Science Policy
Bringing a Long-Term Outlook to
Policymaking
Rep. Bill Foster, 14th District of Illinois
I am pleased and honored to have Rep. Bill Foster as a guest columnist this month. In an address before an audience of industry, academia, and sci-
ence groups that advocate for federal research funding, I heard Foster mention the need for a better understanding of statistics in Congress. His specific
example was the supply of world oil, a number that typically comes with no mention of the uncertainty in that estimate. His understanding of the need
for statistics in policymaking and his experience of being a PhD scientist recently elected to public office make him an ideal guest columnist.
~ Steve Pierson, ASA Director of Science Policy
pierson@amstat.org
I
n America, ing when I put down the newspaper, frus- next election. Indeed, a politician known
we are not trated with our system and leadership in for forward-looking scientific reasoning
often sur- Washington. These frustrations, however,
may actually be putting himself at risk. The
prised when our ultimately led to action, and I was elected
payoff for basic scientific research or educa-
politics turn last March to fill a seat held for 26 years
tion in our country does not occur in the
ugly. Especially by Dennis Hastert, the former Speaker of
next election; it is 10, 30, or 50 years away,
in an election the House.
and this seldom makes for a good sound
year, all hope
In Congress, as a scientist and business-
bite. Changing the content and style of the
for honest and
man, I am positioned to offer unique
debate will not be easy, but it must hap-
informed dis-
insight into not only science policy, but also
pen if we are to address this country’s most
cussion of
science’s implications for today’s economic
compelling challenges.
national policy
and social challenges. Too often, political
Foster
We must also elevate and maintain
is lost when the
debate—even on the floor of the House of
the level of math, science, and economic
debate becomes
Representatives—is characterized by anec-
education in the United States. Both our
personal, a cycle of fiery accusations fol-
dote, not fact, even though virtually no issue
nation’s competitiveness and the health of
lowed by knee-jerk responses. Both legisla-
we face today lacks a technical element. The
our democracy depend on it. Students in
tors and the public, I think, tolerate this
effectiveness of proposed alternative fuels, for
type of discourse at their own peril. Our
the social sciences and humanities should
example, can be determined only once we
nation currently faces a range of critical chal-
learn statistics and understand that this
understand the technology in question and
lenges—from energy policy to the credit
discipline can be a powerful tool for shap-
produce an accurate economic reckoning of
crunch to immigration reform—that must
ing public policy. Mathematicians and sci-
the costs. Sadly, the rational, scientific reason-
be addressed with clear-eyed and intelligent
entists must be willing and empowered to
ing this requires is often absent. I think the
debate. Now more than ever, there is a need
enter public life and lead this nation as it
prospect for informed debate about technical
for science, mathematics, and—most of all—
faces new and increasingly complex chal-
issues dims when the debaters themselves—
statistics to inform and guide the discussion.
lenges in the coming decades.
yes, members of Congress among them—do
My path to the U.S. House of
And maybe, just maybe, there’s a statis-
not know the difference between the median
Representatives was anything but typical.
and the mean. To correct this, we must find
tician or two out there willing to join me in
Though I was born to two politically active
new ways to introduce fact-based reasoning
Congress. n
parents (my older sister’s middle name is
into the process, at least as a starting point in
Adlai in honor of the Illinois senator and
the political debate.
Rep. Bill Foster is one of three PhD physicists in
democratic lion), I initially pursued other
Congress, and had a distinguished scientific career
We can begin by not only injecting
during his 22 years at Fermi National Accelerator
interests, first as a businessman, then as a
people with greater technical knowledge
Laboratory (Fermilab). A fellow of the American
physicist. For 22 years, I worked at Fermi
and proficiency into our bureaucracy, but
Physical Society, he has earned wide recognition for
National Accelerator Laboratory, where
his scientific accomplishments, including the Rossi
also by deliberately electing candidates
I participated in the discovery of the Top
Prize of the American Astronomical Society for Cosmic
who are willing to take a longer view of Ray Physics for the discovery of the neutrino burst from
Quark and later helped design and build
solving our nation’s problems. It may
Supernova SN1987a and awards from the Department
the latest of the lab’s giant experimental
reflect a fundamental weakness of our
of Energy and IEEE. He is also a successful business-
machines. Similar to many of my colleagues,
man, having co-founded ETC, Inc., a theater lighting
system that politicians rarely focus on any-
my political involvement ended each morn-
company that now manufactures more than half of all
thing that does not bring a benefit in the the theater lighting equipment in the United States.
NOVEMBER 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 25
AMSTAT November 08.indd 25 10/24/08 2:28:19 PM
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