IP: Notable Quotes from 1999

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 14:02:22 -0500 (EST)
> From: AIP listserver <fyi () aip org>
> To: fyi-mailing () aip org
> Subject: FYI #2 - Notable Quotes from 1999
>
> FYI
> The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy
> News
> Number 2: January 6, 2000
>
> Looking Back: Notable Quotations from 1999
>
> "To alter the rules that the scientific community has operated
> under for decades without providing them an opportunity to speak
> to the need for this change or to participate in developing it,
> is not only unwise, it is unfair." -- Rep. George E. Brown Jr.
> (D-CA) on the mandated change in data availability in the OMB A-
> 110 regulation  (1/1999)
>
> "If we do these things - invest in our people, our communities,
> our technology, and lead in the global economy - then we will
> begin to meet our historic responsibility to build a 21st century
> prosperity for America." -- President Bill Clinton in his State
> of Union Address (1/1999)
>
> "One only needs to look as far as the front page our the
> newspaper to see the effect of high-technology on our
> country....  What I am afraid of is that many people are not
> aware that these products do not simply appear out of nowhere.
> They are the result of a basis of knowledge which has been built
> up by researchers supported by federal funding." -- Senator Jay
> Rockefeller (D-WVA) (1/1999)
>
> "Perhaps the greatest discovery of all this research is that we
> can no longer separate basic from applied science....  The
> disciplines are connected in ways they have never been before."
> -- Vice President Al Gore (1/1999)
>
> "Engineering and physical sciences - taken together - accounted
> for 50 percent of federal research spending in 1970.  That's
> down to 33 percent today....  The sharp nature of the shift in
> funding toward the biomedical fields has taken more than a few
> people by surprise.  I'd be the first to tell you about the
> great things that are happening in biomedical fields.  Some of
> that funding has gone to my own research.  But, I also know that
> society cannot live by biomedical bread alone." -- NSF Director
> Rita Colwell speaking to House appropriators (3/1999)
>
> "The contributions of computer science, physics, mathematics,
> engineering and other fields to biomedical research illustrate
> the need to ensure that fundamental science remains an integral
> part of the federal government's overall research agenda." --
> House Science Committee report  (3/1999)
>
> "Research and development represent the cornerstone of our
> modernizing economy.  I'm pleased that the President's civilian
> R&D budget requests are similar to ours, but I'm concerned that
> he's neglecting the importance of defense R&D." -- Senator Bill
> Frist (R-TN)
> (2/1999)
>
> "Unfortunately, the DoD may be falling into a classic trap that
> can catch the best of managers, that of focusing so hard on the
> short term problems that they short change the future.  This
> year's plans continue to show declines for S&T in the outyears,
> and are largely unchanged from last year's plans." -- Senator
> Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) (3/1999)
>
> "...give me a little bit of credit for the track record on the
> LHC [Large Hadron Collider]." -- House Science Chairman James
> Sensenbrenner (R-WI) criticizing SNS management (5/1999)
>
> "I believe that the [House Appropriations] language on the
> Spallation Neutron Source, when coupled with rigorous oversight,
> will provide [DOE] with the facility they need at a cost that
> does not cause heartburn for the American taxpayer." -- Rep.
