A summary of recent NSPE
government relations activities
NSF Doubling Act Advances in Senate
The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee and
the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee have cleared
legislation (S. 2817) that would double funding levels for the National
Science Foundation. The bill approved by the committees would authorize
$5.5 billion for FY 2003 and increase steadily over a five-year period
until it reaches $9.8 billion in FY 2007. NSPE has long advocated the
doubling of funding for NSF.
The measure also authorizes multi-year Tech Talent competitive grants
to institutions of higher education to increase the number of students
receiving undergraduate degrees in science, math, engineering, and
technology disciplines. NSPE supports this provision, as well as the Tech
Talent bill (H.R. 1860) passed by the House.
One provision, however, deeply concerns NSPE. It would consolidate
Department of Education and NSF Math & Science Partnership programs
into a single NSF program, and it would operate as a competitive grant
program in FY 2003–05, and as a formula grant program in FY 2006–07. The
partnerships would be among state educational agencies, higher education
institutions, and high-need local school districts to model ways in which
to enhance the capacity of current K–12 teachers to provide challenging
math and science instruction to all students.
NSPE joined with other professional societies, educational
organizations, and businesses to communicate its concerns to both
committees considering the legislation. In a letter, NSPE expressed
support for increasing the funding for NSF and the Tech Talent provision.
The Society urged the committees to reject the repeal of the No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) Act Title II, Part B as proposed. If enacted, we believe,
this would eliminate the possibility of state-based math and science
programs until the fall of 2006 and undercut the long term role of NSF in
exploring innovative approaches to math and science education.
The letter states, “To increase math and science student achievement in
all states, we strongly support current law that allows for innovative
research programs at the National Science Foundation, and state-based
science and math partnerships at the Department of Education. These are
two complementary, but separate, programs that serve different needs. NSF
merit-based grants support the development of effective model programs and
strategies designed to improve teacher professional development and
enhance curriculum. The Department of Education state-based math and
science partnerships support the implementation of science and math
programs that meet the state’s unique needs and help teachers meet the new
NCLB requirements. These formula grants focus on high-need districts.”
NSPE encourages its members to contact their senators and ask them to
reject the consolidation of the partnership programs.
Water Treatment Needs Outstrip Spending
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd
Whitman warned that demands for improved wastewater and drinking water
treatment systems could outstrip current spending by $535 billion over the
next two decades. Whitman said that the country has made great strides in
cleaning up rivers, streams, and other waterways, and that since the
passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act, state and local governments face
enormous challenges in maintaining and replacing deteriorating water
treatment systems.
“Much of America’s drinking and wastewater infrastructure is aging,”
Whitman said. “There are cities in America still using pipes that were
laid when Lincoln was president.”
According to Whitman, capital spending and maintenance needs for
wastewater treatment will exceed current spending levels by $270 billion
through 2019, while demands for improved drinking water treatment
facilities will exceed current spending by more than $265 billion over the
same period. Municipal and regional governments, which finance 90% of
water treatment systems, will have to increase spending by 3% a year over
the rate of inflation to avert the massive projected spending gap, the
study found.
NSPE and its partners in the Water Infrastructure Network have
estimated that over the next 20 years there will be a projected $23
billion annual shortfall in the infrastructure spending needed to replace
and upgrade aging systems and to keep pace with new federal regulations—an
alarming gap. WIN has urged Congress to provide $57 billion over five
years in the state revolving fund reauthorization bill. Congress has
provided $1.35 billion annually for the clean water SRF and about $800
million for the drinking water SRF over the past several years.
“The magnitude of the challenge America faces is clearly beyond the
ability of any one entity to address,” Whitman said. “It will require the
participation and contribution of government at all levels, utilities, and
users.”
