Economic Impact and Competitiveness
- World Class Institutions: American college and university research institutions are envied around the world for delivering critical scientific breakthroughs and discoveries that set the course for established industries, incubate competitive startups, found new companies, create good-paying jobs, and drive economic growth in communities across the country.
- National Security Champions: America’s defense sector and national security architecture rely on a strong and innovative homegrown research enterprise. Our nation’s colleges and universities work with federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to spearhead fundamental scientific research that ensures America maintains its technological advantages and strategic deterrence capabilities.
- Economic Powerhouses: Federal investments in scientific research at American colleges and universities have contributed to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs each year and generated billions of dollars in wages, taxes, and increases in the national GDP. Research institutions also support their local economies – serving as major employers, talent hubs, and a proven source of spinoff companies.
- Strong STEM Workforce Pipelines: Innovative discoveries, technological advancements, lifesaving treatments, and more all rely on a high-quality research workforce pipeline. Federal investments in science help attract, sustain, and maintain a robust research workforce that advances the boundaries of science and inspires the next generation of researchers to follow in their footsteps – whether a researcher chooses to enter academia, the private sector, or start their own company.
Support Across the Spectrum
- There’s longstanding bipartisan support for the federal government’s investments in fundamental scientific research. It remains a top priority for Americans.
- More than 90 percent of American voters believe it’s important for the U.S. to lead the world in scientific research and technology. Nearly 8 in 10 voters support the federal government’s investments in scientific research, with strong bipartisan support.
- American voters recognize that scientific research contributes to society and see how it leads to lifesaving medicines, a competitive workforce, and economic growth. In fact, two-thirds of voters say we should invest more in scientific research.
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