A friend and colleague of mine brought to my attention some fast-breaking news about the House plan to inject money into science agencies in the stimulus package. According to ASTRA, the Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America, reports [1] that the House plans to invest $1.9B in the Department of Energy and $3.0B in the National Science Foundation. According to their budget analysis of the proposal [2]. The proposed FY’09 budget from the House and Senate represented a roughly $0.6-0.7B increase for both agencies over the current continuing resolution. The stimulus plan in the House, by comparison, proposes total increases over the continuing resolution of $1.9B for DOE and $3B for NSF.<\/p>\n
Where are the increases targeted? ASTRA reports specifically on these increases as for “basic science”, specifically:<\/p>\n
Department of Energy: $1.9 billion for basic research into the physical sciences including high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences and improvements to DOE laboratories and scientific facilities. $400 million is for the Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy to support high-risk, high-payoff research into energy sources and energy efficiency. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
and for NSF,<\/em><\/p>\n
National Science Foundation: $3 billion, including $2 billion for expanding employment opportunities in fundamental science and engineering to meet environmental challenges and to improve global economic competitiveness, $400 million to build major research facilities that perform cutting edge science, $300 million for major research equipment shared by institutions of higher education and other scientists, $200 million to repair and modernize science and engineering research facilities at the nation’s institutions of higher education and other science labs, and $100 million is also included to improve instruction in science, math and engineering. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Amazing. Who knows if these will survive, but they are COMPELLING numbers.\u00a0 Time is of the essence, including a possible vote tomorrow, Wednesday, in the House. Fax or call your local representative and U.S. senators in support of this package, calling out the importance of basic science – and, yes, particle physics! [3] – to the nation.<\/p>\n
Note added later: The American Institute of Physics (AIP) last week did post an FYI with the breakdown of the stimulus money and its impact on science [4].<\/p>\n
[1] U.S. Innovation.org Analysis of Act<\/a><\/p>\n
[2] <\/a>www.usinnovation.org\/files\/ASTRAHouseScienceStimulus09.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
[3] http:\/\/www.symmetrymagazine.org\/cms\/?pid=1000671<\/a><\/p>\n