An Overview of the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Proposals at the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology

Opening Statement By

Opening Statement

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson

 Full Committee Hearing

 An Overview of the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Proposals at the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

 March 11, 2011

 Thank you Chairman Hall and welcome to Dr. Suresh and Dr. Bowen who will be testifying before our committee for the first time this morning.  And welcome back to Dr. Gallagher who we’ll hear from in our second panel. 

 The purpose of today’s hearing is to examine the President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request for the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology — two agencies  that are to key to our ability to spur innovation and improve STEM education in this country.   I’m pleased to see that the President’s budget request shares this Committee’s goal, as reflected in the America COMPETES Act and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, of doubling the budgets of these agencies, and  laying a strong foundation for our Nation’s future competitiveness.  This president understands that our future economic growth, and therefore our ability to reduce our debt in the future, is tied very strongly to the investments we make in science and innovation today. 

In contrast, if the funding bill—H.R.1—passed by the House last month is enacted, we will be moving in exactly the wrong direction.  I share the well-founded concern of many Members if we don’t act to address our deficit, we will be leaving our children and grandchildren with a growing debt that they will spend their lifetimes trying to pay down.   However, I am dumbfounded that we are even considering cutting the very investments that will reduce our debt over the long-term, ensure that there are well-paying jobs for future generations, and help our young people develop the skills that they need to get those jobs.  The lasting consequences of the proposed cuts to science and education are enormous, and  go well beyond the jobs and research facilities that would be lost today.

Fortunately the President, as evidenced by his Fiscal Year 2012 budget request, recognizes the importance of those investments.  I look forward to hearing from Dr. Suresh and Dr. Bowen about some of the new research initiatives and directions being proposed by NSF in this budget as well as hearing from Dr. Gallagher about NIST’s new initiatives. 

Overall, I am quite happy with the requests.  I am particularly pleased with the robust research budget being proposed by NSF and its efforts to provide opp

Opening Statement By

Opening Statement

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson

 Full Committee Hearing

 An Overview of the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Proposals at the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

 March 11, 2011

Thank you Chairman Hall and welcome to Dr. Suresh and Dr. Bowen who will be testifying before our committee for the first time this morning.  And welcome back to Dr. Gallagher who we’ll hear from in our second panel. 

The purpose of today’s hearing is to examine the President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request for the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology — two agencies  that are to key to our ability to spur innovation and improve STEM education in this country.   I’m pleased to see that the President’s budget request shares this Committee’s goal, as reflected in the America COMPETES Act and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, of doubling the budgets of these agencies, and  laying a strong foundation for our Nation’s future competitiveness.  This president understands that our future economic growth, and therefore our ability to reduce our debt in the future, is tied very strongly to the investments we make in science and innovation today. 

In contrast, if the funding bill—H.R.1—passed by the House last month is enacted, we will be moving in exactly the wrong direction.  I share the well-founded concern of many Members if we don’t act to address our deficit, we will be leaving our children and grandchildren with a growing debt that they will spend their lifetimes trying to pay down.   However, I am dumbfounded that we are even considering cutting the very investments that will reduce our debt over the long-term, ensure that there are well-paying jobs for future generations, and help our young people develop the skills that they need to get those jobs.  The lasting consequences of the proposed cuts to science and education are enormous, and  go well beyond the jobs and research facilities that would be lost today.

Fortunately the President, as evidenced by his Fiscal Year 2012 budget request, recognizes the importance of those investments.  I look forward to hearing from Dr. Suresh and Dr. Bowen about some of the new research initiatives and directions being proposed by NSF in this budget as well as hearing from Dr. Gallagher about NIST’s new initiatives. 

Overall, I am quite happy with the requests.  I am particularly pleased with the robust research budget being proposed by NSF and its efforts to provide opportunities t

Opening Statement By Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson

Opening Statement

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson

 Full Committee Hearing

 An Overview of the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Proposals at the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

 March 11, 2011

Thank you Chairman Hall and welcome to Dr. Suresh and Dr. Bowen who will be testifying before our committee for the first time this morning.  And welcome back to Dr. Gallagher who we’ll hear from in our second panel. 

The purpose of today’s hearing is to examine the President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request for the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology — two agencies  that are to key to our ability to spur innovation and improve STEM education in this country.   I’m pleased to see that the President’s budget request shares this Committee’s goal, as reflected in the America COMPETES Act and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, of doubling the budgets of these agencies, and  laying a strong foundation for our Nation’s future competitiveness.  This president understands that our future economic growth, and therefore our ability to reduce our debt in the future, is tied very strongly to the investments we make in science and innovation today. 

In contrast, if the funding bill—H.R.1—passed by the House la

Witnesses

Panel 1

0 - Dr. Subra Suresh
Director National Science Foundation National Science Foundation
Download the Witness Testimony

0 - Dr. Ray Bowen
Chairman National Science Board National Science Board
Download the Witness Testimony

Panel 2

0 - Dr. Patrick Gallagher
Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, and Director National Institute of Standards and Technology National Institute of Standards and Tech
Download the Witness Testimony