By, Camille Gamboa, PR & Public Affairs Manager, SAGE, @CamilleGamboa

Did you know that there is a bill making its way through Congress that would:

Place specific, arbitrary limits on the budgets of scientific disciplines at the National Science Foundation. Setting budgets by discipline (or directorates, as they are known at the NSF) is a job that was traditionally reserved for the informed scientists and experts at NSF. The arbitrary limits of H.R. 1806 would impede the NSF’s gold-standard review processes and discourage interdisciplinary science while politicizing a selection process that has always relied on merit, not popularity, to determine funding;

at the National Science Foundation. Setting budgets by discipline (or directorates, as they are known at the NSF) is a job that was traditionally reserved for the informed scientists and experts at NSF. The arbitrary limits of H.R. 1806 would impede the NSF’s gold-standard review processes and discourage interdisciplinary science while politicizing a selection process that has always relied on merit, not popularity, to determine funding; Cut 45% from NSF’s Directorate for the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences , despite the fact that the most pressing challenges of our day require an understanding of human behavior and social processes and despite raising NSF’s budget overall;

, despite the fact that the most pressing challenges of our day require an understanding of human behavior and social processes and despite raising NSF’s budget overall; Cut the budget for the Geosciences by 10%, impeding research opportunities to study extreme weather and natural disasters;

impeding research opportunities to study extreme weather and natural disasters; Cut the budget for the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, which funds the STEM workforce and STEM education , by 10%, putting 250+ Graduate Research Fellowships at risk;

, by 10%, putting 250+ Graduate Research Fellowships at risk; Cut 25% to NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering, which would deny hundreds of U.S. students, fellows, and scientists, the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues abroad;

to NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering, which would deny hundreds of U.S. students, fellows, and scientists, the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues abroad; Add new administrative burdens and redundant regulations on the National Science Foundation, on universities, and on scientists?

Known as the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1806), this piece of legislation is harmful to the future of American innovation and American progress, yet it is progressing through Congress. Just yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the bill (see coverage here on Social Science Space).

SAGE has taken a formal stand against H.R. 1806 in its current form: “Regrettably, the new cuts proposed by H.R. 1806 would [lead] to irreparable damage to the U.S. scientific enterprise … While federal agencies must be mindful of changing fiscal conditions, the research conducted by social and behavioral scientists has made us more efficient and has saved countless dollars for America and Americans.”

Who else opposes this bill?

Essentially the entire scientific community is in opposition, including the National Science Foundation itself. Read their helpful statement here.

Other scientific and academic institutions and individuals who have expressed concern include the Association of American Universities, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the American Sociological Association, the American Educational Research Association, the Biophysical Society, the Coalition for National Science Funding, the Consortium of Social Science Associations, the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Research!America, 31 Nobel Laureates, and the Truman National Security Project (see more here).

Other government bodies in opposition include Democratic members of the House, who were very vocal about their opposition of the bill and earnestly sought an amendment. Additionally, 23 Republicans joined their colleagues across the aisle to vote against the bill. The White House is also deeply concerned:

“H.R. 1806 undermines key investments in science, technology, and innovation and imposes unnecessary and damaging requirements on Federal support of research. If the President were presented with H.R. 1806, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”

What can you do to stop it?

If the scary details about H.R. 1806 are a surprise to you, chances are that they would also be a surprise to your colleagues, administrators, advisors, and any other pro-science friends. The first thing you should do is make the world aware. Send this article (or related articles) around, tweet it, post it on Facebook or LinkedIn, bring it up in meetings, presentations, newsletters – do anything you can to make it known that funding for research – and worse, American progress and innovation – are at risk.

Second, and equally important, let your Members of Congress know how you feel. If you recall what you learned in your “how-a-bill-becomes-a-law” days (or what you teach your students for any political scientists reading), in order to progress further, this bill needs to pass both houses of Congress. There’s still time to let your Senator know how you feel, and you can do it right here, without leaving your desk chair (or even this blog post). Just fill in the form below, and your message about the bill will go straight to your members of Congress.

See what other Americans and American organizations feel about the bill, here on PopVox. And watch out for updates on Social Science Space for details on how this bill progresses, amends, or (hopefully) comes to a halt.