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President Barack Obama's Addresses National Academy Of Sciences, Pledges To Boost Science
April 27, 2009 10:16 a.m. EST
Linda Young - AHN Editor
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - President Barack Obama addressed members of the National Academy of Sciences at a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Monday.
In his opening remarks Obama referred to the beginning of the organization. President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act creating the National Academy of Sciences during the Civil War, shortly before the pivotal battle at Gettysburg, at a time when the future of the nation was uncertain.
Obama told the group that in these uncertain times, despite the ongoing recession, America still needed to invest in science to go beyond merely surviving to seeking out new frontiers, according to a transcript of his prepared remarks provided by the White House.
He summed up the ironic challenges that America now faces.
"Today, of course, we face more complex set of challenges than we ever have before: a medical system that holds the promise of unlocking new cures and treatments - attached to a health care system that holds the potential to bankrupt families and businesses. A system of energy that powers our economy - but also endangers our planet. Threats to our security that seek to exploit the very interconnectedness and openness so essential to our prosperity. And challenges in a global marketplace which links the derivative trader on Wall Street to the homeowner on Main Street, the office worker in America to the factory worker in China - a marketplace in which we all share in opportunity, but also in crisis," Obama said.
He continued by telling the group what he thinks it is important to do concerning science in today's troubled times.
"At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science. That support for research is somehow a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been. And if there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared stake in science and research, it's today," the president said.
Obama reminded the group that federal funding for science as a percentage of the nation's gross domestic product has fallen by nearly one-half over the past 25 years. And that students from other countries consistently outperform U.S. students with American 15-year-olds ranking 25th in math and 21st in science compared to students worldwide.
He pledged to do more to boost science and reminded the group that his administration and the U.S. Congress has already begun doing so through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Obama explained that investments in science are often slow to pay off, which is why private business often doesn't fund much scientific research, But when scientific research pays off, it usually provides a general benefit to everyone, which, Obama said, is why more government investment is needed.
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