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Text of the letter:
The Task Force on American Innovation—a coalition of businesses, scientific societies, and university organizations—urges you to fully fund Department of Energy basic research and innovation programs when you consider the FY18 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill this week.
DOE is the leading source of federal investment in basic physical science research, providing nearly 47 percent of total funding. In fields such as high energy and nuclear physics, nuclear medicine, heavy element chemistry, plasma physics, and magnetic fusion, DOE is the primary government sponsor. In addition to the physical sciences, DOE plays a key role in ensuring continued U.S. leadership in other fields of scientific research including the biological sciences, computing, and engineering.
We note that the authorizing legislation being considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, S. 1460, the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017, calls for increased investment in several programs, including: the DOE Office of Science, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, and the Energy Innovation Hubs. These programs generate discoveries, ideas, and technologies to the benefit the American people. We urge you to fund the DOE science programs portfolio at the levels called for in S. 1460.
Now is the time for strong leadership from the Senate to ensure robust and sustainable funding for a key element of America’s innovation ecosystem.