Searching for the next champion for science

The recent elections have come and gone, and Washington is now in the process of learning how to work with new and returning Representatives and Senators on a wide variety of issues.  The science community is seeking to find those on the Hill willing to introduce legislation and to advocate for stable and predictable funding for the federal science agencies.  Science policy discussions may focus on the link between scientific research and economic growth as well as job creation.  Public health and research at the National Institutes of Health and universities across the country will also be at the forefront of debates on Capitol Hill as Congress seeks to address the Ebola crisis.  

But who can the science policy community turn to as a champion for research to help lead these discussions?  Representative Bill Foster (D-IL) is a PhD physicist and is certainly familiar with research issues, having worked in high energy physics at Fermi National Laboratory.  Congressman Randy Hultgren (R-IL), who represents that national lab, has been a big supporter of the research community and often speaks of the physicists and other scientists at the lab.  Representative Dan Lipinski (D-IL) is ranking member of the Research Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and has been very active on science policy issues, while Senator John Thune (R-SD) will become the next chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.   See last week’s issue for more information regarding the 2014 elections and representation for science.

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Those on the Hill willing to introduce legislation and advocate for stable funding