Dear Senator Kennedy

I'm writing to urge you to oppose the Collins-Nelson proposal's 100% cut of
the $1.402 billion line item for the National Science Foundation in HR 1, the
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.  I further hope that if this cut is
implemented despite opposition, then you will help rapidly implement separate
legislation that would increase funding for the National Science Foundation.
Hanging in the balance is the well-being of the state's universities and the
economies that they support.

This is not an abstract issue for me.  I am a university faculty member and
my research proposal on autism has for two years in a row received high scores
during review by the National Science Foundation.  Last year we were not funded
at all, because very little money was available given the below-inflation
budget adjustments that the NSF has suffered for the past several years.  (As
you may recall, even the Bush government proposed a 10% increase for the NSF,
but this proposal was consolidated into an omnibus funding bill that was vetoed
for unrelated reasons.)  This year, we have been told that we might receive
some money, but barring an adjustment to the NSF budget this is likely to be
40% less than what we need to implement the science completely.

Scientific research is one of the most "shovel-ready" forms of stimulus
available:  If the NSF line item is preserved in HR 1, our project will begin
spending within the next several months, directly creating one more full-time
job and also making purchases of technology and services that will indirectly
fund others' employment.  This is, of course, the whole point of the stimulus.

Health research and other scientific research are excellent investments not
only for their economic benefit but for their effects on people's lives.  I got
into this business because I have an autistic brother and an autistic niece and
I want to improve life for them and people like them.

For Massachusetts's universities, for its economy in general, and for its
people, preserving the NSF line item in HR 1 is the right thing to do.  I trust
that you and your staff will do all that you can to make it happen.