Latest news with #BillFoster
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
On Capitol Hill, Community Colleges Raise NSF, Science Policy Concerns
Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) and Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) speak during a Capitol Hill briefing hosted by New ... More America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy initiative and the American Association of Community Colleges warning against National Science Foundation cuts' impact on community college training for STEM and emerging technology fields. The Trump administration's proposal to cut the U.S. National Science Foundation budget by 56% has invoked concerns from universities - but they are hardly the only constituency bucking the move. Over the past few months, push back from national security experts, Republican lawmakers, industry groups, and economists alike have urged the administration to shift course on its science policy direction. Increasingly, community colleges are speaking out, too. On June 3, New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy initiative and the American Association for Community Colleges held a joint briefing on Capitol Hill titled, 'Not Just Universities: How NSF Funding Opens Community College Pathways to the Future of Work and the American Dream.' The briefing was sponsored by the bipartisan Congressional R&D Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Bill Foster, a Democrat from Illinois, and Rep. Jim Baird, a Republican from Indiana. The briefing featured research from New America around the role of the NSF in supporting capacity-building of community colleges around advanced and emerging technology fields that the administration has proclaimed as a White House priority. Community college graduates, presidents and administrators, and employer partners shared front-line experiences accounting for the NSF's support for workforce development and education in emerging industries. Judy Marouf, a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College, shared about her experiences in an NSF-funded product design incubator while a student which gave her tools to design and pitch a mobile app from mentorship to public speaking skills. David Shahoulian, Director of Workforce and Governmental Policy at Intel, vouched for the NSF from a business lens. Speaking on the panel, Shahoulian called the NSF a 'great taxpayer investment' because of the funding that the private sector matches to create programs that meet their needs, but also have a public benefit. In addition to its direct investments in community college AI education, Intel has co-invested with NSF in workforce training, alongside other industry partners such as Micron and GlobalFoundries. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), co-chair of the Congressional R&D Caucus, addresses attendees of a briefing ... More held by New America and the American Association of Community Colleges. Push-back from Community Colleges to NSF Budget Cuts It was the second Congressional briefing held on the topic this year alone, following a February briefing hosted by New America, the Association of Community College Trustees hosted in partnership with the bipartisan Congressional Community College Caucus, co-chaired by Reps. Gus Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, and Joe Courtney, a Democrat from Connecticut. Increasingly, community colleges are key to President Trump's science and technology policy vision which emphasizes global leadership in emerging technologies, including in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. While technological leadership will require a strong PhD-level workforce comprised of scientists and top-flight engineers, speakers were united in warning lawmakers of the ramifications of NSF budget cuts on skilled technical workforce development, or job preparation for STEM and emerging technology workers requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor's degree. Community colleges are best known as affordable and accessible training destinations for healthcare, manufacturing, and skilled trades, as research from New America has pointed out, they are increasingly expanding education relating to advanced and emerging industries, often bolstered by NSF funding. Gutting the NSF would hamstring that training for students and hurt employers on the cutting-edge of the innovation economy, panelists warned. On the heels of the NSF's FY 2026 Budget Request to Congress which detailed a 75% cut to the NSF's STEM education directorate in addition to an overall halving of the agency budget, speakers emphasized the differentiated role of NSF funding compared to other workforce funding programs. Daniel Phelan, President of Jackson College in Michigan, described how NSF funding allowed his college to strengthen its internal infrastructure for advanced industries, including blockchain technologies. 'This kind of funding is unique,' Phelan said, 'unlike general operational dollars or categorical state aid, NSF-ATE grants are strategic and catalytic. They drive us to collaborate closely with industry, adapt our curriculum in real time, and deliver tangible outcomes for students, for employers, and for the broader economy.' Phelan urged appropriators in both the Senate and the House to support no less than $9.9 billion in NSF funding for the coming fiscal year, closer to the NSF's current funding levels. Tony Wohlers, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at SUNY Corning Community College, added that 'NSF is facilitating that mission we are seeking in terms of helping our students be successful, giving them the knowledge and skills to be successful in the workforce and ultimately contribute to a better place to live for all of us.' At SUNY Corning, a successful optics program made possible by NSF resources is helping the community thrive economically and promoting national security at the same time. Congressional leaders will make difficult decisions in response to the administration's proposed science policy direction and funding requests. As the briefing made clear: community colleges and workforce pathways to STEM fields stand to lose much more from the anticipated NSF budget cuts than lawmakers initially suspected.
