Key Dear Colleague Letters of Recent

Several “Dear Colleague” letters are currently circulating regarding FY09 funding for: NSF; Math and Science Partnerships at the Department of Education; and for the Office of Science at DOE. We encourage readers to consider contacting Congress if you would like your member of Congress to sign onto any of the following (please note that letters sent by a given chamber can only be signed by members within that chamber):

1. HOUSE, NSF FUNDING: Letter from Representatives Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Bob Inglis (R-SC) and Brian Baird (D-WA) requesting funding for NSF at $7.326 billion (deadline for co-signers: March 12th).

2. SENATE, NSF FUNDING: Letter from Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Senator Christopher ("Kit") Bond (R-MO) requesting funding for NSF at $6.85 billion, the amount requested by the Administration (deadline for co-signers: tomorrow, March 7th).

3. HOUSE, MSP FUNDING AT DEPT. OF EDUCATION: Letter from Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) requesting at least $450 million in funding for the Math and Science Partnerships program at the Department of Education (deadline for co-signers: March 12th).

4. SENATE, OFFICE OF SCIENCE FUNDING AT DOE: Letter from Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) requesting at least $4.722 billion in funding for the Office of Science at DOE, the amount requested by the Administration (deadline for co-signers not given, though likely the sooner the better).

Go here to find your Representative in the House, and here to find your Senator.

Update: Two more Dear Colleague letters for your consideration:

1. HOUSE, JAVITS GIFTED AND TALENTED FUNDING: Letter from Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA) and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) requesting funding for the Javits Gifted and Talented program be restored to the FY02 level of $11.25 million (deadline for co-signers: March 12th).

2. HOUSE, PARTNERSHIP FOR ACCESS TO LABORATORY SCIENCE (PALS) FUNDING: Letter from Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) requesting funding for the PALS program at the authorized amount of $5 million (deadline for co-signers not given, though likely the sooner the better).