Subject: NSF Gravely Threatened -- Write to Congress (fwd)

From: [email-masked] ("Val H. Smith")
Date: 19 Jan 1996 19:23:37 -0800

This is a message that I just received that anyone having or considering
NSF funding should be concerned with. 

[email-masked]
Val H. Smith
Acting Director, Environmental Studies Program
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
913-864-4565
FAX 913-864-5321

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 19:12:29 -0600 (CST)
From: Robert W. Sterner <[email-masked]>
To: Jim Elser <[email-masked]>,
    Thomas Chrzanowski <[email-masked]>
Subject: NSF Gravely Threatened -- Write to Congress (fwd)

_______________________________________
In case this ugly news hasn't reached your neck of the woods yet, I
thought I'd ruin your day.  Perhaps you'd like to get on your Congressman's
back.    Jim E.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 15:20:14 -0600
From: David Tilman <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Subject: NSF Gravely Threatened -- Write to Congress

This is a copy of a message from NSF to some ecologists on an NSF panel.  If we
want NSF to survive this budget debate, we have to call or write our congression
al representative NOW.

NSF is facing the greatest threat of its history.  Our silence, now, will be tak
en as support for the present course of action, a course that could see NSF shri
nk 25% or more this year alone.

Write your senators and congressal representative and urge that NSF given its fu
ll appropriation, now, just as was done for NIH.

Dave Tilman

>Dear Panelists:
>
>As I hope all of you are aware, there is a possibility that portions
>of the federal government will shut down again on 26 January. In an
>effort to reopen the government about two weeks ago, the Republicans
>put forward a series of spending bills to fund various agencies
>(including NIH) for the rest of the fiscal year. NSF was not one of
>those agencies. ******The reason is fairly simple. Congress has not heard
>ANYTHING from our constituencies as noted in the following news item:******
>
>..Neither NASA nor NSF were included in this [funding] bill, but it
>was not for lack of trying.  I am told that as a result of Neal Lane's
>conversation with Rep Bob Walker, he went to Rep Livingston and
>specifically asked for the inclusion of NSF in this bill.  Rep Tom
>Delay and Rep Dave Weldon (R-FL) asked for NASA's inclusion.
>
>Livingston took the requests to Gingrich.  Ultimately Livingston
>decided not to include either agency in this targeted appropriations
>bill.  In large part, Livingston did not want to "cherry-pick" out
>those components of the VA HUD bill that are popular and would help in
>the VA HUD bill's eventual reconsideration and passage.  Very few
>programs or agencies in the VA HUD bill were included in this targeted
>appropriations bill for the same reason.  In addition, according to
>the staff, neither NASA's nor NSF's communities are being heard by
>Members the way other programs are, so Livingston did not feel the
>need nor have the justification to include either agency in the
>targeted appropriations bill.
>
>The silence of your colleagues is painful. Nevertheless, we are still
>planning to hold the panel meeting from 1-2 February. If NSF is forced
>to shut down on the 26th, we will cancel the panel and notify you at
>that time. Please reserve your hotel rooms and book your airline
>tickets as though everything will take place on schedule. Thanks,
>
>Scott

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Jim Elser, Assistant Professor             (602) 965-9747 (voice)
Department of Zoology                      (602) 965-2519 (fax)
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ  85287
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