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* U N I V E R S I T Y F U S I O N A S S O C I A T I O N
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* News and Information
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. SOLICITATION FOR SUPPORT OF DOE OFFICE OF SCIENCE RESEARCH

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1. Support for DOE Office of Science Research
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As most of us are aware, funding for the physical sciences is likely to be under increasing pressure given the constraints on federal discretionary spending. There are many examples of grassroots action effecting a better funding outcome for science and other areas. One such effort is that described below, and I'm forwarding the message it in the hopes that you will act on it and get others to act upon it. Funding for all physical sciences, including fusion science, for the next few years may significantly benefit from your action.

Support DOE Office of Science Research

As you are likely aware, there is continuing downward
pressure on federally supported research, particularly in the areas
supported by the DOE Office of Science. (For supporting information see
http://www.aaas.org/).

Thousands of letters can have a big impact.

Please take a few minutes to draft a letter in support of the research
programs within the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Below is an
outline to help you draft your own letter, in your own words.
Please encourage your friends, family, and other contacts to draft their
own individual letters as well.

PLEASE DO NOT USE GOVERNMENT-OWNED COMPUTERS OR FAX MACHINES TO WRITE
LETTERS OR TO DISTRIBUTE THIS NOTICE. A LETTER RECEIVED BEFORE
THANKSGIVING WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE; BEFORE CHRISTMAS IS CRITICAL!

For the biggest impact, send your letter [on your personal letterhead,
from your personal address] to:

The Honorable Jacob Lew
Director
Office of Management and Budget
Old Executive Office Building
17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 252
Washington, D.C. 20503

If you have time to send copies to others, it would be valuable to
include:

The Honorable Neal F. Lane
Assistant to the President
for Science and Technology
Old Executive Office Building
17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 424
Washington, D.C. 20502
The Honorable Bill Richardson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
Forrestal Building
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 7A-257
Washington, D.C. 20585-1000

Your two U.S. Senators (Washington, D.C. Office)*
Your Member of Congress (Washington, D.C. Office)*-

(Send a letter to both the Member of Congress who represents your home and
the Member who represents your place of work-if different).

*You can get the correct spelling and address of your Senators/Member of
Congress by going to http://congress.nw.dc.us/nyt/ going to the
Congressional Directory and then using the zip code search.

Sample Letter Outline
(It will actually be most effective if you do not use the phrases here
exactly.)

o Overview - say it right up front: As you consider the federal budget
for fiscal year 2001, I urge you to support increased funding for the
programs within the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science. I
appreciate your support for these important programs.

o I am concerned about current budget plans which indicate that
funding for Science within the DOE will be reduced. To remain a strong
and successful program, the funding for DOE Science must not only
increase, but it must increase significantly faster than the rate of
inflation, for example as described by the Frist and Wilson bills before
Congress, which call for a doubling of federal research investment over
time.

o By making basic research a priority, the United States will
continue to be a world leader in scientific discoveries and innovative
technologies. [Here, you may want to mention briefly a recent
innovation or discovery that occurred at your facility or within your
program.] Substantial investment in basic scientific research spurs
economic growth and improves our standard of living.

o I encourage you to support all of the programs within DOE's Office
of Science, including Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy
Sciences, Fusion Energ Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research,
Fusion Energy Sciences, and High Energy and Nuclear Physics. All of these
programs are important in developing a broad based research portfolio.
(It will be most effective if you are broad based in your statement of
support.)

o Specifically, I want to explain the importance of the . . .
[Mention a few sentences about the DOE science program(s) you are most
interested in and give some supporting sentences on why your specific
program(s) and all of the science programs should be supported at an
increased funding level. You should be forthcoming about your personal
involvement in any areas you advocate, and supportive of all areas of
DOE Science.]

o Again, thank you for your support for these important DOE
Office of Science programs. End by saying "Please contact me if you have
any questions."

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