WASHINGTON – The Science Coalition (TSC) released the following statement after Congress passed a continuing resolution that provides stopgap funding for the federal government, including key research agencies, through December 3, 2021:
“A continuing resolution is a temporary solution to avert a government shutdown, but the consequences of this stopgap funding on the research enterprise will be long-lasting,” said TSC President John Latini. “Federal research agencies and their university partners rely on predictable funding to sustain ongoing work, invest in promising new ventures, and foster the next generation of STEM talent. The short-term funding measure rebuffs the lifesaving contributions made by researchers over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and causes unnecessary uncertainty for the future STEM workforce.
“At the same time, we know that sustained and robust federal investment in research has far-reaching economic benefits. In fact, TSC’s Sparking Economic Growth report found that federal investment in research and development in 2018 generated more than a million American jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact. This is why Congress must complete its work on Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations to provide predictability for the research workforce, support local economies, and secure the integrity of the innovation pipeline. We urge lawmakers to pass a full appropriations package for FY 2022 without delay.”
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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 America’s global competitiveness.