Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici today won support for a plan to significantly increase federal funding for scientific research.

Last year, the Senators helped write legislation that focuses greater attention on scientific R&D, and math and science education. The America COMPETES Act was signed into law in August.

To begin meeting the goals set out in America COMPETES, the Senate today adopted a Bingaman-Domenici amendment to the FY 2009 Budget Resolution that sets funding levels for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science at $4.722 billion and for the National Science Foundation at $6.854 billion.

“For years the federal government has invested too little in scientific research and development. But with the passage of the America COMPETES Act, Congress and the president committed to changing course and making sure our nation can remain competitive in the global marketplace,” said Bingaman, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Our amendment helps ensure we remain true to that commitment.”

“The COMPETES Act will only produce the desired outcome if we follow through with the necessary funding. That didn't happen last year, but this is a good first step in making sure we get it right this year,” Domenici said. “We need to take U.S. competitiveness seriously. We need to take action to support our standard of living, and ensure our continued growth and prosperity. If we do not, we can expect other nations to rival our global competitiveness--and one day to surpass us.”

The Senate will continue debating the Budget Resolution – the budget blueprint Congress uses when developing the spending bills that fund the federal government.