A Note from Dr. Mary L. Good on the Future of the America COMPETES Act... Please Get Involved Now

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Dr. Mary Lowe Good" <astranews () jangomail com>
> Date: May 16, 2010 8:44:24 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: A Note from Dr. Mary L. Good on the Future of the America COMPETES Act... Please Get Involved Now

> A NOTE FROM DR. MARY GOOD
>
> Dear Friend of ASTRA:
>
> WHAT HAS HAPPENED:
>
> The full U.S. House of Representatives voted to recommit the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 on 
> Thursday, May 13 on a 292-126 vote.  This was a setback for many in our community.  It occurred on an amendment by 
> Ranking House Science & Technology Committee Member Ralph Hall (R-TX), who had previously warned about what he called 
> "excessive spending" contained in the bill, H.R. 5116.  Other provisions of Hall's proposal included:
>
> .  Freezing all funding to FY 2010 appropriated levels for the National Science Foundation (NSF), DOE Office of 
> Science, and the National Institutes of Standards & Technology (NIST).
>
> .  Striking any new programs added to the original COMPETES Act.  In effect, this would end several new initiatives 
> like Energy Innovation Hubs and other prototype programs at the three agencies affected.
>
> .  Ending the authorization at FY 2013 rather than FY 2015.
>
> WHAT'S NEXT?
>
> All Members of the U.S. House need to hear from us, IMMEDIATELY, both individually and through our various 
> organizations, businesses and universities.
>
> Supporters of the bill have told ASTRA that it is going to come back this week - or soon thereafter - probably under 
> a different bill number, with the funding restored and the programs restored.  Then there will be another vote.  
>
> This vote will be a critical decision by the U.S. House for our country's future.
>
> ACTIONS FOR NOW:
>
> 1.  Get informed!  Decide whether or not you yourself support this legislation.  Bipartisan support for this bill is 
> essential.  Partisan differences over R&D funding are a great threat to our nation's future viability.   Public 
> education about the consequences of such trends needs to be focused on all concerned.  ASTRA, among scores of 
> organizations, is now able to provide timely, daily updates on issues and developing news through use of our two Web 
> Sites.  Please use them.  (www.usinnovation.org and www.aboutastra.org)
>
> ASTRA has supported efforts like the COMPETES Act for a decade.  We have used facts-based advocacy to make the case.  
> For more details about what this bill would do for the nation's science, engineering and technology infrastructure 
> and workforce, see an article compiled by MIT's Washington Office staff located here:  
> http://www.usinnovation.org/files/UpdateAmerica%20COMPETESforCVD2010.pdf
>
> 2.  Download our recently updated ASTRA State R&D Sheets and the STEM Ed Report Cards and forward them to your Member 
> in the U.S House.  These sheets are "value neutral."  They objectively measure and depict the current importance of 
> federal R&D funding to your own state's and your Congressional District's economy, your kids' future, and our 
> country's economic competitiveness and innovation capacity.  Please go to: 
> http://www.usinnovation.org/state/state_rd_list.asp  and use these materials.
>
> 3.  Communicate with your own Member of the U.S. House immediately!  
>
> One easy way to do so it for you to send an e-mail or just telephone your Representative's office.  Simply use the 
> handy Web tool provided by the U.S. House Clerk's Office found below.  Follow the instructions provided by the link, 
> and you will be connected to your Representative's office.  You can e-mail, or make a phone call: 
> https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
>
> Consider these talking points - and keep them simple by focusing on a few of them.  Also, tell your Representative 
> how your own experience as an individual fits into these talking points, if applicable - for example, how your 
> business has benefitted from R&D investments, the role federal support played in your own education and careeer, how 
> your local economy has benefitted by jobs from such investments, etc. 
>
> .  A key element of America's 21st Century economy - a robust workforce of trained scientific and engineering talent 
> - cannot be allowed to leave our shores.  Jobs and industries will surely continue following this talent migration if 
> we under-invest in R&D.
>
> .  Past federal investment in our scientific and engineering ecosystems was an essential element in creating the most 
> effective economic engine in world history.  R&D is the fuel for future U.S. jobs, economic growth, promoting 
> national security and raising our standard of living.
>
> .  The COMPETES Reauthorization Act is a bill that lays the basis for sustained funding increases in our nation's 
> often neglected science, engineering and technology resources.  Increases are needed now because of prior 
> under-investment during the past generation.  Under the guise of "saving money" we have suffered the consequences of 
> not investing enough in our future. 
>
> .  Now is NOT the time, given our fiscal predicament, to stop INVESTING in America's "seed corn" - our world class 
> R&D infrastructure.  If anything, it is the time to INCREASE strategic investments to leverage our resources and 
> talents.
>
> .  Sabotaging our innovation future now by reducing the amount of future R&D funding is dangerous - and a false 
> economy.   Why undermine our own country's abilities to compete and innovate globally?  
>
> .  Our private sector simply lacks the capital and incentives to pick up the slack, especially in basic R&D 
> investments.  Wall Street and investors punish companies that are not riveted upon nearly immediate returns on 
> capital.  We cannot change that philosophy in the short term.
>
> .  Prior under-investment in the science & technology community is one of the very reasons our country is in peril of 
> losing our former dominance in many world markets and in scientific and engineering competence. COMPETES is an effort 
> to catch up to where we should have been many years ago. 
>
> .  Let's not make science R&D a partisan issue.  Please urge Congress to maintain its long-standing bipartisan 
> support for science and engineering R&D funding.  It's a matter of highest national priority.
>
> PLEASE SEND THIS  MESSAGE ON TO OTHERS:
>
> This message has been sent to approximately 45,000 scientists, engineers, researchers, university employees, 
> students, technology workers, policy makers, small business owners, researchers, individuals, and others on our 
> "Friends" list.  An estimated 175,000 people will be contacted by this message.  Please send this on to any friends, 
> associates and family who may share our interest in passing this critically important legislative measure...
>
> Urge your own professional, trade and civic organizations to look at this issue as well.  Ask them to weigh in - 
> perhaps they will want to express an opinion.  If so, the time to do so is now, not after the horse has left the barn.
>
> Thank You!
>
> Mary Good
>
> This e-mail was sent by ASTRA, located at 1155 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (USA). To receive no further 
> e-mails, please click here or reply to this e-mail with "unlist" in the Subject line.



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