FORUM

摘要

In "Fact Check: Scientific Research in the National Interest Act" (Issues, Winter 2016), Congressman Lamar Smith critiques the concerns presented by Democrats, scientists, and a number of social science associations about his bill, H.R. 3293. As proposed, the bill confuses the nature of basic science and adds bureaucracy that would impose a layer of political review on the National Science Foundations (NSF) gold-standard merit review system. This bill will hurt the nation's premier basic research agency, and ultimately leave America less competitive.