From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Troubling signs for science under Trump.

I'm Barbara Bogave, sitting in for Warren Alney, and this is To the Point.

Science is off to a rocky start in a Trump administration packed with climate change skeptics.

Agencies involved in climate science have been told to stop communicating directly with the public.

Grants and contracts were frozen, and some in the transition team talked about cutting EPA staff by two-thirds.

Scientists of all stripes are fighting back with projects to preserve data at risk of

vanishing and are planning a march on Washington. Policy, politics, and provable knowledge coming up.

And on today's talking point, what changes at the National Security Council tell us about Steve Bannon's elevated role in the White House. First, the News.

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This is To the Point. It's wonderful to have you with us. I'm Barbara Bogue, in for Warren-only.

Just ahead, scientists in and outside of government are raising the alarm about the fate of science, data, and environmental policy over the next four years.

We'll get reaction to the administration's early moves and hear about ways the scientific community is fighting back. And on today's talking

point, from running Breitbart to national security, Trump advisor Steve Bannon has a seat at the

table for discussing matters of war and peace. More on the NSC shakeup.

First, a Capitol Hill where Senate Democrats today refused to attend committee votes on two of President Trump's nominees.

They did not boycott the hearing on Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to be the next Attorney General.

Instead, Democrats focused on Trump's dramatic firing of the acting attorney general yesterday.

Here's Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois during the hearing today.

This is not just a hearing on a nomination, an important nomination.

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