Phil Gramm proposes funding increase; was: WHAT WILL THE REPUBLICANS DO WITH NIH?

[Brad Keele]

The Houston Chronicle carried a story off the AP wire in the June 
24, 1996 edition (p. 14A) that seems encouraging.

I'll paraphrase the best I can.

Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) is introducing legislation to increase the 
amount of tax dollars spent to fund scientific research.  About 30 
years ago, 5.7 % of the federal budget (6¢ per tax dollar) was spent 
on funding science.  Currently, about 2¢ of every tax dollar (1.9% 
of the federal budget) is spent on research; going to NIH, NASA, and 
NSF (and the research dept. of other gov't agencies).  Gramm's 
proposal is to raise this to 4¢ per tax dollar by the year 2002.  Of 
course, this means other programs (as yet unspecified) will be cut. 
 But, the plan is to list these scientific agencies as separate 
budget items.

Why is Gramm doing this?  The article suggests that he believes we 
have fallen behind other countries (e.g Germany, Japan) in science 
funding.  When we spent more on science in the past, it made us  
"the scientific leader of the world."  And, "Unless we invest in 
technology we're not going to remain a world leader."

Even if I wasn't a delegate to the Texas state GOP convention last 
weekend, I would still support the efforts of Senator Gramm.  As a 
senior member on both the Committee on the Budget and the Committee 
on Finance, my guess is that Sen. Gramm may have the pull to enact 
such increases in scientific spending.  So, call Phil Gramm 
(202-224-2934) and tell him you support enhancing science funding in 
the United States.


In article <Pine.A32.3.93.960623064754.12971A-100000 at itsa.ucsf.edu>, 
Bert says...
>
>In nine years, the complete DNA sequence
>of the human genome will be known.
>
>In nine years, we will probably have a Republican President.
>(Republicans have been President 2/3rds of my lifetime; I am 42).
>
>In nine years, if not before then, the Republicans will begin to 
>return the money used to fund NIH to the states.
>
> Bert Gold, Ph.D.                         "Seeing much, Suffering 
much,
> University of California, San Francisco   and studying much,
> School of Medicine                        These are the three 
pillars
> Program in Medical Genetics               of learning." -- 
Benjamin Disrae
>li
>
>
>
>

-- 
_______________________________________
N. Bradley Keele
Neuroscience Graduate Program
UTMB - Pharmacology J-31
Galveston, TX  77445-1031

http://marlin.utmb.edu/~nkeele/index.html

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    "Once in awhile you get shown the light
      In the strangest of places
      If you look at it right."
                      --JG (1942-1995)                         
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