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In early 2004, the AIP Governing Board endorsed the following FY 2005 funding statement of the Coalition for National Science Funding:The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) appreciates the support that both the Congress and the Administration have demonstrated for the National Science Foundation through the enactment of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368). P.L. 107-368 authorizes a five-year period of 15% annual budget increases for the NSF in order to sufficiently fund advancement in science, mathematics, and engineering. The CNSF urges Congress and the Administration to renew their commitment to the NSF by increasing the FY2005 funding level for this agency by 15% over the FY2004 enacted budget. The NSF is our nation's greatest tool for the promotion and advancement of scientific, mathematical, and engineering research and education. Although NSF accounts for only 4% of federal R&D spending, it supports nearly 50% of the non-medical basic research at our colleges and universities. It funds research in new frontiers of scientific inquiry and contributes to creating a highly skilled, competitive workforce in science and engineering. NSF recognizes that scientific advancement often requires knowledge and discoveries across many disciplines, and interagency partnerships are an integral part of NSF's strategy to aid scientific development. Its research portfolio includes the biological sciences, the mathematical and physical sciences, the geological sciences, computer and information science, the social, behavioral, and economic sciences, and engineering, all of which are essential for the understanding of our universe and the continued development of cutting-edge technology necessary for sustained international competitiveness. As Congress and the Administration stated in P.L 107-368, " The National Science Foundation must be provided with sufficient resources to enable it to carry out its responsibilities to develop intellectual capital, strengthen the scientific infrastructure, integrate research and education, enhance the delivery of mathematics and science education in the United States, and improve the technological literacy of all people in the United States." Without a sustained, significant investment in the NSF now, the future of the nation's international competitiveness is at stake. CNSF urges Congress and the Administration to protect the past, present, and future of U.S. scientific and technological advancements by supporting a 15% budget increase in FY2005 for the NSF. |
