Broad-based Funding for Physics

(Adopted by Council on April 29, 2000)

The Council of the American Physical Society applauds and strongly supports the significant funding increases for science contained in the President's FY2001 Budget.

The nation's research in physics is broadly supported through several agencies, principally DOE, NSF, NASA, and DOD. The ability of US physics to continue contributing to the nation's economic growth and its national security depends critically on adequate funding for all these agencies.

The DOE provides the majority of the funding for a wide range of basic research in the physical sciences. Therefore, the Council is particularly concerned that the DOE's science funding remain healthy.

The DOE Office of Science is responsible for the construction and operation of most major facilities in particle and nuclear physics, and for many other facilities needed in multidisciplinary research programs relevant to materials sciences, energy sciences, biology, and medicine. These efforts have been instrumental in the success of important national scientific programs.

The Council urges, therefore, that the DOE share fully, in FY2001 and in subsequent years, in the funding increases aimed at maintaining the health of the US scientific enterprise. Present concerns regarding management and security issues should not obscure the need for sustaining and enhancing the essential DOE-supported science programs.