Ranking Member Lofgren Announces She Will Seek Chair of House Science Committee as Democrats Win Control of Congress
(Washington, DC) — This morning, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) made the following statement after Democrats secured the majority of the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm election:
“Yesterday, the American people chose stability over chaos,” said Ranking Member Lofgren. “They chose people and policies that will make not only their lives better, but the lives of future generations better. Americans chose science and reason. They’ve put their trust in Democrats and our ability to deliver on our promises.
She continued: “I will be seeking the Chair of the House Science Committee. First and foremost, as Chairwoman, I will work to put a stop to Trump’s politicization of science. We will hold this administration accountable for the damage they have done to the American scientific enterprise. The oversight and investigations work we’ve been doing for the past two years in the minority will continue. We have a lot of work to do, and we’ll be ready to hit the ground running come the start of the 120th Congress, with Democrats in control of the House and Senate.
“We will also set out to fix what Trump has broken. We’ll restore and advance support for our premiere science institutions and the dedicated people who work there. We will build protections for federal science and innovation programs so Trump-era corruption cannot happen again.
“The future is unfolding before us with groundbreaking technologies like AI, quantum, and fusion energy. We need to build responsible regulations for AI while also fostering innovation. We must invest holistically in quantum to meet emerging challenges for our competitiveness in this field. This administration’s climate denialism has set us back. We need to advance climate solutions now. Fusion, with its limitless, emission-free power, will help us achieve our clean energy future. Breakthrough after breakthrough in fusion energy science has been encouraging—and we need to match this momentum with federal support.
“The U.S. research ecosystem used to be the envy of the world. People brought their ideas and energy here—and our Nation reaped the rewards of that talent in discoveries and the resulting economic growth. That is now all at risk. I will stop at nothing to earn back the trust of our allies across the globe, end the brain drain, restore scientific integrity across our agencies, and reaffirm our leadership in science. The American people deserve no less.”
