We are disappointed by the caps put on science funding in the negotiated debt ceiling bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday. Under the bipartisan deal, science funding (which falls into “nondefense discretionary funding”) will be frozen below current levels and may only rise by 1% in fiscal year 2025. With inflation at significantly higher levels, this represents a real term cut for science funding. We are disappointed that the vital role of science funding has not been better protected in Congress.
SRCD advocates on behalf of our members for science funding and we will continue to do so. Our D.C.-based staff work in coalition with other scientific societies to push for greater funding for developmental science. In the last few months, SRCD has signed on to 8 letters to promote science funding in key agencies, such as National Science Foundation, National Institute for Health, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have visited over 50 Congressional offices on a “science advocacy day” and we have been in the room with bipartisan Senate and House committee staffers to establish the importance of smaller but no-less vital funding bodies.
Our work isn’t done. Now that a funding limit has been set, the House and Senate Appropriations committees will begin appropriating specific dollars to agencies – and the impact on our key agencies will be in the details. We will be tracking this progress closely and will continue to work both directly and in our coalitions to achieve the best outcome possible for developmental science.
Ultimately, if we don’t show up, science funding suffers. SRCD is working for you to advance science interests.
Today’s bill is not ideal, but it also could have been much worse without actions like those SRCD has taken. We will continue to work to give developmental science the prominence it deserves.
Sincerely,
Dr. Vonnie McLoyd
SRCD President
Lindsay Turner Trammell
SRCD Director for Policy