Science Policy News
Getting Congress’ Attention: From the
Washington Noise Barrier to the Main Street Barrier
Steve Pierson, ASA Director of Science Policy
[The scientists] want to come to Congress and give tutorials.
That doesn’t work. We don’t have time for tutorials. They need
to get right to the point: “This is why it’s important. I know
there are a lot of competing interests, but here’s why we should be
at the head of the line. And here’s what it means for society.”
ASA Science Policy Actions
Sherwood Boehlert, Science Magazine,
November 24, 2006, p. 1228.
The ASA urges funding for sci-
ence in the fiscal year 2008
supplemental funds.

The ASA joins other science and
S
pring in Washington brings the mass-
Boehlert’s quote above, demands a com-
engineering groups to encourage
es. Cherry blossoms attract the tour-
pelling argument for why additional
scientists and engineers to enter
ists, and Congress’ deliberations about
funding should be made available for
public office. See
the coming year’s federal budget bring the
research in a tight funding environment.
http://elections.sefora.org.
supplicants. Congressional office buildings
Innovation and competitiveness are the
are abuzz with every interest group one can
buzzwords that have had traction on the
Go to the ASA Science Policy web
imagine, and almost all are seeking their
Hill for the last several years and form the
share of the federal budget pie. Given the
page at www.amstat.org/
basis of a compelling argument for math-
fierce competition for funding, how can sci-
scipolicy/index.cfm for details.
ematical and physical science research
entists get their messages to rise above the
funding. It is interesting and instructive to
commotion? As the ASA ramps up its advo-
examine how this came about.
cacy, what will be our role?
The seemingly endless headlines about
Statisticians rely on a variety of funding
offshore outsourcing of high-tech jobs
report. Within months, then-Minority
sources. The ASA is currently studying the
several years ago raised significant con-
Leader Nancy Pelosi introduced the
federal funding of statistics, but it is believed
cern in Congress. Tom Friedman’s book,
Democratic Innovation Agenda and
the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The World Is Flat, and various association
President George W. Bush announced
and the National Science Foundation
reports also helped to soften the “inside-
the American Competitiveness Initiative,
(NSF) are the primary federal supporters.
the-beltway” audience.
both of which propose a 10-year doubling
While funding statistics research is often
It was the National Academies’ report,
of the budgets of NSF, the Department of
categorized under mathematical sciences,
“Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” that
Energy Office of Science, and the National
statisticians also participate in life sciences
broke through the Washington noise bar-
Institute of Standards and Technology
research. As a result, a large segment of our
rier in the autumn of 2005. The report’s
(NIST) laboratories.
community benefited by NIH’s doubling
theme is summarized well by an oft-quoted
The reason Congress and the White
that ended in 2003. With the NIH budget
excerpt from the executive summary:
House responded to the calls for com-
now falling and NSF’s proposal funding
petitiveness and innovation is jobs, jobs,
The scientific and technological
rate down significantly since 2000, statisti-
jobs. Although it is difficult to quantify,
building blocks critical to our
cians are facing the same challenges as the
it’s long been known that basic research
economic leadership are eroding
majority of fields.
contributes to our economic growth—one
at a time when many other
As to how to approach Congress, it’s not
needs only to point to MRIs, lasers, GPS,
nations are gathering strength.
enough for statisticians to talk about why
the internet, and transistors—to name a
Congress should increase science funding.
The report recommended major improve-
few—for evidence.
We must convince Congress that it can’t
ments to our K–12 science and math edu-
The huge growth of the science and tech-
afford not to.
cation, more funding for basic research in
nology infrastructures in countries such as
The first approach is too eas-
the physical sciences (which includes math-
China, India, and South Korea and the sub-
ily answered by saying science increases
ematical and statistical sciences), and a rein-
sequent growth of high-tech jobs in those
can be funded next year. The second
vigoration of our research enterprise.
countries provide an excellent illustration of
approach, which echoes former House
Both the White House and Congress
the research-jobs connection to U.S. policy-
Science Committee Chair Sherwood
reacted quickly to the “Gathering Storm”
makers. It also gives immediacy to the calls
JUNE 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 31
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