A Note from Dr. Mary L. Good on the Future of the America COMPETES Act... Please Get Involved Now

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: bobr () bobrosenberg phoenix az us
> Date: May 16, 2010 4:36:19 PM EDT
> To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Re: [IP] A Note from Dr. Mary L. Good on the Future of the America COMPETES Act... Please Get Involved Now

> Dave
>
> Please remind I.P.ers that they can strengthen their message by BEGINNING the
> Subject line of their emails to their Representative with the words "Constituent
> mail" (not in quotes).  Follow that with your own subject.
>
> Just remember to begin with "Constituent mail" (not in quotes).
>
> They pay heightened attention to constituents, because constituents can vote for them!
>
> Cheers,
> Bob
>
> -- 
>
> Bob Rosenberg
> P.O. Box 33023
> Phoenix, AZ  85067-3023
> Mobile:  602-206-2856
> LandLine:  602-274-3012
> bob () bobrosenberg phoenix az us
>
> This message is hereby Creative Commons licensed:  Attribution-NonCommercial
>
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > > From: "Dr. Mary Lowe Good" <astranews () jangomail com>
> > > Date: May 16, 2010 8:44:24 AM EDT
> > > To: dave () farber net
> > > Subject: A Note from Dr. Mary L. Good on the Future of the America COMPETES Act...
> > > Please Get Involved Now
> >
> > > A NOTE FROM DR. MARY GOOD
> > >
> > > Dear Friend of ASTRA:
> > >
> > > WHAT HAS HAPPENED:
> > >
> > > The full U.S. House of Representatives voted to recommit the America COMPETES
> > > Reauthorization Act of 2010 on Thursday, May 13 on a 292-126 vote.  This was a
> > > setback for many in our community.  It occurred on an amendment by Ranking House
> > > Science & Technology Committee Member Ralph Hall (R-TX), who had previously warned
> > > about what he called "excessive spending" contained in the bill, H.R. 5116.  Other
> > > provisions of Hall's proposal included:
> > >
> > > .  Freezing all funding to FY 2010 appropriated levels for the National Science
> > > Foundation (NSF), DOE Office of Science, and the National Institutes of Standards
> > > & Technology (NIST).
> > >
> > > .  Striking any new programs added to the original COMPETES Act.  In effect, this
> > > would end several new initiatives like Energy Innovation Hubs and other prototype
> > > programs at the three agencies affected.
> > >
> > > .  Ending the authorization at FY 2013 rather than FY 2015.
> > >
> > > WHAT'S NEXT?
> > >
> > > All Members of the U.S. House need to hear from us, IMMEDIATELY, both individually
> > > and through our various organizations, businesses and universities.
> > >
> > > Supporters of the bill have told ASTRA that it is going to come back this week -
> > > or soon thereafter - probably under a different bill number, with the funding
> > > restored and the programs restored.  Then there will be another vote.
> > >
> > > This vote will be a critical decision by the U.S. House for our country's future.
> > >
> > > ACTIONS FOR NOW:
> > >
> > > 1.  Get informed!  Decide whether or not you yourself support this legislation.
> > > Bipartisan support for this bill is essential.  Partisan differences over R&D
> > > funding are a great threat to our nation's future viability.   Public education
> > > about the consequences of such trends needs to be focused on all concerned.
> > > ASTRA, among scores of organizations, is now able to provide timely, daily updates
> > > on issues and developing news through use of our two Web Sites.  Please use them.
> > > (www.usinnovation.org and www.aboutastra.org)
> > >
> > > ASTRA has supported efforts like the COMPETES Act for a decade.  We have used
> > > facts-based advocacy to make the case.  For more details about what this bill
> > > would do for the nation's science, engineering and technology infrastructure and
> > > workforce, see an article compiled by MIT's Washington Office staff located here:
> > > http://www.usinnovation.org/files/UpdateAmerica%20COMPETESforCVD2010.pdf
> > >
> > > 2.  Download our recently updated ASTRA State R&D Sheets and the STEM Ed Report
> > > Cards and forward them to your Member in the U.S House.  These sheets are "value
> > > neutral."  They objectively measure and depict the current importance of federal
> > > R&D funding to your own state's and your Congressional District's economy, your
> > > kids' future, and our country's economic competitiveness and innovation capacity.
