ASME testifies before Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee

John Leland, chair of the ASME Department of Defense (DOD) Task Force, presented oral testimony on May 16 before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on the fiscal year 2008 DOD Science and Technology (S&T) budget request. Leland is the director of the University of Dayton's Research Institute and provided comments based on the ASME-approved position statement that offers recommendations for fiscal year 2008 funding levels.

"The FY2008 request, if implemented, would represent a significantly reduced investment in Defense S&T," Leland said. "I strongly urge this committee to consider additional resources to maintain stable funding in the S&T portion of the DOD budget. At a minimum, $13.2 billion, or about $2.1 billion above the president's request, is required to meet the 3 percent of Total Obligational Authority guideline recommended by a National Academies study and set in 2001 by both the Quadrennial Defense Review and by Congress. Additionally, the University Research Initiative would see a $35 million decrease from $281 million to $246 million in FY 2008, a 14.5 percent reduction. Sufficient funding for the URI is critical to educating the next generation of engineers and scientists for the defense industry."

Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, stated, "I assure you that this committee agrees with you. We are concerned with the diminishing pool of engineers at a time when the nation needs them the most."

The position statement, which was issued on April 30, can be found at www.asme.org/NewsPublicPolicy/GovRelations/
PositionStatements.

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