The Science Coalition Urges Congress to Support Long-Term Funding for Key Federal Research Agencies

WASHINGTON – The Science Coalition today released the following statement after the Senate approved a domestic spending package, which includes funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative at the Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Science Foundation.

“Every day, universities and federal research agencies work hand-in-hand to drive innovation and advance the scientific enterprise, essential elements for a strong economy and the United States’ position as a global leader. These partnerships, which require sustainable and predictable funding, foster innovation and have resulted in countless life-changing advancements, from the modern-day touchscreen to MRIs to GPS. We are pleased to see Congress understands the importance of investing in fundamental research.

“Approval of these funding bills is a positive step toward averting another government shutdown like the one we saw last year that put research at a standstill – but we are not out of the woods yet. Unfortunately, it is more and more likely that Congress will need to pass another continuing resolution before November 21. Continuing resolutions are short-term solutions that hold funding at current levels and prohibit researchers from planning their future projects, ultimately hindering innovation. We simply cannot afford to fund the government on an ad-hoc, short-term basis. It’s time for Congress to stop kicking the can down the road and pass a thoughtful, robust spending package for the remainder of this fiscal year.”

###

About the Science Coalition

Established in 1994, The Science Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic scientific research as a means to stimulate the economy, spur innovation, and drive the United States’ global competitiveness.