> Sensenbrenner (7/1999)
>
> "I can say that in the State Department, [there is] widespread,
> total understanding of how important science and technology are
> in pursuit of foreign policy objectives." -- Frank Loy, Under
> Secretary of State for Global Affairs (4/1999)
>
> "As the world becomes more technologically interdependent, the
> trend at the State Department has been to downplay science and
> technical expertise.  It's time to reverse that trend." --
> Robert Frosch, Chair of NRC Committee (10/1999)
>
> "Resources are absolutely central to the whole problem." --
> Under Secretary Loy (12/1999)
>
> "Anyone who wants to close off our labs will have to go through
> me - and I never give in." -- Energy Secretary Bill Richardson
> on legislation restricting foreign visitors to weapons labs
> (4/1999)
>
> "...I acknowledge that an extremely serious compromise of the
> security of classified nuclear weapons information has
> occurred...." -- Los Alamos Laboratory Director John C. Browne
> (5/1999)
>
> "For the past two decades, the Department of Energy has embodied
> science at its best and security of secrets at its worst." --
> President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (6/1999)
>
> "I don't know of any scientist in those laboratories who doesn't
> have a very high sense of patriotism and devotion to this
> country.  That's why they are there." -- Dr. Sidney Drell
> (6/1999)
>
> "The truth is, no one knows exactly what to do." -- Rep. Joe
> Barton (R-TX) on weapons labs (7/1999)
>
> "I don't think that if we recalled William Shakespeare from the
> grave that we could have written this [DOE lab reorganization]
> provision to satisfy everyone." -- Senator John Warner (R-VA)
> (8/1999)
>
> "We have said to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle
> we don't think this is a good [Comprehensive Test Ban] treaty;
> we think it puts safety in jeopardy; we think it puts us in a
> weakened condition internationally; and we think it is
> dangerous.  However, since there have been calls and demands for
> a vote, we have offered to vote...." -- Senator Trent Lott (R-
> MS) (10/1999)
>
> "...we are extremely disappointed with the way this has been
> handled.  As I said, I believe it is irresponsible and
> dangerous.  But we also note this may be the best we can get,
> and if it is the best we can get, as troubled as we are, we will
> take it." -- Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) (10/1999)
>
> "Not only is this cut devastating to NASA's programs, it is a
> knife in the heart of employee morale." -- NASA Administrator
> Dan Goldin on House appropriations bill (7/1999)
>
> "One wonders whether this Congress would have zeroed out
> Jefferson's request for the Lewis and Clark Expedition." --
> White House Chief of Staff John Podesta on House appropriations
> (9/1999)
>
> "I am encouraged by the Administration's sudden interest in
> science funding.  Over the last seven years, overall science
> budgets, which include defense and civilian R&D, when indexed
> for inflation, have been flat or decreasing.  Science needs a
> boost." -- Rep. Sensenbrenner (9/1999)
>
> "We literally are borrowing from Peter to pay Paul here." --
> Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) explaining proposed cut to NSF (9/1999)
>
> "If we cannot adequately meet the needs of veterans' programs,
> affordable housing, and scientific research during these
> prosperous times, then when can we?" -- Rep. Allan Mollohan (D-
> WVA) (9/1999)
>
> "...if we do not do this research in science and technology, we
> are ruining the seed corn for our future economic growth; we are
> also doing a great disservice to our children and grandchildren
> by doing that." -- Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI) (9/1999)
>
> "It is very clear to me that we are severely and critically
> under investing in basic research." -- NSF Director Colwell
> (9/1999)
>
> "...I was very pleased we were able to meet the President's
> request for NSF because of the tremendous amount of exciting and
> potentially beneficial work that is being funded through the
> National Science Foundation.  Truly, this is a national
> priority.  I only wish more funds were available to add because
> this is our scientific future." -- Senator Christopher Bond (R-
> MO), who noted that the House had less money for its version of
> the bill (9/1999)
>
> "It's about prioritizing." -- House Appropriations Committee
> spokesperson (9/1999)
>
> "I can't believe it; I just can't believe it." -- Senator
> Barbara Mikulski's (D-MD) reaction to final bill with good FY
> 2000 numbers for NSF and NASA (10/1999)
>
> "So good on the [previous funding for] health care, not so good
> on the rest.  We need more on the rest." -- President Clinton
> (11/1999)
>
> "We need to create a better understanding between the people of
> America and the physics community.  Because many Americans
> believe that physics is, on the whole, inaccessible.  The
> equations, the experiments, the strange words -- these are
> things many people gladly left behind in high school." -- Energy
> Secretary Bill Richardson at APS Centennial Meeting (3/1999)
>
> "Out of our sense of patriotism and our own enlightened self-
> interest, we should lobby our representatives and senators and
> insist that federal investment in scientific research be doubled
> over the next five years." -- Op-Ed by former House Speaker Newt
> Gingrich (R-GA) (10/1999)
>
> "Scientists and engineers constitute one of the largest, most
> valuable, yet least heard constituencies in America." -- White
> House science advisor Neal Lane (8/1999)
>
> "Progress is meaningless if we don't know where we're going.
> Unless we try to visualize what is beyond the horizon, we will
> always occupy the same shore." -- Rep. George Brown (1993)
>
> ###############
> Richard M. Jones
> Public Information Division
> American Institute of Physics
> fyi () aip org
> (301) 209-3095
> ##END##########