Science Funding

In its Dec. 17 editorial, “A New Framework for Science Funding,” The Times describes as “patently erroneous” the report of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science that “science support would drop by one-third by the year 2002” under congressional budget proposals.

The editorial seems to suggest that the AAAS report is wrong because it speaks of support for science but actually includes “spending on weapons development and subventions to private companies for risky product development.” In fact, the AAAS analysis, which was published last summer, projects that under the congressional budget resolution “federal nondefense R&D;” (not support for science) would drop by about one-third by fiscal year 2002 after adjusting for expected inflation.

The association’s numbers, which came directly from the congressional budget resolution, excluded weapons development and other defense R&D.; They did include funding to private companies for high-risk technology development, which the Republicans want to eliminate, but since these so-called “corporate welfare” programs represent less than 2% of nondefense R&D;, excluding them from the analysis would not change the association’s conclusions regarding the projected one-third cut in any significant way.

ALBERT H. TEICH, Director

Science and Policy Programs

AAAS, Washington