HIGHLIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON IMPACTING THE PHYSICS
COMMUNITY FROM FYI, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS BULLETIN OF
SCIENCE POLICY NEWS
Energy Secretary Chu Testifies on Capitol Hill:
In advance of the release of the FY 2011 budget request, Energy Secretary Steven Chu testified about DOE’s role in advancing nuclear energy, energy research, and innovation (#13).
FY 2011 S&T Budget Request:
The Obama Administration requested significant increases in S&T funding in its FY 2011 budget request (#14). Funding for the DOE Office of Science would increase 4.4 percent (#15). National Science Foundation funding would increase 8.0 percent (#16), while that for NASA would see a 1.5 percent increase (#17). The Department of Education’s Mathematics and Science Partnerships program would be renamed, and would receive a 66.2 percent increase (#18). The budget for the National Institute of Standards and Technology would increase 7.3 percent (#19). Funding for the science and technology programs of the Department of Defense would decline 12.5 percent (#20). U.S. Geological Survey funding would increase 2.0 percent (#21). The budget for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering would increase 3.0 percent (#22). The National Nuclear Security Administration would see an increase of 13.4 percent in its funding (#23). A recap of requested changes can be viewed in #24 and #26.
Reaction to Administration’s New Space Policy:
The Administration’s proposal to terminate the Constellation Program has created much controversy on Capitol Hill. In a lengthy speech on the Senate floor, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) criticized how the policy was explained when the NASA budget request was released (#25).
Vice President on the Role of the National Weapons Laboratories:
“We will do everything necessary to maintain our [nuclear] arsenal,” Vice President Joe Biden said in remarks at the National Defense University, highlighting the important role of the national weapons’ laboratories. (#27)
NIST Director Testifies Before House Appropriators:
Patrick Gallagher, Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, testified before House appropriators, who were anxious to hear how NIST supports American manufacturing (#28).
Richard M. Jones
Media and Government Relations Division
American Institute of Physics rjones@aip.org
301-209-3095
