For 60 years the National Science Foundation, Pocahontas County, and the state of West Virginia have supported the ability of countless national and international scientists to make discoveries about our universe using the capabilities located at the Green Bank Observatory within the National Radio Quiet Zone.

For decades, Pocahontas County residents have made sacrifices to keep the surrounding area radio-silent to ensure that the activities at the Observatory can continue without interference.

As we look to the future, I believe that the Observatory’s contributions to national and international science and the West Virginia commitment to this work justifies the Foundation’s strong, continued full-time support and presence at the Observatory. That’s why I am urging Dr. France A. Córdova, Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Administrator of NASA, Mr. James F. Bridenstine, to meet to discuss the future of the Green Bank Observatory and to work together to find ways to continue their investment in the Observatory.

In the FY18 spending bill, I included provisions to facilitate the collaboration between these two federal agencies to make sure the Green Bank Observatory will be positioned to continue its groundbreaking research for generations to come.

In 1954 a group of scientists, at the forefront of American radiotelescopy, met in Washington, D.C. to establish the very first National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the United States. The National Science Foundation (NSF) decided to construct the observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. Out of that initial meeting, incredible discoveries have been made at the observatory over the years including the first detected long-chain molecule, the first detection of pre-biotic molecules in space, and the first pulsar discovered in a supernova remnant.

All of these discoveries have greatly contributed to the international community’s knowledge of the world outside our pale blue dot.

But these discoveries come at a cost to the citizens living and working in the area surrounding the Observatory. Due to the sensitivity of the radio telescope all people within a 20 mile radius of the facility cannot have any device that emits a noticeably high amount of electromagnetic radiation. This includes WiFi routers, cell phones, and even microwaves. Yet, these faithful West Virginians have sacrificed all of these luxuries for the advancement of science.

Unfortunately, the NSF recently proposed a reduction in funding for the Green Bank Observatory that would limit the important ongoing research at the facility. That’s why in the recent FY18 spending bill, I fought to secure a provision that encourages NASA to continue using the Green Bank Observatory in support of its Planetary Science Research Program while also coordinating with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop management plans for the observatory. I followed that up with a letter earlier this week to Director Córdova and Administrator Bridenstine requesting a meeting so we can coordinate our efforts to identify new opportunities for the Green Bank Observatory.

We owe it to our children — our future leaders — to uphold the benefits this facility has provided in regard to STEM programs and community efforts. By continuing to integrate these skills throughout our communities and in our schools, we are showing our future leaders that we are investing in them, and that their statewide community wants them to succeed in return.

The Green Bank Observatory is a perfect example of how organizations and communities can work together for the betterment of West Virginia and the country. West Virginians’ support of the observatory, which is at the forefront of scientific discovery, demonstrates another sacrifice citizens of the Mountain State have made for the sake of our country, and it reminds me again of how proud I am to be a native son of the most patriotic state in the union. Green Bank is a vital link to the future of our home state and entire nation, and we simply cannot turn our backs on this world-class facility. I will continue to do all I can in order for this observatory to remain operational for the benefit of West Virginia and all humankind.