ACS Joins CNSF Letter to Appropriations Committee Leaders

October 1, 2024

Dear Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, Chairman Cole, and Ranking Member DeLauro:

On behalf of the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) – an alliance of over 140 professional organizations, scientific societies, universities, and businesses advocating for the nation’s STEM enterprise – we urge you to fund the National Science Foundation (NSF) at no less than $11.9 billion as you finalize Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) appropriations. NSF investments are key to bolstering U.S. economic vitality and national security by funding highly meritorious research; building and fostering U.S. STEM education and workforce programs; and supporting scientists and engineers with cutting-edge facilities.

We appreciate your efforts to protect investments in the NSF during the FY2025 appropriations process. After a disappointing 5% (or 8% if you include the FY2023 supplemental funding) cut to NSF in FY2024, it is more important than ever that Congress restore agency funding this year. Failing to do so could undermine NSF’s ability to support flourishing innovation ecosystems through the Regional Innovation Engines program; delay essential infrastructure projects; and hamper critical emerging technologies for example, the Artificial Intelligence Institutes and the Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes.

We are particularly concerned that the House FY2025 bill cuts NSF’s STEM Education funding by $172 million or 15%. This account funds critical workforce training programs, graduate fellowships and traineeships, research to improve STEM education at all levels, and programs that broaden participation in STEM and ensure that we can harness talent from all backgrounds and regions of our country. Cuts to these programs would exacerbate workforce shortages in emerging technologies and could leave the country without the researchers, technicians, and other STEM workers of the future.

As you know, Congress passed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act in 2022, laying out an essential plan to ensure the country maintains its leadership in innovation and critical technologies. The law authorizes $16.7 billion for NSF in FY2025 and requires the agency to undertake significant new work to keep our country competitive.

The allocations and appropriations that Congress has proposed this year fail to equip NSF with the funding necessary to meet these challenges. Accordingly, we encourage both the House and Senate to ensure that the final bill provides $11.9 billion for NSF, and that the STEM Education account is not reduced.

As you work to finalize FY2025 appropriations, we urge you to fully fund NSF and thank you for your continued support of the millions of scientists, engineers, students, and entrepreneurs it supports.

Sincerely,

The Coalition for National Science Funding