Sen. Welch Requests GAO Report on Impact of Scientific Research

On March 24, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a full review of the economic, scientific, and national security impacts of the elimination of federal funding for scientific research. In the letter, he raised concerns about the Administration’s proposal of a 15 percent cap on indirect rates, arguing it would “cut $5 billion annually from university-based research nationwide”. Further, Sen. Welch highlighted the positive economic impact of scientific research, claiming that cuts to agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) would result in a loss of economic output between $10 and $16 billion annually, and significantly reduce American jobs. Federal funding, argued the Senator, is the “backbone” of the U.S. scientific research enterprise. To this end, Sen. Welch requested GAO produce a report that details the current state of research programs at colleges and universities and recent changes to available federal funding for grants and training programs, and the impacts of these changes on academic research output, workforce and economic development, U.S. global competitiveness, and research security.