I know that after the crummy omnibus appropriation we got after a year of positive signs, it’s hard to get excited about the prospect of starting the whole process over again. But it was very encouraging to see the standing ovation for the President’s mention of the need to double federal funding for basic research in the physical sciences in his State of the Union remarks tonight. Here was the line that earned the ovation:

To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Last year, Congress passed legislation supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our scientific edge.
So I ask Congress to double federal support for critical basic research in the physical sciences and ensure America remains the most dynamic nation on earth. (APPLAUSE)

It’s a start. We’ll have much more budget news after the new Administration budget is released next Monday….