AIBS Testimony: Support Increased Funding for Science

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) has provided testimony to House and Senate Appropriations Committees regarding fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding for the National Science Foundation and biological research programs within the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). AIBS urged Congress to reject the deep cuts proposed in the President’s budget request and to continue its bipartisan tradition of investing in our nation’s scientific capacity. In testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, AIBS urged Congress to provide new funding to the Smithsonian Institution with at least $55 million to support scientific and curatorial work within the National Museum of Natural History; provide the USGS with $1.35 billion, with at least $260 million for its Ecosystems mission area; restore funding for Science Support in USFWS to the FY 2020 enacted level of $17.3 million; and provide EPA Science and Technology with at least $760 million. As noted in the testimony: “The loss of biological diversity and the concomitant negative implications for human health and well-being are of significant concern. As human population grows and people increasingly come into contact with new environments and species migrating into new habitats, the risk of new diseases, such as zoonotic pandemics, is...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news