Following is a statement by Association of American Universities President Mary Sue Coleman on the House FY19 Commerce-Justice-Science and Energy and Water appropriations bills:
We applaud the House Appropriations Committee’s actions to boost federal investments in scientific research in the Department of Energy’s Office of Science and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. We commend Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Nita Lowey, as well as Representatives John Culberson, Jose Serrano, Mike Simpson, and Marcy Kaptur for their leadership in advancing these proposed increases.
After years of flat funding, the Committee’s proposed five-percent increase for the National Science Foundation is a welcome step forward. We are committed to working with the Committee and the entire House to reach the bipartisan proposal supported by 163 House members to fund NSF at $8.4 billion in FY19.
We ask Congress to reject the proposed cut to the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E. Cutting the Department’s high-risk, high-reward, transformative research arm would impair the program’s ability to advance our nation’s scientific leadership in energy.
AAU and its member universities look forward to working with Congress to provide strong FY19 support for these and other research and higher education programs vital to the government-university partnership that strengthens our nation’s health, economy, and security.
Founded in 1900, the Association of American Universities comprises 62 distinguished institutions that continually advance society through education, research, and discovery.
Our universities earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for academic research, are improving human life and wellbeing through research, and are educating tomorrow’s visionary leaders and global citizens.
AAU members collectively help shape policy for higher education, science, and innovation; promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education; and strengthen the contributions of research universities to society.
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