Cord Byrd: “Earlier this year, I received information from our Appropriations Committee staff which caused me some concern about the…”

“Earlier this year, I received information from our Appropriations Committee staff which caused me some concern about the Defense Department's budget request for Navy basic research in fiscal year 2003. The information indicated that over the past five years, funding levels for basic research have stayed at roughly the same level or have grown slightly, in real/constant dollar terms--that is, excluding increases for inflation. Growth in funding for applied research, however, has been significant, averaging about 10% per year. Indeed, the perception and reality of a greater emphasis on applied research is common in both private and public labs. Just as we've found to be the case in the private sector, the federally funded labs have been forced to be better `marketers' of their products. This has led to a greater emphasis on applied research because, by its very nature, the work being done in applied research is more product-oriented. For fiscal year 2003, the Defense Department proposes to cut funding for the Navy's basic research program--a cut of 1% in real terms. This shift in emphasis to applied research is understandable. But, if this shift comes at the expense of funding basic research programs, our science and technology programs will suffer in the long run. Basic research is the fuel for the engine of invention.…”