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Our Nation’s Leaders Must Step Up for Science

February 28, 2022

The U.S. risks falling behind if it doesn’t prioritize federal investment in research and development

The Risk

If the U.S. doesn’t bolster federal spending on research and development, it will not be ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century — climate change, the next pandemic and more. Failing to boost investment will cede global leadership on science and technology to competing countries, including China.

The Urgency

While other nations are increasing their spending on research and development, the U.S. has stalled.

  • In 1964, at the peak of the space race, federal spending on science and technology made up 1.9% of GDP. Today, it’s just 0.7%. 
  • In the U.S., the share of global research and development spending performed by all institutions — all levels of government, higher education and businesses — declined from 29% in 2010 to 27% in 2019. In contrast, China’s share increased from 15% to 22% during the same period.
  • China is on track to overtake the U.S. in total R&D spending by 2030.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics: https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb2021/figure/12

The Opportunity

The federal government has the chance to build on the success of last year’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Job Act by passing a budget that prioritizes science and technology.

  • There is already have a blueprint: 2022 funding proposals include provisions that have already been carefully considered and enjoy bipartisan support. Learn more: Read our briefing paper on a roadmap for science funding.
  • Our nation’s leaders are in the process of finalizing a plan that will provide financial incentives to semiconductor manufacturers that locate manufacturing facilities in the U.S., a necessity to avert a future chip shortage.

What’s Next

As U.S. leaders develop a federal budget for the next fiscal year, it’s critical they substantially increase investment in research and development.

The Action Committee’s projections indicate that federal science and technology spending must reach 1.4% of GDP, roughly double what it is now, for the U.S. to remain a global leader.

Join STAC for a Virtual Event on March 31. Click Image to Register.

The Science & Technology Action Committee (STAC) is a group of 25 non-profit, academic, foundation, and corporate leaders working to dramatically strengthen U.S. science and technology. The Committee is co-chaired by: Bill Novelli, Professor Emeritus and founder of Business for Impact at Georgetown University and former CEO of AARP, Sudip Parikh, CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science Family of Journals, Mary Woolley, President & CEO of Research!America, and Keith Yamamoto, Vice Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy at UCSF and Immediate Past President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).