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Dear Chairman Tester, Chairman Calvert, Ranking Member Collins, and Ranking Member McCollum:

The Task Force on American Innovation (TFAI)—an alliance of industry, scientific societies, and university organizations dedicated to supporting federally funded basic research—commends you and your colleagues for your work to complete fiscal year 2024 (FY24) appropriations and encourages you to continue your support for basic science research in FY25’s Defense Appropriations bill.

With the FY25 appropriations process underway, we urge you to build upon the successes of earlier budgets by maximizing federal investments in the key innovation accounts that help strengthen our national security. We urge robust investments in Department of Defense (DOD) Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, and we encourage strong investments in DOD’s Science and Technology accounts. Significant investments in these defense scientific research accounts will help spur the discoveries needed to develop technology and capabilities that will support the warfighter today and tomorrow. Additionally, this crucial funding will ultimately support the U.S. economy and advances U.S. global competitiveness all while ensuring strong national security.

 

Thank you for your leadership and continued support of federally funded research in the physical sciences and engineering. The United States needs stable, sustained, and strong funding for the programs at DOD that help strengthen our national security, bolster the U.S. economy, develop the U.S. workforce, and maintain U.S. leadership in science, technology, and innovation.

Sincerely,

 

The Task Force on American Innovation