Senators Seek Cosponsors for National Research Investment Act

Thousands of bills are introduced in every session of Congress. Few make it to the next step: a congressional hearing. One of the best ways to build support for a bill is by getting other Members of Congress to cosponsor the legislation. Constituents can do this by writing to, or meeting with, their representative or senators. Another way to enlist cosponsors is for Members to send other Members a “Dear Colleague.” Dear Colleague letters arrive at congressional offices in a constant stream, so often they are overlooked. Constituents can play an important role in building support for any bill by reminding their Members of Congress of a Dear Colleague letter.

The following letter was sent to all senators on January 16 by Senators Gramm, Lieberman, Domenici, and Bingaman:

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Cosponsor S. 1305, “The National Research Investment Act of 1998"

Dear Colleague,

In 1957, Sputnik was launched and America rushed to play catch up. Not only was our leadership in missiles and space at dire risk, but the launch also called into question which economic model would prevail in the Cold War. Our decision to catch up and pass the Soviet Union in both arenas by increasing our investment in research and technical education may seem obvious in retrospect, but at the time Dr. Robert Solow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had only just postulated that investments in research and education are the key factors driving future economic growth. Today, his growth model is probably one of the few economic theories upon which the vast majority of economists can agree, and it has influenced government policies world-wide. For his ground breaking work, Dr. Solow was awarded the 1987 Nobel Prize in economics.

Unfortunately, while other nations continue to follow the recommendations of Dr. Solow, America has not. In 1965, 5.7 percent of the federal budget was spent on non-defense research and development. Thirty-two years later, that figure has dropped by two-thirds to 1.9 percent. At the same time, it is likely that several countries will exceed the U.S. expenditure on science on a per capita basis. Japan is already spending more than we are in absolute dollars on non-defense research and development, an historic reversal. Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, China, South Korea and India are aggressively promoting R&D investment. These facts led Dr. Erich Bloch, the former head of the National Science Foundation, to write that “the whole U.S. R&D system is in the midst of a crucial transition. Its rate of growth has leveled off and could decline. We cannot assume that we will stay at the forefront of science and technology as we have for fifty years.”

S. 1305, The National Research Investment Act of 1998, doubles the federal investment in non-defense “basic scientific, medical and pre-competitive engineering research” over ten years in a dozen agencies, programs, and activities, from $34 billion in FY1998 to $68 billion in FY2008. It specifically assures that within that amount, funding for the National Institutes of Health would double to $27.2 billion. The bill also guarantees that the achievements in basic scientific, medical and pre-competitive engineering research which result from this investment will be available in the public domain. The legislation does not allow funds to be used for commercial purposes and allocates research funds using a peer-review system. It also stipulates that any increase in funding for research fit within the budget.

It is vital we stop shortchanging critical research. With the introduction of The National Research Investment Act of 1998, we have begun a bipartisan effort to generate the broad-based support necessary to accomplish the significant increase in Federal investment in research and development which America needs. We are very pleased that we have already garnered the support of over 100 different scientific, engineering, and university professional societies and organizations which collectively represent more than two million members.

Expanding the nation’s commitment to basic research in science, medicine, and engineering is a critical investment in the future of our nation and we urge you to co-sponsor this important bill. To join us, or if you would like further information, please call one of us or have your staff contact...[Senator Gramm’s or Senator Lieberman’s offices].”

Yours respectfully,

Phil Gramm, Joseph I. Lieberman, Pete V. Domenici, Jeff Bingaman