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FWD: US - NSF Action Alert
Hugh W. Jarvis (hjarvis@ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU)
Wed, 3 Jul 1996 17:54:42 -0400
This message was originally sent by Peggy Overbey to arch-l. I thought
it important to be posted here. Sorry if it has already been posted.
Please reply to the original poster and not me!
Hugh
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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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