University of Maryland President C.D. Mote, Jr. led a delegation of higher education, research and business leaders today on Capitol Hill to thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon for their longstanding support of science research funding, which culminated last month in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"The allocations to research and science education in the stimulus package are answering the call that so many of us have been working for," Mote said. "Support for scientific research and education are critical to our economic recovery and our future as a nation."
Speaking "on behalf of universities across the land," Mote went on to acknowledge the critical support of both leaders.
"Speaker Pelosi's three highest priorities have been science, science and science," he said, adding that Congressman Gordon's advocacy of support for science research funding puts him "first in line at the front door to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."
Increased support for science education and research he said will translate into "jobs that currently do not exist, and in companies that do not exist today. It is the highly-educated, scientifically and technically prepared people graduating from our universities who will create those jobs and those companies, positioning our nation for a brighter future," Mote added.
The meeting was convened by the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC), the American Association of Universities and the Science Coalition.