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Trump's science cuts are great news — for other countries
Of all the questionable things President Trump has done recently — such as starting trade wars with traditional U.S. allies, threatening to invade friendly countries and pushing for bills that would balloon the U.S. deficit — one of the most important, yet least discussed, is his defunding of U.S. science programs. Since the start of his second term on Jan. 20, Trump has set in motion the most sweeping cuts to scientific research in modern U.S. history, including public grants for research into Alzheimer's, cancer and other major diseases. In addition to cutting research funds for leading U.S. universities, such as Harvard and Princeton, Trump's 2026 budget has led to the planned layoffs of thousands of scientists at some of the world's leading scientific institutions. Many U.S. scientists are now moving to Canada and Europe, where leaders in France and other countries have already opened their doors —and their budgets— to America's scientific refugees. A White House document proposing the 2026 budget calls for a 57% reduction for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports basic research in science and engineering, from $9 billion to $3.9 billion. It also calls for a 40% cut in the funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's biggest public funder of biomedical research, from $47 billion to $27 billion. To put these figures in perspective, Trump's 'Big, beautiful bill,' which was close to being passed by Congress at the time of this writing, included $45 billion in new funds to build detention facilities — critics call them 'concentration camps' — for undocumented immigrants. As I have shown in previous columns, most current immigration detainees are not violent criminals, but hard-working people seeking a better life. Already, the NIH has canceled more than 2,400 research projects, the respected journal Nature reported on June 27. Trump's budget cuts to U.S. science are 'unprecedented,' and could have 'catastrophic effects,' Nature said in an earlier report on May. 15. The Trump administration says the NIH, NSF, NASA and other government-funded scientific institutions were rife with waste and politically-motivated 'woke' programs, and needed to be made more efficient. Many grants were awarded under non-scientific diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) requirements that the Trump administration has now terminated, administration officials say. But most scientists say that, while there's probably some degree of waste in any large organization, Trump's budget cuts are a catastrophic overreaction. The administration is killing research programs that could save millions of lives in America and around the world, as well as crippling U.S. innovation in cutting-edge industries. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Illinois, the only member of Congress with a PhD in physics, told me in an interview that 'Trump is wrecking American science.' He added, 'I understand why you would have to cut things, including science. But this is done in a very sloppy and, frankly, stupid way.' Trump's budget cutters have simply looked for science programs that had the terms 'diversity,' or 'inclusion' somewhere in their paperwork, regardless of their merit, critics say. In many cases, such words were just included pro forma in top-quality scientific research programs. Foster told me he already knows of cases in which professors working on five-year research programs have just learned that their last year of funding is being cut off. They have had to lay off their research teams, leading many scientists to seek jobs abroad. 'Right now, America is bleeding scientific talent,' Foster told me. While much of the U.S. scientific leadership was built thanks to European scientists who moved to America in World War II, such as Nobel laureate Albert Einstein, the reverse trend is taking place now, he added. Indeed, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently announced a $566 million plan at Sorbonne University to lure U.S. science refugees. The program is officially called 'Choose Europe for Science.' In an obvious reference to the United States, Macron said at the announcement ceremony that 'Nobody could imagine a few years ago that one of the great democracies of the world would eliminate research programs on the pretext that the word 'diversity' appeared in its program,' according to a New York Times report. When I asked Foster why he thinks Trump is crippling America's scientific programs, he said, 'I think he's trying to achieve popularity with his base, which comes largely from rural areas.' He added that people living in rural areas may not be fully aware of the benefits of science, and are more likely to blame intellectuals and scientists for the country's problems. Maybe so. But whatever the reason, crippling U.S. science will have dire consequences. America will pay not just in lost discoveries, but in lost lives, lost leadership and a diminished future for generations to come. Don't miss the 'Oppenheimer Presenta' TV show on Sundays at 9 pm E.T. on CNN en Español. Blog:
01-07-2025
- Politics
Nuclear physicist in Congress talks GOP budget bill, strikes on Iran nuke sites
Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., the only Ph.D. nuclear physicist serving in Congress, joins ABC News and shares his unique perspective as the world waits for the official Iranian damage assessment. July 1, 2025
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US lawmakers introduce bill to stop smuggling of Nvidia's AI chips to China
A bipartisan group of eight US lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that would require makers of artificial intelligence (AI) chips such as Nvidia to include technology to verify the location of their chips before exporting them. Advertisement The Chip Security Act introduced in the US House of Representatives aims to address reports of US export-controlled AI chips being smuggled into China. US officials across presidential administrations have sought to clamp down on their export to China, but news organisations have documented how some of those chips have continued to flow. 'In order for the United States to maintain our technological advantage, we must employ safeguards to help ensure export controls are not being circumvented, allowing these advanced AI chips to fall into the hands of nefarious actors,' Representative Bill Huizenga, a Michigan Republican who introduced the House bill, said in a statement. 01:38 China a 'key market', says Nvidia CEO Huang during Beijing visit as US bans AI chips China a 'key market', says Nvidia CEO Huang during Beijing visit as US bans AI chips Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, introduced a similar bill in the US Senate last week. The House bill was co-led by Representative Bill Foster, an Illinois Democrat, who was a physicist before becoming a legislator and designed several of his own chips during his scientific career.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bipartisan House lawmakers propose bill to ‘stop smuggling' of AI chips
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday aimed at preventing the smuggling of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to unauthorized locations. The bill comes amid a broader effort in Washington to curb competition with China and prevent U.S.-made tech from ending up in the hands of adversaries. The legislation, titled the Chips Security Act, would require companies to ensure the location-verification abilities of their high-end AI chips and to report when a product has been diverted or changed location. It follows recent reports of increased smuggling of chips, including those made by Nvidia, into China despite tight export controls. It also would mandate that the Commerce secretary evaluate security measures to prevent the misuse or diversion of chips and give the secretary enforcement capabilities. The bill was introduced by Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) 'As Congress's chip designer, AI programmer, and Ph.D. physicist, I know that we have the technical tools to prevent powerful AI technology from getting into the wrong hands,' Foster said Thursday. It comes nearly a week after Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) unveiled similar legislation in the upper chamber. Earlier this week, the Commerce Department officially rescinded the Biden administration's AI diffusion rule that would have placed caps on chip sales to most countries around the world. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said the Biden-era rule, which was supposed to go into effect Thursday, would 'have stifled American innovation and saddled companies with burdensome new regulatory requirements.' The BIS said it plans to issue a replacement rule in the future. Several technology companies including Microsoft and Nvidia urged President Trump to loosen the rule once he was back in office. Concerns over China's AI development ramped up earlier this year after the Chinese AI company DeepSeek released a high-performing model for a fraction of the cost of American-made models. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
