Six Leading Computing Organizations Call on Congress to Fully Fund the CHIPS and Science Act, Bringing Computing Research Advocacy to Capitol Hill

By Matt Hazenbush, Director of Communications

On September 12, 2024, computing researchers participating in CRA’s annual Congressional Visit Day took to Capitol Hill armed with a crucial message: fully fund the CHIPS and Science Act. 

This year’s visit day coincided with the release of a letter from six leading computing organizations — the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Computing Research Association (CRA), IEEE-USA, the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), and USENIX — urging Congress to fulfill the research funding levels authorized in the 2022 legislation.

 

 

During their meetings with Congressional offices, participants presented the letter, emphasizing the urgent need to support research agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). They highlighted how federal investments in computing research are essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in critical fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and high-performance computing.

Tracy Camp, CRA’s Executive Director and CEO, underscored the importance of these investments in CRA’s statement accompanying the letter:

“The nation’s leaders need to rise to this challenge. If the United States wants to be a world leader in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, high performance computing, and many other scientific fields, fulfilling the promises made in the CHIPS and Science Act is a vital step toward doing that.”

Participants of CRA’s Congressional Visit Day, held from September 11-12, received expert training on how to effectively engage with Congressional offices and make the case for computing research. On the evening of September 11, they were briefed on the letter and prepared to discuss it during their meetings the following day. This training included strategies for presenting the local and national importance of computing research to members of Congress and their staff.

Nancy Amato, CRA’s Chair of the Board of Directors, expressed the long-term significance of these meetings:

“The nation is in serious danger of falling behind our competitor nations in several research fields, especially in the computing and IT fields. Without these vital investments in research, the United States runs the risk of falling behind and becoming a second-rate scientific power in the world.”

The participants’ advocacy efforts reinforced the critical role of the NSF, which provides 78 percent of all federal support for fundamental computing research at U.S. universities. The conversations in these meetings highlighted how such investments fuel breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and a range of other fields, while also preparing the next generation of computing researchers.

CRA’s Congressional Visit Day is held every September and provides an opportunity for computing researchers to become advocates for federally supported computing research. Participants engage with policymakers to highlight the importance of continued investment in computing research and its role in driving innovation, job creation, and national security.

For more information on CRA’s Congressional Visit Day and how to participate in future events, visit the Congressional Visit Day webpage on cra.org.