Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Coalition 900 2nd St. NE Suite 205 Washington, D.C. 20002 sciencepolicy@agronomy.org February 16, 2011 RE: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative in the FY 11 Spending Bill Dear Representative: On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing research institution

FY2011 Department of Defense Research Funding

HISTORY OF IR TECHNOLOGY: Federally sponsored basic and applied research at the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, USDA, and NASA made modern IR technology possible. The Army’s Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate played a key role in early IR technology development. Today IR technology has numerous security and civilian applications

AAU commends the continuing efforts of the Secretary of Defense to emphasize peer-reviewed basic research, particularly his multi-year basic research initiative, which is consistent with recommendations made by the National Academies’ report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm. The Secretary’s initiative calls for an increase in Defense 6.1 basic research of $1 billion over five years, FY09-13. AAU also supports added funding for 6.2 applied research and other Defense science and technology (S&T) programs.

Critics dubbed the laser “a solution looking for a problem.” In fact, it took years for many potential uses of the laser to be recognized, and new laser applications are still being discovered today.

7/11/20081 c f Empowering and Supporting Our Troops in Combat DOD Research: b h i g a INDIVIDUAL FIRST AID KIT: Most soldiers carry a HemCon bandage which stops hemorrhaging within minutes and was selected in a f e d NIGHT VISION GOGGLES: Image intensifiers employ the photoelectric effect allowing soldiers to see image