Bill Gowan joined us on this program to share his experience participating in The Planetary Society’s annual Day of Action on Capitol Hill. This year’s event took place in March and included training sessions, group feedback meetings, and visits to numerous congressional offices, primarily engaging with staffers from both the Senate and the House. While the Day of Action had its own structured agenda focused on space advocacy, Bill also brought his personal priorities with him advocating for three key goals: exploring other worlds, defending Earth, and finding life.
During the first 15–20 minutes of the show, Bill walked us through the process of preparing for and participating in the Day of Action. He discussed the training which was led by Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly (The Planetary Society’s government relations representative in Washington, D.C.), and what it was like to engage directly with congressional staffers. His detailed narrative offered a strong introduction and background, providing listeners with valuable insights into the experience of citizen lobbying for space.
Bill took several listener phone calls and responded to numerous email questions, as well as my own. Many of the questions focused on how receptive congressional staffers were to discussions about space, and whether they seemed genuinely interested. A recurring theme was the concern over proposed NASA budget cuts outlined in the President’s so-called “Skinny Budget.” Bill provided helpful context, highlighting how these proposed cuts compared to previous budgets and emphasizing the growing resistance in Congress to such reductions—especially those targeting science programs. One particularly interesting exchange came when I asked Bill if he could tell whether a member of Congress was motivated by genuine interest in space and science—or simply liked spending taxpayer dollars. Bill’s thoughtful response to that question is not to be missed.
Bill also identified the specific members his group met with. While it's uncertain how any individual member will vote when the full budget bill comes up, Bill reported encouraging signs of support for preserving key NASA programs. Of course, much will depend on the final form of the bill and the political pressure applied during the legislative process.
Later in the show, Bill made a strong case for civic engagement—encouraging all of us to talk to our elected officials, not just about space but about issues we care about more broadly. His explanation of why this matters was compelling and extended well beyond space advocacy. Before we wrapped up, Bill was asked how he would respond to someone who claims, “The country is broke—we have to cut spending, and that includes space.” His answer to this hypothetical but very real concern was both pragmatic and passionate.
Finally, Bill was asked if he encountered any “space cadets” among the staffers or members of Congress. He smiled and shared that many expressed enthusiasm for space—citing childhood memories of Apollo, sci-fi movies and TV shows, and a general fascination with the cosmos. He believes many in Congress, even those not on space committees, have a “secret space cadet” gene.
We thanked Bill for doing a fantastic job of sharing his experience with us and look forward to having him back next March to hear how his next Day of Action unfolds—as an enthusiastic, unpaid, and deeply committed space advocate.
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