Leading Business, Higher Education, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Organizations Call for Supplemental Funding for Critical Research and Education Priorities
Coalitions Call on the President and Congress to Fund Scientific
Research and Math and Science Education Programs that Help America
Compete in the Global Economy
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
Tapping America's Potential (TAP), a coalition of 16 of the
nation's leading business organizations, and the Task Force on the
Future of American Innovation, a coalition of leading business,
scientific and higher education organizations, today urged the
President and the Congress to include critical funding for science and
engineering research, and math and science education in the
supplemental Fiscal Year 2008 spending bill that Congress will
consider shortly.
"Unless the United States begins to invest seriously in America's
capacity to innovate, U.S. technological and economic leadership will
be placed at risk," said Craig Barrett, chairman of the Intel Corp.
and corporate chair of the Task Force on the Future of American
Innovation. "America became an affluent nation by building an
educational system and a science and technology enterprise second to
none. Maintaining these essential building blocks of national
prosperity is critical to our future economic leadership and the
wellbeing of future generations of Americans."
"Innovation is the key to economic success in an increasingly
competitive world economy," said John Castellani, president of
Business Roundtable, a TAP founding member. "That is true for nations,
individuals and companies. It is our obligation to ensure that
America's children and tomorrow's workforce receive the education
necessary to live, thrive and work in our technology-driven society."
"After last year's omnibus spending bill was enacted, hundreds of
talented scientists and engineers were laid off or furloughed;
university programs and grants were cut; and operations at scientific
user facilities were severely curtailed," said Robert M. Berdahl,
president of the Association of American Universities. "This sends the
wrong message to aspiring scientists, engineers and mathematicians. It
is essential that critical research and education funding be restored
during the current fiscal year, particularly at the Department of
Energy's Office of Science, the National Science Foundation and the
National Institute of Standards and Technology."
TAP, the Task Force on the Future of American Innovation and over
240 other leading business, scientific and education organizations
today sent letters to the President and Congressional leaders
requesting supplemental funding for science and engineering research
and math and science education to build the innovation capacity of the
United States and boost U.S. economic competitiveness.
Copies of the letters and the list of signatories can be found
here.
The Tapping America's Potential (TAP) coalition is composed of 16
prominent business organizations that represent the largest and most
innovative companies in America. In 2005, they set the goal of
doubling the number of U.S. science, technology, engineering and
mathematics graduates with bachelor's degrees by 2015.
The Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, a coalition
of businesses and business organizations, scientific societies, and
higher education associations, was founded in 2004 to advocate greater
federal investments for basic research in the physical sciences and
engineering.
Business Roundtable
Kirk Monroe, 202-496-3269
or
Association of American Universities
Barry Toiv, 202-898-7847
Copyright Business Wire 2008
