August 3, 2000
Dear Friends of Science and Engineering:
Please take a few minutes now to look over this mid-summer status report on R&D appropriations.
FY 2001 is the eighth year in a row that the President has proposed increased investments in civilian research and development. The civilian request is $43.3 billion, an increase of 6% ($2.5 billion) over FY 2000. The civilian R&D request constitutes 51% of the overall R&D budget of $85.3 billion.
Additionally, the FY 2001 budget boosts funding for basic research to $20.3 billion, an increase of 7% ($1.3 billion) over FY 2000. Substantial increases for several agencies help to restore the balance between biomedical research and other scientific disciplines. Such thoughtful, farsighted investments drive economic growth, generate new knowledge, create new jobs, build new industries, ensure our national security, protect the environment, and improve the health and quality of life of our people.
Unfortunately, Congress has currently stalled our progress toward our shared national goals and toward balance in a healthy R&D portfolio precisely at the moment in history when we can best afford to invest in America's future.
So I urge you to share the numbers in this report and their implications for America's science and engineering enterprise as widely as possible with your friends and colleagues.
Thank you for all that you are doing to increase support for R&D to sustain U.S. leadership across the frontiers of scientific knowledge.
Sincerely,
Neal Lane
Assistant to the President
for Science and
Technology
Attachment:
R&D Report
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