The Stimulus Package Is Leaning To Scientific Research & Not Shovel Ready Projects?

[KittyWampus]

that is the discussion as I heard it on the radio today. But surveying news links from today most discussion seems to say the opposite (more money to shovel ready projects).

Time will tell. But I am kind of sick of reading DU'ers saying how they are unhappy with the stimulus package but have no actual idea where the money is going.

Looking for stories to back this up on Google I found some older articles and will keep looking. I'd love to see any more current info that let's us know what the money will be going toward.

Obama's 2009 stimulus package to grant $16 billion in R&D funding
by Marisa Olivia | January 18, 2009 at 03:38 pm

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has estimated that, of the $850 billion economic stimulus package drafted by the incoming Congress and Obama administration, nearly two percent will go to research and development in the sciences.

Of the almost $16 billion appropriated to R&D:

$9.9 billion will go toward the conduct of research and development (mainly basic research)
$3.4 billion will fund R&D facilities and large research equipment
$2.5 billion will go toward non-R&D, but science- and technology-related, funding

Among the organizations receiving the most funding are the National Institute of Health ($3.6 billion), National Science Foundation ($3 billion), the Department of Energy's Office of Science ($2 billion), and the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology ($520 million).

It will be interesting to see how science and technology R&D is truly expected to aid (or not) economic recovery. The allocations would suggest that it will be the construction itself that is expected to do so. By comparison, according to the Washington Post, nearly 40 percent of the stimulus package will go towards health care and education.

.........................................................

The Science Coalition applauds House economic stimulus package proposal
Statement from Bill Andresen, president, the Science Coalition

Bill Andresen, President of the Science Coalition (TSC) issued the following statement today in response to the House Appropriations Committee economic stimulus package proposal:

"The Science Coalition applauds the House for recognizing the vital need to include research funding in the economic stimulus and recovery efforts. Funding for targeted federal research programs will have the immediate impact of creating jobs and stimulating economic activity in communities across the country. This is an example that we hope the Senate will eventually follow.

"Specifically, we applaud President-elect Obama, Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Representative Obey (D-WI) for their leadership in supporting scientific research funding. Basic research, which is conducted at universities across the country, is an investment that drives our economy and helps us compete in the global marketplace. Today's release of the House economic stimulus package proposal demonstrates that policymakers understand funding for scientific research is an investment, not an expense."

[glowing]

1. Yes, we do need R&D. It is vital... We also need a modern transportation

system, modern sewer and water systems, modern electric grids, and modern access to the internet. Most of the systems that are in place were once put there back in the day, and now are just duck taped together. It is imperative that we become modernized in these areas. R&D goes hand in hand in many of these intances in considerations with water systems, bridges, highspeed rail, impact studies, and electric modernizations to get us off of our carbon dependency.

[Muttocracy]

2. I think this is a summary of it

haven't read it yet, and don't know if it's changed since then

http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary01-15-09.pdf