Update on "Gathering Storm" Legislation: S. 761, The America COMPETES Act

Here is an informative website concerning the latest science policy issues, in particular tracking the science funding process and various appropriation bills in Congress concerning such departments as the NSF, DOE, NASA, NIST, and DoD. http://www.aip.org/fyi

Here are excerpts from the latest issue of FYI:

The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News

Number 40: April 13, 2007

Full web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2007/040.html

"Setting the Stage: FY 2008 S&T Appropriations Bills"

There is strong bipartisan support for increasing S&T funding, especially for the three agencies that are part of the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI): the Department of Energy Office of Science, National Science Foundation, and the research programs of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. ....

In mid-March, the private and academic sectors demonstrated their support for "an innovation agenda that will ensure continued U.S. competitiveness." This "American Innovation Proclamation" calls on Congress to double the basic research budgets of the three ACI agencies and the Department of Defense, improve student math and science achievement, reform U.S. visa policies, and pass a permanent R&D tax credit. The proclamation was signed by more than 270 business and higher education leaders (see http://tap2015.org/resource/proclamation/index.html

The proclamation's rollout was held in a crowded House Science Committee hearing room and included presentations by corporate and academic leaders and Members of Congress. ...

Many of the speakers testified that afternoon at a hearing of the Science Committee. Said Gordon: "There is a bipartisan consensus that investing in education and research along the lines of the Gathering Storm report is necessary." .....

A far more expansive bill was introduced in the Senate on March 5. S. 761, The America COMPETES Act, is a 32,000-word bill that authorizes increases in research funding for NSF, DOE, and NIST, strengthens research programs at other agencies, strengthens STEM opportunities from elementary through graduate school, and establishes an innovation infrastructure. It draws many of its provisions from similar legislation introduced last year. This bill has 45 cosponsors from both parties, and from across the ideological spectrum. ..

"America's greatest resource for innovation resides within classrooms across the country. The increased funding provided in this resolution will support important initiatives to educate 100,000 new scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, and place highly qualified teachers in math and science K-12 classrooms."

So much for the question of whether we are training too many scientists [1].

Bob

[1]

Are We Training Too Many Scientists? It’s time to come to grips with how we’re misleading and hurting young aspiring researchers. http://www.the-scientist.com/2006/9/1/13/1/