraine Braves Grueling Winter in the Cold and Dark, as Relentless Russian Strikes Take Power Generation and Energy Grid to the Brink

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31 seconds ago

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January 14, 2026

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Night view of a city skyline with illuminated buildings and streets, showcasing urban life and architecture under a dark sky.Night view of a city skyline with illuminated buildings and streets, showcasing urban life and architecture under a dark sky.Much of Kiev remains in the dark.

‘Hello, Darkness, my old friend.’

We have reported multiple times on the relentless combined air campaign by Russian forces that is targeting Ukraine’s power plants and energy grid, and leaving swaths of the population in the cold and dark during a grueling winter.

But now, we’ve come to the point where Kiev’s CHPP-5 (combined heat and power plant) and CHPP-6 can’t even be fully restored after a massive ballistic missile strike before the next one hits.

Lights have been out in much of Kiev and many other large cities, and there isn’t much room for improvement.

Simplicius on Substack:

“One of the most noteworthy aspects of the last strike on Kiev was the notable absence of any major air defense action. Video footage of only one ‘Patriot’ missile launching and self-destructing in the sky soon after emerged, but beyond this, Ukrainian defenses over Kiev appeared dismal compared to previous strikes, signifying a likely exhaustion of resources.”

The Guardian reported:

“Engineers in Kyiv scrambled on Saturday to stabilize a power grid brought to the brink by a campaign of Russian strikes, including one two nights ago. The city’s residents huddled against bitter winter cold inside their unheated apartments on Saturday as engineers worked to restore power, water and heat. Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the power situation in the capital was still difficult, as the grid was badly damaged and people were using more electric heaters because of the cold.”

But the damage is not limited to Kiev.

Slavyangrad on Telegram:

“’Iskanders’ [missiles] and ‘Geranis’ [drones] cut off the power in several regions of Ukraine.

Energy facilities were damaged in Krivoy Rog, and explosions were heard at the ‘Nova Pochta’ terminal in Kharkov. 

In Odessa, there was a fire at the airport, and military facilities in the port were also hit. 

In the Kiev region, Gostomel, Bucha and Irpin were completely without power — an ‘Iskander’ targeted one of the regional thermal power stations. In Zaporozhye, severe voltage surges were recorded.”

Read more:

Kiev Mayor, Former Boxer Klitschko Urges Residents of Ukraine’s Capital To Leave the City as Half the Buildings Have No Power or Heating

The post Ukraine Braves Grueling Winter in the Cold and Dark, as Relentless Russian Strikes Take Power Generation and Energy Grid to the Brink appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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WATCH: Trump Confirms Potential Military Strikes Against Iran – “The Military is Looking at it, and We’re Looking at Some Very Strong Options”

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23 hours ago

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January 13, 2026

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Donald Trump speaking onboard an aircraft, engaging with staff and media in a candid moment.

President Trump on Sunday confirmed to reporters on board Air Force One that the US military is considering action against Iran amid the ongoing political uprising. 

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump said after saying that Iran killing citizens is “starting to” cross the red line.

“We’ll make a determination.”

WATCH:

Reporter: On Iran, have they crossed your red line yet for a response?

Trump: They’re starting to it looks like, and there seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent, if you call them, leaders. I don’t know if they’re leaders or just they rule through violence, but we’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination.

The Trump administration previously bombed three Iranian nuclear sites last June in a massive attack using B-2 stealth bombers.

Following the attack, Trump floated the “politically incorrect” idea of regime change, saying, “if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???”

Now, it appears this is back on the table.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, President Trump signaled that he may help the people of Iran as citizens rise up against the regime and face brutal persecution and murder from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s thugs.

“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump said amid reports that a targeted attack against Iran is imminent as chaos and unrest erupt in the capital of Tehran.

“The USA stands ready to help!!!”

MORE:

Trump Administration Considering Major Attack on Iran as Wicked Islamist Regime Slaughters Brave Protesters: Report

The post WATCH: Trump Confirms Potential Military Strikes Against Iran – “The Military is Looking at it, and We’re Looking at Some Very Strong Options” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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James Comer Says Ilhan Omar Is “At the Top of the Suspect List” in Massive Minnesota Fraud Scandal — Ethics Complaints Incoming, Claims Her Husband Profited

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24 hours ago

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January 13, 2026

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Press conference scene with reporters interviewing a politician, capturing media engagement and professional interactions in a government building.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer dropped a bombshell this week, suggesting that far-left Rep. Ilhan Omar sits “at the top of the suspect list” in the sprawling Minnesota fraud scandals involving taxpayer-funded daycare and healthcare programs.

