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May 26, 2017
The American Society for Engineering Education has previously urged that bipartisan support for engineering education and research continue and, if possible, increase.
President Trump’s budget would drastically reduce funding for agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), entities that provide funding not only for many ASEE members but that underpin the nation’s engineering and science research and development enterprise.
NSF and the Department of Health and Human Services (home to NIH) face staggering cuts of 13 and 19 percent, respectively. In addition, the Department of Energy, a major funder of research in the physical sciences, would face a 15 percent cut. The overall expenditures for non-defense R&D would be cut by nearly 10 percent. Further, proposed indirect caps of 10 percent on NIH grants would handcuff researchers and their institutions.
These spending decisions diminish the ability of the United States to invest in basic research, an investment which has been demonstrated to improve our safety and security, drive the nation’s economy, and maintain our position as the world leader in innovation.
The ASEE Board of Directors encourages members of the 115th Congress to follow the praiseworthy precedent set with the FY 2017 Omnibus legislation and sustain adequate funding for our nation’s engineering and scientific research efforts.
