Senator Markey Introduces Legislation to Support American Astrophysics Leadership

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Washington (March 10, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today introduced the Support for Astrophysical Observatories and National High-Energy Astrophysics Hubs Act, legislation that would create national high-energy astrophysics hubs and support key astrophysics missions. This legislation was included in the amended version of the NASA Authorization Act of 2026 (S. 933), which was passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee on March 4.

"Our global leadership on high-energy astrophysics is hard-won and worth protecting," said Senator Markey. "The brilliant workers who develop our capabilities on high-energy astrophysics, including at the Chandra X-ray Observatory facilities in Massachusetts, deserve to be recognized and supported, now and for flagship missions in the future."

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, which is part of the Center for Astrophysics collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Harvard College Observatory, is NASA's flagship X-ray observatory and provides key data and information on astrophysics mysteries. Senators Markey and Warren, along with Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Lori Trahan (MA-03), wrote to the Chandra X-Ray Center (Chandra) in October 2024 to express concerns over the telescope's long-term funding plans and seeking information on potential impacts from proposed future cuts. Senators Markey and Warren also led colleagues in requesting appropriations for Chandra, successfully preventing cuts to the observatory that would have imperiled its research.

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