U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI), a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, today applauded the subcommittee passage of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Future Act, a bill to increase NSF research funding, which he cosponsors. Rep. Meijer offered an amendment, which was adopted unanimously, that would modify the bill to ensure students interested in degrees related to cybersecurity are eligible applicants for scholarships and fellowships under NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
“My amendment today would simply modify this bill to ensure that students interested in degrees related to cybersecurity are eligible applicants for scholarships and fellowships under NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program,” said Rep. Meijer. “This timely amendment will ensure we are promoting and encouraging students to pursue important graduate work in cybersecurity. After the recent attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and earlier SolarWinds attacks, we know that improving our cybersecurity capabilities is more important than ever, a significant national security issue, and something we need to encourage our best and brightest at home to pursue in their graduate work. I am proud to offer this amendment, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.”
Background:
NSF funds more than 25% of the total federal budget for basic research at U.S. colleges and universities. With an annual budget of $8.5 billion, NSF’s primary mission is supporting basic research at the frontiers of discovery to further our scientific knowledge. NSF also funds major research infrastructure and invests in STEM education to develop and grow our American STEM talent pipeline.
Increased funding for NSF will support ongoing efforts led by Michigan’s University Research Corridor, one of the nation’s top academic research clusters made up of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. NSF funding will ensure Michigan’s top research institutions remain global leaders in innovation.
The NSF For the Future Act would:
- Double basic NSF research funding over five years;
- Translate lab discoveries to commercial technologies by creating a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES) to improve how we apply discoveries to solving national challenges;
- Improve efforts to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers through STEM education and training; and
- Protect research from foreign theft.
