"There is an awful lot that the governmentcould be doing to support new technology forhelping the manufacturing base," Matthews says."Jobs are the bottom line. As Senator [Barbara A.]Mikulski [(R-Md.)] says `I'm not forredistributing wealth, I'm for creating wealth.'"

Mikulski is the ranking minority member of theVeterans' Affairs, Housing and Urban Developmentand Indepednent Agencies Subcommittee of theSenate Appropriations Committee.

Privatization of government programs has beenstrongly supported by many Republicans, includingPressler.

"We are in favor of privatization if it isconsistant with the public interest," Whitsettsays. "The Shuttle program and the NationalWeather Service are good examples of when it makessense to privatize."

Making the Case for Research

President Rudenstine says he spends a greatdeal of time talking to people in Washingtonface-to-face or on the phone.

"The money saved, in the long term, inprevention is so much greater than the researchcosts," Rudenstine says. "Research is a very goodinvestment in terms of cost-effectiveness."

Other administrators share Rudenstine's view.

"Cutting research would be a disaster forRepublicans in this country," says Provost AlCarnesale. "It is important for people tounderstand the role of the government and theuniversity. We are working with others in academiaand industry to get the word out."

And some high-ranking government officials seemto agree. David A. Kessler, commissioner of theFood and Drug Administration (FDA), says basicresearch has direct benefits for the Americanpeople.

"There is no question in the corelation of thelab bench to the bedside," says Kessler, who is aMedical School graduate.

"We do recognize the considerable role basicbiomedical research has on all the new, excitingproducts that we have the opportunity to see.Basic research is the major driving force."

Hope for Science?

Some might fear Congress has already handeddown its judgment. But not everything has beendecided yet.

"I don't think we'll see most programs'individual budgets defined until late in theyear," Weimer says. "The budget resolutions [Whichwere recently passed] only lay out the agenda inbroad scale."