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FWD: US - NSF Action AlertHugh W. Jarvis (hjarvis@ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU)Wed, 3 Jul 1996 17:54:42 -0400
it important to be posted here. Sorry if it has already been posted. Please reply to the original poster and not me! Hugh * * * * * * * * * * I've sent the following alert to departments of anthropology in the states of Senate VA,HUD & Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. I'm sure that you know of the situation, but would you consider distributing the alert or a similar one? Given the time frame, folks have to act quickly. Thank you! Peggy Overbey Am. Anthropological Assoc. peggy@aaa.mhs.compuserve.com NSF ACTION ALERT The House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill on June 26 that increases NSF funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 by less than 1% over the FY 1996 level. The House adopted two amendments that affect NSF's allocation and overall funding in the bill. These are: a cut of $9.1 million to NSF salaries & expenses to addto NSF research; and an across-the-board cut of 0.4% to transfer funds from NSF (and other agencies appropriated in the VA, HUD andIndependent Agencies appropriation bill) to the Veterans Administration. Although the movement of funds from NSF salaries & expenses to NSF research might appear as a good one to science researchers, there is a concern that cuts in salaries & expenses would make it difficult to administer research proposals and grants and result in grave problems for peer review. A third amendment to the bill adopted by the House denies the release of federal funds (including those from NSF) to any institution that prohibits ROTC or keeps military recruiters off campus. The bill now moves to the Senate where the Senate VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to mark up a bill the week after the July 4 - July 9 recess. TheCoalition of National Science Funding and Consortium of Social Science Associations, both of which AAA is a member organization, urge scientists who are constituents of members of the Senate VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee and the Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to FAX or email their Senators (see Subcommittee members listed below) by July 9. Scientists should ask their Senators to fund NSF at $3.375 billion for FY 1997. This would result in NSF being funded at the President's requested level of $3.325 billion, with an additional $50 million for NSF research. This would increase NSF's funding by4.8% over the FY 1996 level. Thankfully, the language of eliminating an NSF directorate (presumably the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate where the anthropology programs are housed) included in the House authorization bill of NSF does not appear in the House appropriations bill. However, anthropologists may want to stress how NSF funding of anthropology has benefitted the state and Nation, using specific examples of significant findings and research in their letters to their Senators. Senate VA, HUD & Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee: Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Missouri), Chair of the Subcommittee Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), Ranking Minority Member of the Subcommittee Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado) Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vermont) Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D-Louisiana) Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey) Sen. J. Robert Kerrey (D-Nebraska) Senate Appropriations Committee Chair and Ranking Members: Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-Oregon), Chair of the Committee Sen. Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia), Ranking Minority Member of the Committee Thank you for your help. For more information, contact Dr. Peggy Overbey, Director of Government Relations, American Anthropological Association, 4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 640, Arlington, Virginia 22203; (703) 528-1902, ext. 3006; FAX (703)528-3546; email: peggy@aaa.mhs.compuserve.com. ** ** **
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