"Politics is not a spectator sport. Yet far too many scientists
and engineers sit on the sidelines while major decisions are being
made on science policy and funding." - Rep. Vernon Ehlers
(R-Michigan)
"Too often scientists avoid politics in the same way that
many Members of Congress avoid science. This is a formula for failure." -
Rep. Rush Holt (D-New Jersey)
Over the next five weeks, major decisions will be made concerning
the level of federal funding for programs that are of interest to the
physics community. An important factor in determining the amount of
money a department, agency, or program will receive is the amount of
correspondence and other communications that Members of Congress get
from their constituents. Now is the time to act.
The American Institute of Physics has a science policy website designed
to assist you in communicating with Congress. Among this site's features
are:
Guidance is provided on corresponding to, and visiting with, Members
of Congress. Information on key chairman and their committees and links
to locators for your representative and senators, including their e-mail
addresses, is available. E-mail is recommended because of time-consuming
screening procedures for U.S. mail. This site has a correspondence
link for members of the American Physical Society. See http://www.aip.org/gov/commcong.html
Information on the Administration's FY 2005 budget request for the
Defense Department, Energy Department, NASA, National Institute of
Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institute of Standards
and Technology, National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey,
and science education programs can be found at http://www.aip.org/gov/budginfo.html
Information on the latest congressional budget action on the Administration's
budget requests for the above departments, agencies and budgets is
at http://www.aip.org/gov/budginfo.html
An archive of 2004 issues (and earlier) of FYI, as well as a search
engine for FYI can be accessed at http://www.aip.org/enews/fyi/
Sixteen AIP exhibits highlight the important links between federal
funding for basic and applied research and development and their economic
benefits to society. Hard copy versions of these Physics Success Stories
are available without charge. See http://www.aip.org/success/
Policy statements issued by different science coalitions to which
AIP and some of its Member Societies belong recommend funding levels
for the science and technology programs of the Department of Defense,
the Office of Science of the Department of Energy, National Science
Foundation, and the Education Department's Math and Science Partnership
Program. See http://www.aip.org/gov/polstates.html
Links to public policy sites for six of AIP's Member Societies are
at http://www.aip.org/gov/pubpol.htm
Please contact us if we can be of assistance.
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