New from washington

摘要

The final appropriations for FY 2006 show an estimated US134.8 billion research and development portfolio,a record high and an increase of 1.7 percent over F&Y 2005.But 97 percent of the funding goes to defense weapons development and human space exploration technologies.Otherwise,federal spending on R&D programs will fall nearly 2 percent after adjustment for inflation,according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science,whose analysis is recognized as authoritative by experts both on and off the Hill.The AAAS analysis also concludes that federal research investments are shrinking as a share of the U.S.economy,even as other nations are increasing their investments.