IP: FYI #68 - Perspectives on S&T

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy
> News
> Number 68: June 1, 2001
>
> Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Speakers Offer Perspectives on
> S&T
>
> "The science part of the Bush budget is the weakest" former
> House Speaker Newt Gingrich told a symposium meeting at the
> National Science Foundation on May 21 and 22.   Gingrich was
> the keynote speaker at this symposium on a new report issued
> by the National Science Board (see forthcoming FYI for
> information on the report.)
>
> Gingrich's message was pragmatic:  "scientists have to act
> like citizens," they "don't have the luxury of being above the
> fray," and "in a free society, if you don't educate, who
> will?"
>
> The former Speaker's second major point was that science
> funding must be dramatically increased, with science programs
> managed more effectively.  He described a national security
> panel on which he served (see FYI # 34) that found that the
> number two threat to U.S. security was inadequate investment
> in S&T and ineffective math and science education.  Gingrich
> was optimistic about science's potential, predicting more will
> be discovered in the next twenty-five years than in the last
> century.  We should "think big" he said, and called for a
> tripling of the NSF budget.  His biggest mistake as Speaker,
> Gingrich admitted, was not including NSF in the NIH doubling
> strategy.
>
> Better educating the Congress and Administration about science
> is vital, Gingrich said, adding that "personal contact and
> personal dialogue matter."   Convince about 220
> representatives and 60 senators, Gingrich predicted, and "you
> will change the world."
>
> Offering a different perspective was a career employee from
> the Office of Management and Budget.  "How this process is
> going to evolve in this administration is still an open
> question" she said.  She added that priority setting is a
> messy, sometimes political exercise, with President Bush's
> campaign promises to elevate NIH and defense spending the
> controlling factor in the FY 2002 request.  Limits on
> spending will mean tradeoffs, this official warned.  Regarding
> the 1.3% requested increase for NSF, this official though that
> it was not intentionally low, but  derivative from the budget
> process.  While the administration is now more sensitive about
> NSF, ("the message has been heard"), she would only predict
> that the next request may change from the no-growth budget
> that is now projected.  "Scientists themselves must make the
> case with politicians and the public," she declared.
>
> A senior staffer from the House Science Committee said that
> Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) hopes to increase S&T
> budgets, although, he said,  the process will reflect
> political reality.  Significantly increasing future S&T
> spending will involve a great deal of work, he predicted.  A
> senior staffer from the Senate Appropriations Committee had
> good and bad news: S&T is the least political, most bipartisan
> issue on the Hill, but there is insufficient support for it in
> Congress and the White House.  Key appropriators are
> personally excited about science, he said, citing Senate
> Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens'(R-AK)  keen
> interest in neutrinos, climate change, and nanotechnology.
> Saying that it was the committee's job to rewrite the budget
> request, this staffer went on to characterize patients' rights
> groups advocating for NIH increases as "extremely effective."
> About the future he was less sure, saying that he did not have
> enough faith in either the Bush Administration or Congress to
> be certain that S&T spending would not be shortchanged in
> coming years.
>
> ###############
> Richard M .Jones
> Public Information Division
> The American Institute of Physics
> fyi () aip org
> (301) 209-3095
> http://www.aip.org/gov
> ##END##########



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