AIBS, 48 Member Organizations Send Letter to Senate on Future of NSF

The Honorable Cory Gardner Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation 512 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Gary Peters Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation 254 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senators Gardner and Peters, Thank you for the opportunity to provide input regarding the scientific community’s priorities for the reauthorization for the America COMPETES Act. Scientific research is an important engine that powers our nation’s economic growth. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the federal agency that supports the fundamental scientific research that is the foundation upon which we build knowledge and inspire innovation. Through competitive, peer-reviewed research grants, the NSF funds discoveries that will help to solve the most challenging problems facing society. NSF research, education, and training programs lead to new patents, prepare a highly skilled workforce, and stimulate the creation of new jobs. Many of the groundbreaking ideas that have enhanced the nation’s economic competitiveness or improved the quality of our lives have grown from NSF-funded research. These efforts, however, require a sustained federal investment. Unpredictable annual swings in federal funding disrupt research programs, create uncertainty in the research community, and stall the development of the next great idea. Funding for basic research has been stagnant in recent years,...
Source: ActionBioscience - Category: Science Authors: Source Type: news