On the recordMay 20, 2015
I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding. Bentley University is a renowned business school in my district, and when a class from Bentley visited me just a few weeks ago, they were advocating for a critical underpinning of our economy. These students came to discuss the importance of funding the geosciences in the NSF. Why? Because it is good business. These students and the business community understand the critical role that geoscience has in disaster resilience, helping us to address drought, looking at solar storms that can cripple our electric grid, impacts on fisheries and ocean health, and in maintaining agriculture and in healthy soil. Business leaders know that extreme weather like hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes, and landslides result in billions of dollars in damage, and by using what we learn from geoscience, we can identify ways to mitigate these costs and save us money. Business leaders understand this connection, so why doesn't Congress? Rather than support investment in geoscience research, this legislation specifically targets it for drastic cuts in funding. Climate change is real. Human activity contributes to it, and it is bad for the bottom line. It is irresponsible for us to cut funding for research that helps us understand what is happening and how to address it. Adequately funding geoscience research is critical to protecting and growing our economy and to the security of the American people.…
