Boosting Science is a Good Investment
Congress still has an opportunity to meet the moment and make a once-in-a-generation investment in science and innovation with new funding that will bring major economic returns while bolstering our competitiveness in the international knowledge marketplace.
By Dr. Gary K. Michelson and Sudip Parikh
Congress passed an annual spending package last month that, among other things, makes critical investments in research. However, it was not as expansive or ambitious as it needs to be if we are going to lead as a nation and meet the objectives set by Congress. Pennies pinched now will cost us many dollars later.
Policymakers are considering major legislation to overhaul federal science and innovation policy, and the 2023 funding cycle recently kicked off. That means Congress still has an opportunity to meet the moment and make a once-in-a-generation investment in science and innovation with new funding that will bring major economic returns while bolstering our competitiveness in the international knowledge marketplace. History shows that we have reached a critical moment, but we cannot let politics unrelated to science and innovation be a stumbling block.