** We need very quick action on an effort which is very deserving of your consideration and support. **
Senators Kennedy and Collins plan to introduce an amendment to the DoD Appropriations Bill, H.R. 5631, when it is considered by the Senate.
The amendment will appropriate an additional $45 million for basic research accounts. It differs slightly from the Authorization amendment passed earlier this summer.
Specifically, the amendment calls for increases to the Committee-reported funding levels in the following amounts:
$12 million in additional funds for Army University Research Initiatives (PE 0601103A)
$13 million in additional funds for Navy URI (PE 0601103N)
$5 million in additional funds for Air Force URI (PE 0601103F)
$6 million in additional funds for the DARPA (PE 0601101E) for its University Research Program in Computer Science and Cybersecurity
$9 million in additional funds for the SMART National Defense Education Program (PE 0601120D8Z)
From information provided by the senators:
The Kennedy-Collins Amendment:
Increases the Senate Appropriations Committee-Reported Funding Level for the DoD SMART Scholars Program to $24 Million in Fiscal Year 2007. Provides sufficient funding for full cost of college scholarships and graduate fellowships to approximately 100 star science, technology, engineering and math undergraduate and graduate students. Students will receive funding for their full cost of attendance, summer internships, laboratory materials, undergraduate and graduate level research.
Increases funding by 10% over 2006 for research, development, test and evaluation in the Science and Technology areas through university research initiatives. Increases are directed to the Army ($12M), Navy ($13M), Air Force ($5M), and the DARPA University Research Program in Computer Science and Cyber security ($6M).
The DoD appropriations bill currently allocates a $1.479 billion in basic research. This is $9.3 million or only 0.6 percent increase above the FY2006 appropriated levels for defense basic research. An additional $45 million in these basic research lines and NDEP would raise the increase to nearly $55 million, or about 3.7 percent.
A solid showing of support for this amendment is very important for its adoption. We had 24 senators support a similar effort on the authorization bill - it would be incredibly helpful for universities and associations to contact these and other offices to urge their co-sponsorship of this amendment.
Those that cosponsored the authorization amendment are (and we should NOT limit ourselves to these members):
Reed
Lieberman
Mikulski
Bingaman
Stabenow
Feingold
Snowe
Dole
Roberts
Collins
Sarbanes
Kennedy
Clinton
Alexander
Jeffords
Harkin
Kerry
Murray
Schumer
Domenici
Dodd
Durbin
DeWine