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December 28, 2006

The Honorable Judy Biggert
United States House of Representatives
1034 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-1313
FAX: 202-225-3515

Dear Representative Biggert:

I am writing to thank you for your proactive effort in restoring and improving funding for the High Energy Physics 
program which is administered through the Department of Energy Office of Science and the National Science 
Foundation.  The letter you sent, along with Senators Durbin and Obama, to the Director of OMB is an important 
step in making others aware of the funding crisis facing basic research and development.  I am hopeful that your 
leadership in this respect will begin a nationwide dialog about the importance of fundamental research and 
education in the physical sciences.  

We are all familiar with the strong connection between basic research and economic growth, a connection that 
other countries have also accepted and are acting upon vigorously.  The FY08 funding cuts that Fermilab is facing 
pose a major problem to the state of Illinois, but they also pose a major problem to our nation as a whole.  The 
erosion of infrastructure for fundamental research is proceeding at a very high rate, and the United States is 
losing its position as the worldwide leader in science and technology.  The cuts in the FY08 appropriation will 
hinder the efforts of more than two-thousand researchers from across the nation and around the world that carry 
out their work at Fermilab.  Research at national laboratories like Fermilab is also responsible for educating the 
next generation in science, math, engineering and technology.  Just last year, over 110 PhD students got their 
degrees using data from Fermilab - this number is 10% of all the PhD's in physics in the United States.  As we 
continue to carry out international projects, it is important that the United States provides a funding profile that 
permits us to continue to participate and lead these projects.

We are extremely appreciative of the bipartisan initiatives which have recognized the important of basic research 
in the physical sciences.  To date, these initiatives have not been able to maintain or improve the funding situation 
for basic research and development in the United States.  Since this is a problem that directly relates to our 
country's leadership in high technology, I am very hopeful that the leadership shown by you, Senator Durbin and 
Senator Obama will gather support from your colleagues.  We must recognize that this is not only a problem for 
the state of Illinois, it is a problem for the United States.  I have written my representatives and urged them to join 
you in this effort.

Thank you once again for leading our nation on this important issue.  

Sincerely,


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