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AAS Call for Action
[Mailed from aas.org at 4:20pm 5 August 1999]
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Summary of Astronomy Budget Situation
                            And
Call to Action for the Coming Month

Summary of Recent Events

On July 31, 1999 the House Appropriations subcommittee for Veterans 
Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies (VA/HUD/IA) 
produced a report for the full Appropriations Committee recommending 
extreme cuts to both the NSF and NASA budgets.  The NSF budget was 
slated to receive an overall reduction that is $275 million below the 
President's budget request.  NASA faced a reduction that is $1.3 billion 
below the President's budget request.

Due in part to the response of the astronomical community the NASA budget 
was significantly increased.  The full committee reduced the NASA cut to 
$900 million below the President's budget request.  NSF funding remained 
the same, with an overall cut of $275 million, most of it ($111 million of 
$146 million) from the Information Technology for the Twenty-first century 
(IT2) initiative, although IT2 was not specifically eliminated.

Due to the death of the father of Representative Mollohan (the ranking 
member of the House Appropriations VA/HUD/IA subcommittee), the vote for 
this modified appropriations bill on the house floor has been postponed 
until after the August recess.  When Congress returns, the House will vote 
on the bill, allowing amendments to be offered from the floor.  Further, 
the Senate will begin its appropriations process for VA/HUD/IA.

Members of the AAS should be proud of their activities in response to the 
Call to Action that helped to restore a large part of NASA's budget.  
However, now is not the time to rest on our laurels because a number of 
significant items are still missing from the budget. Adequate support for 
Explorer and Discovery missions and for research and supporting technology, 
including funding for development of future missions, are still needed if 
we expect a future that resembles that past.  NASA's OSS will be sending 
an email to its current and pending grantees describing the impact of the 
cuts (as they stand now) on the SR&T programs.  If the current budget is 
approved they would have to re-assess past and future awards.  NSF could 
also use our help in restoring the IT2 money and other cuts.

CALL TO ACTION

With the members of Congress back in their home districts, AAS members 
should make the time to visit with or at least contact their
representative and senators in their home office (contact information 
available online at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ ).  

The AAS suggests the following activities during August to all members:

1) Write thank you letters to the individuals you contacted for the last 
call to action.  Thank everyone for their "fiscal responsibility" (use 
this term).  Note that basic science and R&D funding have and continue to 
provide the fuel for our Nation's economic success.  Also mention that 
Astronomical research is well-liked by the public and answers fundamental 
questions such as how our Earth was formed, the ultimate fate of our Sun, 
the impact of the Sun on the Earth's climate and fundamental information 
about the origin and ultimate fate of the Universe.  These answers to 
powerful questions appeal to everyone.

2) Contact members of the Senate appropriations VA/HUD/IA subcommittee.  
Thank them for their past support of NASA and NSF, especially funding 
for astronomical and space science research.  Encourage them to produce a 
report to the full senate appropriations committee that stands in stark 
contrast to the House VA/HUD/IA appropriations bill (currently it has no 
bill number) and matches or exceeds the President's request, excluding 
earmarked funds.  Contact information for the members of the subcommittee 
are available on the AAS policy web site: 
http://www.aas.org/policy/senatevahudia.html.

3) Contact your personal representative in their home office.  A personal 
visit is best (and may be with staff), but a phone call is good and at 
least a letter or fax from each member is requested.  Discuss what you do, 
how funding cuts to NSF and NASA would directly hurt you and your 
institution and why you feel basic scientific research (including 
astronomy and space science) is a good thing for our country to pursue.  
Mention that you would encourage support by the representative for any 
amendment offered during floor debate on the VA/HUD/IA funding bill that 
increases NASA's budget.  A short "talking points" document is available 
on the AAS policy website (http://www.aas.org/policy/vahudtalkingpoints.html).
Always thank the Representative or staff member for their time and, 
if possible, consider offering to give a tour or night at the telescope 
for the staff member or the Representative.  Send a thank-you note after 
you visit with some outreach material from your institution.

4) Contact your Senators in their home office.  A personal visit is 
best (and may be with staff), but a phone call is good and at least a 
letter or fax from each member is requested.  Discuss what you do, how 
funding cuts to NSF and NASA would directly hurt you and your institution 
and why you feel basic scientific research (including astronomy and 
space science) is a good thing for our country to pursue.  Mention that 
you would like your Senator to fight any decrease to the budgets of 
NASA or NSF.  Always thank the Senator or their staff for their time.  
Consider offering your services to the Senator or their staff in the 
form of tours or as an information source.  Send a thank-you note 
after you visit with some outreach material from your institution.

If every member of the AAS takes the actions suggested above, our 
community will have a dramatic impact on the legislative process.  
These actions are NOT unethical!  It is the duty of every citizen to 
make their concerns heard by their elected representatives.  

If you have contact with interested amateurs or others who support 
NASA or NSF encourage them to take action as well.  Note that the 
number one group on the Hill is the AARP.  They are also the number one 
group in voter turnout and contact with legislators.  There is a 
direct connection between legislator contact and positive legislative 
results.