Edith Allison, of the AAPG Washington Office, reports to members that Congress is talking about science now more than ever - and some of the dialogue is unfavorable. However, attacking science may be a surrogate for opposition to federal regulations by Trump, which seem to be appearing at a faster rate than in the past. In addition, cutting federal research seems a politically benign, if futile, way to rein in federal spending. Some people wonder if Congress has the expertise to legislate about science. It is true that Congress has only a few scientists - the last Congress had two physicists, one microbiologist and six engineers.
The new Congress has one member with a geoscience degree, Ryan Zinke, a newly elected (Republican) Montana representative. Congress is not, however, bereft of scientific information, and many congressional leaders value external scientific input. Dozens of scientific associations, including AAPG, host policy offices that provide scientific information to Congress and assist their members in communicating with Congress.
Original slow-loading URL: https://www.aapg.org/publications/news/explorer/column/articleid/21152/proposed-cuts-threaten-research
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