piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (11/15/85)
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 1985 10:45 AM EDT Msg: DGIF-2061-2491
From: RPARK
To: WHATSNEW
CC: RPark
Subj: What's New
WHAT'S NEW, Friday, August 30, 1985 Washington, D.C.
1. FUNDING FOR BASIC RESEARCH HAS INCREASED as a proportion
of the Gross National Product from 0.297 percent in 1975 to
an estimated 0.345 percent in 1985 according to D. Bruce
Merrifield, Assistant Secretary of Commerce. While the
Reagan Administration has emphasized the need for the federal
government to support basic research, the figures are highly
sensitive to the definition of basic, since total R&D
spending contains relatively little "R." Total US R&D fell
from a high of 2.9% in 1964 to 2.2% in 1978, but under the
Reagan Administration has climbed back to an estimated 2.72%
in 1985. Responding to concerns raised by Gorbachev's speech
outlining Soviet economic policy for the next five years
(What's New, July 26), Merrifield stated, "I am confident of
our ability to maintain our scientific and technological
leadership in the face of any Soviet challenge."
Representative William Gray (D-PA), Chairman of the
House Budget Committee, also commented on Gorbachev's speech.
He notes that although the budget resolution recently enacted
by Congress assumes level funding for FY86, the budget
process allows money to be shifted among programs. He
acknowledges, however, that "It is becoming increasingly
difficult for the Appropriations Committee to make these
funding re-allocations in budgets which are so distorted with
large defense spending increases and reduced revenues. . . We
must first do everything we can to solve our fiscal problems
if we want to have a reasonable chance of properly addressing
the legitimate funding needs of our federal science
programs."
2. THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE FOR PEACE was created by an
amendment to the Omnibus Defense Authorization Act for FY85
almost one year ago (What's New, October 12, 1984). In
addition to a grants program, the Institute will examine the
nature and consequences of international conflicts, develop
techniques to resolve strife, and provide support and
coordination of various organizations involved in peace
studies. Peace research was given $4 million in a bill
raising defense funding to $297 billion. Supporters of the
Peace Institute, however, complain that the Administration,
which opposed its creation, is employing a technique Reagan
has perfected known as the "andante veto." The law required
President Reagan to nominate a 15 member board of directors
by April 20, 1985. So far, however, there have been only
seven nominations. These include Max Kampelman, chief US
negotiator in the Geneva arms control talks, Kenneth Adelman,
director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and
Richard Perle, assistant secretary of defense for
international security policy.
Robert L. Park
American Physical Society THAT'S ALL 8/30/85