MAY 1997 the AMERICAN P Hysicalnews SOCIETY VOLUME 6, NO 5
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FEATURING A P S N E W S APSMAY 1997 THE AMERICAN P HYSICALNews SOCIETY VOLUME 6, NO 5 Congressional Members Respond to Joint Society Statement umerous Congressional dent to renew America’s historical com- impossible to maintain the United the next generation in a position to N representatives have endorsed the mitment to scientific research and States’ position as the technological enjoy a robust, growing economy.” Joint Society Statement calling for an education. It was drafted in response leader of the world,” he said, pointing Lieberman also said that the nation’s across-the-board increase of 7% in to the decline in research funding for out that Japan and Germany have spent current prosperity, intellectual leader- research funding, released in early four straight years. President Clinton’s a larger share of their GDP on research ship in science and medicine, and the March by leading scientific, FY 98 budget request for science again and development than the U.S. growth of entire new industries are di- mathematical and engineering falls behind inflation and behind the Brown also praised scientists for rectly linked to federal investments societies, including the APS (see APS overall increase of the budget. speaking out and announced his in- made 30 years ago. He praised Gramm’s News, April 1997). Senator Phil Gramm Gramm urged scientists to contact tention to introduce legislation calling bill, but said it should encompass ap- (R-TX), Senator Joseph Lieberman (D- their own senators on behalf of his bill, for an increase of 5% per year in non- plied research, and called for an end CT) and Representative George Brown entitled the National Research Invest- defense R&D, lest continued to partisan conflicts, in order to best (D-CA) all expressed their support of ment Act (S.124), which aims at under-investment in science lead to a identify areas in need of federal sup- the statement, and Gramm and Brown doubling the federal investment in ba- less prosperous future. “Economists port. “I believe it is a mistake to separate both have proposed bills calling for sic research in 10 years — a estimate that as much as half of our research into two warring camps,” he increased investment in basic research. commitment he deems critically impor- Nation’s economic growth in the last said. “Rather, the research enterprise The joint statement, signed by the tant to the nation’s future. “If we do hundred years is due to technological represents a broad spectrum of human presidents of more than 20 major orga- not restore the high priority once af- innovations,” he said. “Just as we have activity with basic and applied science nizations representing more than one forded science and technology in the a generational obligation to balance the at either end, but not in opposition. million engineers, mathematicians and federal budget and increase federal in- budget and not make the next genera- Every component along the spectrum scientists, urged Congress and the Presi- vestment in research, it will be tion pay for our consumption, we also produces returns: economic, social and have an obligation to continue to in- intellectual gains for the society as a vest in those programs that will leave whole.” INSIDE THE BELTWAY INTERNATIONAL NEWS Paralytic Federalitis CIFS Rallies to Aid of Cuban Scientists Denied U.S. Visas by Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs In March, the APS Committee on the seph Birman, a professor at the City Science finally made it onto the Washington radar screen, only to find the airport International Freedom of Scientists College of New York. all but shut down. Congress has been in a monumental funk since it convened (CIFS) embarked on a letter-writing Lerch believes the blanket refusals almost four months ago. And at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, where the campaign on behalf of several Cuban were based on the fact that all univer- Lincoln Bedroom has remained largely vacant for the first time in two years, a scientists denied visas to attend scien- sity professors and researchers are bunker mentality seems to prevail. These days only Wendy’s is offering up any tific conferences in the U.S. Letters were essentially employees of the Cuban beef, and inside the Beltway, Hale-Bopp has a monopoly on the vision thing. sent to the U.S. Interest Section in Ha- government. However, these same Call it “paralytic federalitis”: it has its genesis in deviant fundraising practices vana and to State Department officials, strict standards are not applied to Chi- and deep fiscal phobias, and it has spread through Washington like a conta- and APS President D. Allan Bromley nese scientists applying for similar visas, gious disease, affecting leaders in both political parties in the process. (Yale University) issued a personal ap- which would essentially forbid scien- House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was hit with a stern reprimand and a peal to Secretary of State Madeleine tific exchanges with that country. The $300,000 penalty by the House Ethics Committee in January, has all but van- Albright advocating for the free circu- denials “constitute a debilitating intru- ished from the congressional scene, leading some vocal critics in his own party lation of scientists. sion into the free and open exchange to call for his resignation. But so far the House Republican leadership has According to Mr. Andrew Simkin, a on which the U.S. and international sci- presented a united front in his defense, and no one with serious credentials has consular section officer at the U.S. In- entific communities are absolutely stepped forward to replace him. terest Section, located in the Swiss dependent,” he said. “If our important President Clinton, who has made a career of rebounding from certain defeat, is Embassy in Havana, the scientists were research universities and major scien- facing the prospects of yet another resurrection, one that may make the physical denied visas in accordance with the 1985 tific conferences are to be closed to therapy for his torn tendon seem like a trivial matter. It is not yet clear whether the Immigration and Nationality Act speci- international collaboration and dis- Administration broke any laws in its zeal to raise money for the 1996 campaign, but fying that employees of the Cuban course, we will suffer inestimable the fallout from the accusations and the perceptions of improprieties have tied up government and Cuban Communist damage to our credibility and, ulti- the White House in political knots since the inauguration. Party members should not be granted mately, to our domestic scientific Even Vice President Al Gore and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott have seen visas to enter the U.S. without permis- enterprise.” the luster of their squeaky clean images sullied somewhat. The Vice President, sion of the Department of State. In his letter to Albright, Bromley (Continued on page 2) According to Irving Lerch, APS di- noted that the U.S. has always adhered rector of international scientific affairs, to the International Council of Scien- the scientists in question are a group tific Unions statutes guaranteeing free IN THIS ISSUE of five quantum chemists from the Uni- circulation of scientists, an organization versity of Havana, led by Luis Alberto that can, and in the past, has made it Congressional Members Respond to Joint Society Statement ....................... 1 Montero Cabrera, seeking admission to impossible for international scientific INSIDE THE BELTWAY .................................................................................. 1 the U.S. to visit Clark Atlanta Univer- meetings to be scheduled in countries International News ......................................................................................... 1 sity in Atlanta, Georgia, and the that violated its statutes. Hence, “The New Staff Brings Expertise to APS Meetings, Education, Outreach .............. 2 University of Florida before attending visa denials are not only disappointing White House Taps Panel of Experts on Energy R&D ..................................... 2 the Sanibel Island Symposium on to meeting organizers and applicants IN BRIEF ........................................................................................................ 3 Quantum Chemistry, during which they alike, but also are detrimental to Ameri- Physicists to be Honored at PAC’97 ............................................................... 3 are scheduled to give a presentation can science,” Bromley wrote. “The APS Reaffirms 1981 Statement on Creationism ............................................ 3 on their research. Carlo Trallero-Giner credibility of the U.S. as host to impor- 1996 Annual Report ....................................................................................... 4 of the University of Havana has also tant international meetings would be Letters ............................................................................................................ 6 been denied an entrance visa. He is an seriously damaged… Free exchange of Announcements ............................................................................................. 7 expert on semiconductor nanostructure information is essential to the health The Back Page ............................................................................................... 8 systems who is seeking to collaborate and vitality of our domestic and inter- APS Meeting News ................................................................................. Insert on joint theoretical