1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

According to the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Europe will spend €1 Billion in 10-year-long megaproject that will go beyond quantum computing and cryptography to advance other emerging technologies. In the meantime, the Trump administration is hellbent to defunding science and technology development in our country. Basic research is under threat in the NIH, NSF, and other sources of funding for research in the USA. Indirect costs, which are significant to the work of many grant receiving scientists has been slashed down. The NSF has announced plans to lay off between 25% and 50% of its staff to comply with the administration’s directives for federal workforce reductions. These measures have raised concerns about the future of scientific research and innovation in the United States. Will you stand up to protect the development of science and technology in America? Or will you engage in rubber stamping the near-sighted actions that will put us at a disadvantage with the rest of the world? The way the Trump administration is handling its mission to cut costs and to reduce the size of the federal government will ensure that America will be last, not first. We need you to stand up and take action in defense of the future of this country.