Sherwood Boehlert: “As chairman of the House Science Committee I rise in strong support of the FY 2002 VA, HUD and Independent Agencies…”

“As chairman of the House Science Committee I rise in strong support of the FY 2002 VA, HUD and Independent Agencies appropriations bill. My good friends Chairman Walsh, and Ranking Minority Member Mollohan have put together a bill that is very good for science, good for the space program, good for education, and good for the environment. That's a winning combination, one that's good for America. I thank them for their leadership. Chairman Walsh shares my belief that basic research provides the foundation for economic growth and for the tremendous advances we have made in areas like biomedical research. The appropriation for the National Science Foundation contained within this bill reflects these beliefs. And the committee is to be commended for the 9 percent increase that he provided for the Foundation. The bill also contains funding for the National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program that was proposed by President Bush and that is authorized by my bill--H.R. 1858--that was unanimously reported out of the Science Committee. This program will bring colleges and universities and school districts together to form partnerships to improve the quality of elementary and secondary math and science education. Funding is also included to enable elementary and secondary teachers to participate in research projects conducted at State, Federal, and university labs. I want to particularly thank the committee for including funding for the Noyce Scholarship Program.”