In a previous post "APS Joins STEM Community In Call For Support of
Science Education Programs," I wrote [bracketed by lines "HHHHHH. . .
."]:
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Two subsequent posts will be titled:
(1) "Members of Congress Speak Out in Support of Science": relays a
May 2005 "APS News" report on congressional action to counter the
Bush administration's cutback of science education funding,
(2) "AIP & APS Websites Support Science Education Programs": gives
relevant URL's for (a) Congressional "Dear Colleague" Letters in
support of increased science funding and (b) contacting Congress.
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The APPENDIX contains the first of the "subsequent posts": "Members
of Congress Speak Out in Support of Science" [APS News (2005)].
REFERENCES
APS News. 2005. "Members of Congress Speak Out in Support of
Science"," APS News 14(5), currently online to APS members only at
<http://www.aps.org/apsnews/index.cfm>. The article will be freely
available to all at <http://www.aps.org/apsnews/index.cfm> /
"Archives," where "/" means "click on," as soon as the June issue of
APS News appears. Of course, it's now available to all discussion
list subscribers who scroll to the APPENDIX of this post. I think
such practice constitutes "fair use" of copyrighted material under
section 107 of the US Copyright Law.
Hake, R.R. 2005."APS Joins STEM Community In Call For Support of
Science Education Programs," online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0505&L=phys-l&O=D&P=12990>.
Post of 19 May 2005 11:35:25-0700 to AP-Physics, Biolab-L, Biopi-L,
Chemed-L, Math-Learn, PhysLrnR, Physhare, and Physoc. Later sent to
AERA-C, AERA-J, and AERA-L.
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APPENDIX
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF SCIENCE
With Congressional attention focusing increasingly on the pending FY
2006 appropriations bills, there were numerous statements on the Bush
Administration's FY 2006 budget request and several House Science
Committee
hearings in March, most notably from Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
and Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI). . . [a physicist].
Alexander has been a strong supporter of federal S&T programs. In a
Senate Budget Committee report accompanying the Senate Budget
Resolution, S. Con. Res. 18, Alexander was responsible for the
following language: "The budget resolution recognizes the importance
of the research and education initiatives of the DOE's Office of
Science and the NSF to the nation's economic future and our position
as the world's leader in technology innovation. Investment in the
physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, mathematics, and
computing is critical to our national security, energy security, as
well as development of the next generation of America's scientists
and engineers."
The report pointed out that other countries are investing heavily in
research that produces talented, highly-educated workers and
cutting-edge companies.
China graduates almost four times as many engineers as the US. India
is pouring money into technology parks to lure back native talent and
produce
world-class companies. South Korea graduates nearly the same number
of engineers as the US though it has 1/6th the population and 1/20th
the GDP. The European Union is poised to graduate four times as many
PhD's as the US over the next five years. "Clearly, the statistics
point to an emerging crisis in US competitiveness like never before
and sustained investment in science and technology at the DOE's
Office of Science and the NSF must be at the core of America's
strategy to compete," the report said.
Ehlers is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Environment,
Technology and Standards of the House Committee on Science. In this
role, he recently appeared before the newly established House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, and Commerce
and Related Agencies, chaired by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA). (This
subcommittee does not have jurisdiction over the DOE Office of
Science.) Ehlers testified in support of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, NIST and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration at this March 15 hearing.
While recognizing the need to balance fiscal priorities, "We must not
overlook the fact that scientific research and development forms the
foundation of increased innovation, economic vitality, and national
security for our nation," Ehlers said, citing the National Institute
of Standards and Technology as one of the nation's most critical
science organizations. "Almost every Federal agency and US industry
sector uses the standards, measurements, and certification services
that NIST labs provide. The future of many cutting-edge technologies
depends on the research and technical expertise of NIST's
laboratories." He asked Congress to provide the President's requested
funding of $426 million in FY 2006 for the Scientific and Technical
Research Services account at NIST.
Ehlers also spoke out in support of the NSF. In 2002 Congress
authorized a doubling of the agency's science research budget.
However, said Ehlers,
"We have not stayed the course on this proposed doubling path," and
asked Congress to fund the NSF in FY 2006 at $6.1 billion, still $2.4
billion below the authorized level for FY 2006. In 2005, the budget
for NSF was reduced, particularly in the area of education programs.
Last year, Congress only appropriated $5.47 billion for the NSF, well
below the $5.75 billion requested by the administration.