Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

16 June 2005

The Honorable Richard Shelby
Chair, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science
110 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am writing on behalf of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-United States of America (IEEE-USA) to urge you to support increases in the National Science Foundation's FY 2006 appropriation in line with those contained in H.R. 2862, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee on June 6. The House bill would increase NSF's FY2006 appropriation by $171 million over 2005 and $38 million above the President's budget request.

Although the NSF appropriations in the House bill still fall far below the levels authorized in the Investing in America's Future Act (Public Law 107-368), signed into law in December of 2002 by President George W. Bush, this increase still represents a positive step in restoring this country's commitment to leadership in science and technology. As stated in the Findings of Public Law 107-368, "The economic strength and national security of the United States and the quality of life of all Americans are grounded in the Nation's scientific and technological capabilities."

IEEE-USA strongly supported passage of National Science Foundation Authorization Act. We agreed with the stated objectives of the bill that increasing NSF funding would "strengthen the Nation's lead in science and technology." The drastic cuts in the presidential budget request threaten to diminish that lead considerably. We urge you to bring the NSF back more in line with the authorized levels and at least the levels appropriated in the House mark-up.

IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of the IEEE. It was created in 1973 to advance the public good and promote the careers and public-policy interests of the more than 225,000 technology professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society. For more information, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Williams
at 202-785-0017 x 8331.
 

Sincerely,

Gerard A. Alphonse
President, IEEE-USA

(Sample – Similar letters sent to members of the
Senate Appropriations Commerce Subcommittee)