The comments came during a pointed exchange with journalist Alison Steinberg, who raised serious concerns about whether members of Congress themselves may have benefited from money funneled through political action committees tied to fraudulent daycare and healthcare schemes.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn has leveled explosive allegations against Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, claiming that a lack of accountability regarding massive taxpayer fraud in Minnesota is linked to the Speaker’s own financial networks.

Minnesota has become ground zero for some of the largest pandemic-era fraud cases in U.S. history, involving the alleged theft of hundreds of millions of dollars intended to feed children and provide healthcare services.

Many of these cases have centered on networks tied to Somali-run nonprofits and daycare operations, fraud that went unchecked for years under Democrat leadership.

When asked how Americans can trust Congress to police fraud if lawmakers themselves are implicated, Comer made it clear that there is a formal mechanism to deal with corruption on Capitol Hill.

Alison Steinberg:
“There are reports that members of Congress are actually receiving daycare and health care clinic money funneled through various PACs. If this is true and widespread, how can the American people trust Congress to task and uncover the far-reaching tentacles of this fraud?

James Comer:
Any member of Congress that’s getting any money unethically or illegally—there’s an Ethics Committee, and it’s bipartisan. It’s an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, and that’s the committee that’s supposed to investigate members of Congress.

The Ethics Committee was created—we have in our rules that we’re not supposed to investigate other members. But the Ethics Committee has a staff, and that is their sole purpose for existence in life. I think the House Ethics Committee traditionally has been a lot harder on unethical behavior than the Senate Ethics Committee. That’s my opinion.

But anybody that has information on a member of Congress, bring that to the Ethics Committee, and they’ll investigate it. I don’t care if they’re a Republican or a Democrat. We need to hold them accountable.”

The exchange became even more explosive when Steinberg asked directly about Ilhan Omar.

Comer revealed that ethics complaints are expected to be filed against Omar and underscored that she declined an opportunity to address the allegations publicly.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that another Minnesota money pipeline just got shut down, and this one leads straight back to Rep. Ilhan Omar.

The funding, which was tucked into a federal spending bill, was purportedly destined for a “substance abuse clinic” in Omar’s home state of Minnesota.

During an interview on Fox Business, Senator Ernst detailed the absolute absurdity of the proposal, describing a trail of red flags that would make any honest taxpayer’s blood boil.

“What I uncovered the other day, in one of our spending bills making its way through Congress, was a $1 million earmark from Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

“This earmark was supposedly going to a substance abuse clinic, which actually happened to be housed in a restaurant and run by three individuals who share the same residential address, according to their IRS paperwork. Tons of red flags.

“So this is what we saw with the fraud involving the daycare centers. Now we see other earmarks coming directly from members of Congress where it seems fraud is being perpetrated as well.

“I raised the issue, and fortunately, the House has now stripped that earmark out of that spending bill. But again, this is how easy money has been flowing to bad actors in Minnesota.”

Comer also made remarks that Omar’s husband may have financially benefited from entities connected to the Minnesota fraud networks.

The $30 million venture capital firm run by Rep. Ilhan Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, has quietly removed the names and bios of its top officers and advisors from its website.

According to a bombshell report from the New York Post, Rose Lake Capital, founded by Mynett in 2022, scrubbed the details of nine key figures between September and October 2025.

The list included high-profile Democrats like former Obama Ambassador to Bahrain Adam Ereli, ex-Senator and Obama Ambassador to China Max Baucus, DNC Finance Chair associate Alex Hoffman, former DNC treasurer William Derrough, and Keith Mestrich, the ex-CEO of Amalgamated Bank, which he once called “the institutional bank of the Democratic Party.”

Alison Steinberg:
What about Ilhan Omar?

James Comer:
She’s at the top of the suspect list in that, so we’ll see. But I can tell you, my members, there are going to be ethics complaints filed against Omar. She had an opportunity to come in here today.

[…]

There have been countless reports that her husband has profited in some way—she, in some way. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but she could have had an opportunity to come in here and defend herself. So hopefully you all may knock on her door and ask her some questions, and we’ll see what she has to say.

The post James Comer Says Ilhan Omar Is “At the Top of the Suspect List” in Massive Minnesota Fraud Scandal — Ethics Complaints Incoming, Claims Her Husband Profited appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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