Following is a statement by Association of American Universities President Mary Sue Coleman on the FY18 budget proposal issued today by the Administration.
This budget proposal would cripple American innovation and economic growth. The President’s FY18 budget proposes deep cuts to vital scientific research at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, NASA, NOAA, and, other critical scientific agencies. It also makes shortsighted cuts to federal programs that have played a key role in expanding access to higher education for millions of Americans, and would be a major setback for low-income students who benefit from the work-study and Pell Grant programs.
This proposal would lead to a U.S. innovation deficit, as it comes at a time when China and other economic competitors continue their investment surge in research and higher education. For decades, federal investments in these areas have paid enormous dividends in medical advancements, new technologies, and enhanced national security, and helped to produce high-wage American jobs and the most talented workforce in the world. Now is not the time to turn our backs on what has made America the greatest and most advanced economy in the world.
