Now, I know that there is impending doom on Wall St and all (How did that happen in fact? Anyone asking that question before we taxpayers bail out the economy?) but as we write Congress is going to consider a continuing resolution since we don’t have an appropriations bill. This means the same funding next year as last year, which was a disaster for science before a “Deus ex Machina” partial recovery that no one wants to relive. Here’s what the president of the American Physical Society has to say:
Congress has not passed any FY 2009 appropriations bills and is now finalizing a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will keep the government operating when the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2008. The House is expected to consider the bill on Thursday or Friday of this week. The CR, according to the latest information, will remain in effect until March 6, 2009 and would keep all federal programs operating at FY 2008 levels, except those granted waivers. At this time, science is not on the waiver list, and the proposed bill would not include any of the science increases contained in the Supplemental Appropriations bill Congress passed earlier this year. Unless science receives a waiver, the impact will be extraordinarily damaging.
Specifically,
- Department of Energy user facilities would be forced to cut back operations substantially
- A new round of layoffs at the national laboratories could occur
- The number of university grants would be cut, with new, young investigators especially harmed
and
- The U.S. would be forced to cut to near zero its planned contributions to the global fusion energy project, ITER, damaging the nation’s ability to participate in future international scientific collaborations
Another great read is the editorial written by Norman Augustine, chairman of the “Gathering Storm” commission, in the current edition of Science – I’m pretty sure I’d break a few copyright laws by posting it, but if you have access to Science through an online subscription you can have a look– it is a very poignant look at how science funding is going in the US compared to the rest of the world.
I’m preaching to the choir, and perhaps abusing my podium a bit (note, I am trying to be nonpartisan – this is just if you want the US to continue to lead the world in scientific endeavours), but I suggest you write your representatives and tell them how you feel about Science support in the US. It is easy, just start here
OK, step back from the soap box! On a side note, 60 Minutes has a segment on “The Collider” this week which may prove to be interesting (or embarrasing…)
