AIBS Asks Congress to Restore Proposed Cuts to USGS

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) has sent letters to members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees encouraging them to reject the Administration’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget cuts to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). President Trump’s budget request would provide $922 million to the USGS in FY 2018, a 15 percent cut from FY 2017 levels. The Ecosystems mission area, which includes biological sciences research within the agency, would be funded at $132 million in FY 2018, a decrease of $28 million (17 percent) from the 2017 enacted level. The Ecosystems activity underpins the agency’s other science mission areas by conducting the research required to understand the impacts of water use, energy exploration and production, and natural hazards on natural systems. Congress is currently working on appropriations that will fund the government for the duration of FY 2018. The AIBS letters request congressional appropriators to oppose all proposed cuts to the USGS and fund the agency at $1.2 billion for FY 2018, with at least $174 million for the Ecosystems mission area. Read the letters sent to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.      
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news