Washington, DC – As lawmakers craft the budget for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09), U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-13-IL) today urged the House Budget Committee to fully fund scientific programs critical to American competitiveness.  Her testimony -- endorsed by Representatives Peter J. Roskam (R-6-IL), Jerry F. Costello (D-12-IL), Bobby L. Rush (D-1-IL), Jerry Weller (R-11-IL), Daniel Lipinski (D-3-IL), Rahm Emanuel (D-5-IL), Melissa Bean (D-8-IL), and Ray LaHood (R-18-IL) -- called on the Committee to provide $4.7 billion for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, which is the primary sponsor of research at Fermi and Argonne National Laboratories.
 
          “Both national laboratories are located in Illinois, are critical to American competitiveness, and were adversely impacted by severe underfunding of the DOE Office of Science in the FY2008 omnibus appropriations bill,” said Biggert in her testimony. “Funding for a number of programs, facilities, and projects, including High Energy Physics, Basic Energy Science user facilities, and the U.S. contribution to the international fusion experiment ITER, declined significantly or were cut altogether.”
 
          Biggert pointed out that restoring these scientific programs is consistent with both the Democrats’ ‘Innovation Agenda’ and the President’s ‘American Competitiveness Initiative’, which share the goal of doubling federal funding for basic research in the physical sciences over the next five to ten years. 
 
          “The benefits of such an investment to the U.S. economy and U.S. competitiveness are well known,” said Biggert, who co-chairs the House Research and Development Caucus.  “Economic experts have concluded that science-driven technology has accounted for more than 50 percent of the growth of the U.S. economy during the last half-century.”
 
          After accepting testimony from various agencies and policy makers, the Budget Committee will craft a resolution that lays out a blueprint for federal spending over the next fiscal year.  Typically, the House and Senate agree on a final plan in mid-April.  Biggert called on the Committee to ensure that the DOE Office of Science remains a top priority throughout the process.
 
          “With this funding, the DOE Office of Science will attract the best minds, educate the next generation of scientists and engineers, support the construction and operation of modern facilities, and conduct even more of the quality scientific research that will ensure the U.S. retains its competitive edge for many years to come,” concluded Biggert.
 
          The full text of her testimony is available by clicking here.

# # #