Don't Look Back: Science Funding for the Future

摘要

The beginning of a new administration and a new Congress provides an opportunity to reassess national science and technology (S&T) policies. A reassessment is badly needed because shifting national priorities and strong pressures to eliminate the federal deficit have reduced the federal budget for research and development (R&D) in real terms over the past several years. The R&D budget will probably continue to decline as long as deficit-reduction plans get most of their savings from the discretionary part of the budget. A smaller federal investment in S&T threatens to reduce the flow of new knowledge that contributes to long-term economic innovation and growth and to many other national goals, and vigorous efforts will have to be made to reverse that trend.