> > > Please go to: http://www.usinnovation.org/state/state_rd_list.asp  and use these
> > > materials.
> > >
> > > 3.  Communicate with your own Member of the U.S. House immediately!
> > >
> > > One easy way to do so it for you to send an e-mail or just telephone your
> > > Representative's office.  Simply use the handy Web tool provided by the U.S. House
> > > Clerk's Office found below.  Follow the instructions provided by the link, and you
> > > will be connected to your Representative's office.  You can e-mail, or make a
> > > phone call:
> > > https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
> > >
> > > Consider these talking points - and keep them simple by focusing on a few of them.
> > > Also, tell your Representative how your own experience as an individual fits into
> > > these talking points, if applicable - for example, how your business has
> > > benefitted from R&D investments, the role federal support played in your own
> > > education and careeer, how your local economy has benefitted by jobs from such
> > > investments, etc.
> > >
> > > .  A key element of America's 21st Century economy - a robust workforce of trained
> > > scientific and engineering talent - cannot be allowed to leave our shores.  Jobs
> > > and industries will surely continue following this talent migration if we
> > > under-invest in R&D.
> > >
> > > .  Past federal investment in our scientific and engineering ecosystems was an
> > > essential element in creating the most effective economic engine in world history.
> > > R&D is the fuel for future U.S. jobs, economic growth, promoting national
> > > security and raising our standard of living.
> > >
> > > .  The COMPETES Reauthorization Act is a bill that lays the basis for sustained
> > > funding increases in our nation's often neglected science, engineering and
> > > technology resources.  Increases are needed now because of prior under-investment
> > > during the past generation.  Under the guise of "saving money" we have suffered
> > > the consequences of not investing enough in our future.
> > >
> > > .  Now is NOT the time, given our fiscal predicament, to stop INVESTING in
> > > America's "seed corn" - our world class R&D infrastructure.  If anything, it is
> > > the time to INCREASE strategic investments to leverage our resources and talents.
> > >
> > > .  Sabotaging our innovation future now by reducing the amount of future R&D
> > > funding is dangerous - and a false economy.   Why undermine our own country's
> > > abilities to compete and innovate globally?
> > >
> > > .  Our private sector simply lacks the capital and incentives to pick up the
> > > slack, especially in basic R&D investments.  Wall Street and investors punish
> > > companies that are not riveted upon nearly immediate returns on capital.  We
> > > cannot change that philosophy in the short term.
> > >
> > > .  Prior under-investment in the science & technology community is one of the very
> > > reasons our country is in peril of losing our former dominance in many world
> > > markets and in scientific and engineering competence. COMPETES is an effort to
> > > catch up to where we should have been many years ago.
> > >
> > > .  Let's not make science R&D a partisan issue.  Please urge Congress to maintain
> > > its long-standing bipartisan support for science and engineering R&D funding.
> > > It's a matter of highest national priority.
> > >
> > > PLEASE SEND THIS  MESSAGE ON TO OTHERS:
> > >
> > > This message has been sent to approximately 45,000 scientists, engineers,
> > > researchers, university employees, students, technology workers, policy makers,
> > > small business owners, researchers, individuals, and others on our "Friends" list.
> > > An estimated 175,000 people will be contacted by this message.  Please send this
> > > on to any friends, associates and family who may share our interest in passing
> > > this critically important legislative measure...
> > >
> > > Urge your own professional, trade and civic organizations to look at this issue as
> > > well.  Ask them to weigh in - perhaps they will want to express an opinion.  If
> > > so, the time to do so is now, not after the horse has left the barn.
> > >
> > > Thank You!
> > >
> > > Mary Good
> > >
> > > This e-mail was sent by ASTRA, located at 1155 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
> > > 20036 (USA). To receive no further e-mails, please click here or reply to this
> > > e-mail with "unlist" in the Subject line.
> >
> >
> >
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