Recent delays, interruptions and uncertainty in federal budget appropriations for many research-sponsoring agencies have caused concern at the nation's major research universities. The following letter, written by Karen Kindle of the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Biotechnology at Cornell, urges members of Congress to expedite the fiscal year 1996 federal budget process and sustain fully the United States' historic commitment to scientific research.
The continuing difficulty in reaching a resolution to federal budget negotiations poses a serious short-term threat to research funded through the National Science Foundation, NOAA, NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency. Of equal or greater concern is the longer-term outlook for research funding for basic and applied research sponsored by these agencies. Under a previous continuing resolution, NIH-sponsored research was guaranteed full funding through Sept. 30, 1996. However, budgets for NSF, NOAA, NASA and the
EPA were not protected and are funded only through March 15, 1996.
The work done by these agencies is too important to remain subject to the threat of a shutdown for the remainder of the year. Many scientific experiments cannot be stopped and started without entailing unnecessary expenses or delays far beyond the length of the shutdown.
Although the negative short-term economic impact of uncertainties and interruptions in research funding is significant (50,000 jobs nationwide), the long-term economic consequences of failing to invest in the basic research that will be the foundation of future technology are even more profound. The research breakthroughs of today, the most important of which are often unanticipated discoveries from basic research, will determine how competitive the United States remains in world technological and economic competition. The importance of a balanced budget to our economic well-being is undeniable. But this goal should not be set ahead of equally important investments in the research and education that will be the most important foundation for future competitiveness.
In the last several years, I have noticed that the career aspirations of undergraduates have undergone a radical change. No longer are the brightest students going into science and engineering research, but rather into careers that they regard as more economically secure -- business and clinical medicine. This is largely due to the uncertainty of support for scientific and engineering research. This is sure to have an impact on our competitiveness in the not-so-distant future.
I urge you to do what you can to ensure that, in any forthcoming FY 1996 continuing resolutions or appropriations actions, each of the research agencies listed above be given the promise of stable funding at levels adequate to recover from the effects of the shutdown and to fulfill their missions through the remainder of the year. I would also urge that FY 1997 funding for federal science and research be given the priority it merits because of its direct relationship to future economic prosperity, national security and international leadership.
We must not let politically expedient short-term spending goals jeopardize U.S. leadership in scientific and technological innovation. This leadership role can only be maintained by continuing the commitment to scientific research that has made the United States the worldwide leader in scientific and engineering innovation.
Sincerely,
Karen L. Kindle, Ph.D.
Director, Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation Facility,
Cornell