Republicans Take Aim at Science Funding
From a literal belief in the Bible’s creation story to disdain for climate research, many Congressional Republicans show little interest in a scientific perspective. But that hasn’t stopped Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tx.), chair of the House Science Committee, from proposing that the National Science Foundation be required to certify to Congress that all the research it finances promotes national security or the economic interests of the United States. The Obama administration has pushed back, saying most members of Congress aren’t qualified to pass judgment on scientific research projects.
“Adding Congress as peer reviewers,” said John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “I think that’s a mistake.”
Elizabeth Warren’s Student Loan Proposal
With student loan debt topping $1 trillion and loan rates set to double from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing a different approach: have the federal government provide loans to students at the same interest rate it does for the nation’s largest banks – 0.75%.
“Our students are just as important to the economic recovery as our banks,” Warren said.
Conservatives have denounced Warren’s proposal, but a MoveOn.org petition backing it has received almost 450,000 signatures.
New Name for CUNY’s New Community College
CUNY’s New Community College has a new name – the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College. The renaming of the school comes on the heels of a $25 million donation from the foundation that also carries the Guttman name. The $25 million includes a $15 million gift to the New Community College, $9 million to assist community college students transferring to senior colleges and $1 million for the ASAP program.
