Rep. Blake Moore’s Independence Day newsletter featured his visit to the Natural History Museum of Utah with his two young kids, where they “were blown away by the exhibits and educational materials.”
Soon after his visit, he voted in favor of President Trump’s budget bill. The Republican budget bill will more than halve the support for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the entity that funds the type of basic scientific research and education for which the museum is known.
For example, in fiscal year 2023, the NSF awarded nearly $80 million in support to academic institutions in Utah. Expenditures for basic science and medical research account for about 1% of the federal budget and have consistently provided strong returns on investment. In Utah, these funds support the scientific development of countless undergraduate and graduate students and help drive scientific innovation that contributes to the vitality of the state’s economy.
Let us hope that the next time Rep. Moore heaps praise on a scientific institution in Utah he will put his money where his mouth is.
John Mull, Eden
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