Science
As the only PhD physicist in Congress, I know firsthand the great contributions science has made to our country. The United States is a leader in innovation and federally funded scientific research has improved the quality of life for millions of people around the world. Federal investments in science are the foundation of our economy and have led to breakthroughs in lifesaving medicines. We need to sustain funding for research and development so that we can solve the most important problems of this generation and the next.
Currently, we have an aging population that will require high-quality medical care to live fulfilling lives. The cost of care for diseases, including Alzheimer’s and diabetes, will increase exponentially. Long-term medical care will cost Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of billions of dollars each year. However, investment in medical research offers hope for those suffering from disease and reduces costs for federal taxpayers.
My Work on Science
The sweeping spending bill passed by Congress this month includes nearly $370 billion for energy and climate reform, making it the largest federal clean energy investment in the nation's history. Local environmental advocates and representatives say Illinois is uniquely positioned to take advantage of it.
Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Inflation Reduction Act:
“Today, I was proud to vote to send the Inflation Reduction Act to President Biden’s desk. This historic legislation will cut costs for Illinois families, tackle the climate crisis, and reduce drug costs. And, since it is fully paid for by ensuring large corporations pay a minimum tax rate and cracking down on tax cheats, it will reduce our nation’s debt.
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) released the following statement after President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law:
“The CHIPS and Science Act is a historic triumph for American science and technological competitiveness, and I’m proud of the bipartisan work we did in Congress to get it to President Biden’s desk,” Foster said. “This law will boost domestic supply chains to lower costs for families and make critical investments to ensure our country leads the way in technological development for generations to come.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CHIPS and Science Act:
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and local congressmen visited Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont Monday to mark the completion of a new facility that will allow a closer look at clean energy sources such as electric vehicle batteries and nuclear energy materials.
"I'm so honored to be here and honored to be here representing an administration that very much believes in science," Granholm said during her visit.
US lawmakers have warned that fake research papers risk compromising trust in the entire scientific system, as artificial intelligence (AI) makes it ever easier for so-called paper mills to fool journals into accepting made up articles.
Some estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of fake papers could exist in the human genomics literature alone. Paper mills have also managed to impersonate guest journal editors to wave through hundreds of their own fraudulent articles.
Building a robot that can throw Frisbees into a bin is one thing, but that was not what impressed U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm the most.
“You are looking outside just building the robot,” Granholm said to the high school-age students, part of a robot-building team at the APS Academy in downtown Aurora.
The students had just told her that in addition to their robot, they were designing an app to help people find places to recycle batteries. It even included incentives to get people to recycle alkaline batteries, and get lifetime lithium batteries instead.
WASHINGTON — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hits the Chicago area Monday with stops at Argonne National Laboratory and Hyzon Motors, which makes zero-emission vehicles, to highlight the Biden administration’s initiatives to combat climate change and spur development of clean energy.
Granholm, a former Michigan governor, made her first visit as energy secretary to the Chicago area in December, where, among other stops, she toured Fermilab in Batavia, the national particle physics and accelerator laboratory.
Washington, DC – Tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an amendment sponsored by Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) that would improve nuclear security around the world.
Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) has spent more than a decade in Congress and is the only current lawmaker to hold a PhD in physics. “One of the reasons I feel occasionally useful in Congress is actually having some background in business and technology, I have some idea of where the puck is going,’’ says the 66-year-old lawmaker representing the state’s 11th congressional district, which includes parts of five counties roughly 30 miles west of Chicago.