WASHINGTON – The Science Coalition (TSC) released the following statement after the Senate Appropriations Committee released its proposed spending bills for fiscal year (FY) 2021:
“We are encouraged that Senate appropriators are committed to passing a full-year spending package, averting a government shutdown and stop-gap funding, both which hinder innovation and create unpredictability for researchers. Finalizing the appropriations process now gives the new administration and the next Congress a clean slate while providing predictability for researchers as they continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“However, as lawmakers finalize these spending measures, we urge Congress to apply funding increases consistently across research agencies. It is critical each agency has the robust federal backing necessary to rebuild from the pandemic and address future public health emergencies.”
The Science Coalition has also endorsed the “Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act,” which would authorize approximately $26 billion in federal funds to support America’s 560,000-strong research workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and protect past investment in the research projects the pandemic interrupted. TSC encourages Senate leadership to take the necessary steps to provide this emergency funding – our nation’s research enterprise and our country’s economic recovery demand these critical investments.
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About the Science Coalition
Established in 1994, the Science Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic scientific research as a means to stimulate the economy, spur innovation, and drive America’s global competitiveness.