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 The Science Coalition continued its 2007 Headliner Breakfast series with U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) in the Rayburn House Office Building on June 6.
Congressman Lipinski, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, spoke to and answered questions on the current appropriations climate from more than 25 members of the science advocacy community and its business partners. Joining them was Jim Jepsen, a representative from the University of Illinois, who was on hand to introduce the Congressman.
The Congressman fondly reminisced on his own initial attraction to science and engineering as a high school student, while stressing the role universities can play in encouraging young children to enter the fields of science, math and technology. Emphasizing that the United States needs to stay competitive in these fields, the Congressman said he wishes to sustain the current support from Congress for funding various scientific research and projects. Considering the tight fiscal environment, he warned that “the easiest things to cut are things we don’t see the impact of in the immediate future.”
Congressman Lipinski concluded that the one way to ensure continued funding and commitment from Congress to university and basic research is to clearly communicate the impact science has had on the public good. This message must be conveyed because ultimately, members are beholden to their constituents and must be able to explain how their tax dollars are being spent. To this end, the Congressman encouraged the Coalition and others to distribute any information that would draw the connection between science and its advantages.
Congressman Lipinski is a clear ally in the ongoing fight for federal funding and the Coalition was grateful to him for his invaluable insight and suggestions moving forward.
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Legislative Issues