Urgent Action on Science Stimulus Package

We're pleased to repost the latest email from ScienceDebate:

Dear Friend,

Last Friday you and others in the science community took action and helped to restore $3.1 billion in cuts to science that had been planned in the Senate compromise version of the stimulus bill. That was a good victory for U.S. Science, but it was just the warm-up act. Now we all need to come together as a community for the real show.

Even after the $3.1 billion restoration, the final approved Senate version of the stimulus bill falls far short of the House version when it comes to science and technology. You can look at the differences between the two here.

As you can see, DOE/OOS and NSF get much less in the Senate version than they do in the House.

We believe this is a mistake, and we want your help in doing something about it.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW:

The House and Senate have each appointed members to a conference committee. The conference committee is charged with bringing these two versions of the bill into conformity. Then the final, unified bill will be presented to both bodies for a vote, and if it passes, to President Obama for his signature. Acknowledging those among us who question whether research should be included in a stimulus package to begin with, now is the time that you can have a major impact on the future of science in this country. Rep. Rush Holt, one of the two bipartisan co-chairs of Science Debate 2008, gave this speech on the House floor on Tuesday.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO:

Contact the 10 members of the conference committee. A personal telephone call is by far the most powerful, followed by a personal email or fax. Here is their contact information:

HOUSE

David Obey (D-WI) Phone: (202) 225-3365
Email form

Charles Rangel (D-NY) Phone: (202) 225-4365
Fax: (202) 225-0816
Email form*

Henry Waxman (D-CA) Phone: (202) 225-3976
Fax: (202) 225-4099
Email form*

Dave Camp (R-MI) Phone: (202) 225-3561
Fax: (202) 225-9679
Email form*

Jerry Lewis (R-CA) Phone: (202) 225-5861
Fax: (202) 225-6498
Email form

*These Members only accept email if you live in their districts

SENATE

Harry Reid (D-NV) Phone: (202) 224-3542
Fax: (202) 224-7327
Email form

Max Baucus (D-MT) Phone: (202) 224-2651
Fax: (202) 224-9412
Email form

Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Phone: (202) 224-3934
Fax: (202) 224-6747
Email form

Thad Cochran (R-MS) Phone: (202) 224-5054
Email form

Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Phone: (202) 224-3744
Email form

TALKING POINTS:

1. The higher science line items fit with President Obama's criteria of creating or maintaining immediate jobs (hundreds of thousands of quality research, lab construction, education, corporate R & D, and supplier jobs) as well as creating the innovation that moves the economy forward long term. It's double the bang for your buck.

2. DOE, NSF, and NIH, have 'shovel-ready' grants and projects that are approved and are simply waiting on funding. This funding flows to innovative research jobs in corporations, universities, and laboratories, as well as to construction jobs, suppliers, grad students, post-docs, and others who power our economy forward with new innovation.

3. In a science-dominated global economy, there are few wiser investments in both short and long-term senses of the word 'stimulus.'

4. Science & technology have driven half of U.S. economic growth since WWII.

Thank you!