Sen. Jack Reed warns of consequences Rhode Island’s economy could face if proposed federal budget cuts to science and technology research are acted on. In a visit to Brown University Monday, Reed said cuts could leave Rhode Island universities and hospitals with millions lost in funding and thousands of lost jobs.
“Whether it’s at Brown, URI, or elsewhere, innovation fuels economic growth. But President Trump’s proposal to gut scientific research projects and America’s R&D budget would impede innovation and technological progress,” said Reed.
Last year, Rhode Island universities received almost $200,000 in funding through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The money has been used to fund medical and clean-energy research.
Brown University is one of the institutions to benefit from that funding. During his visit, Reed got to see various projects funded by federal grants, including a system that turns energy from ocean tides into renewable electricity.
Last week, Reed wrote President Donald Trump asking him to reconsider his fiscal 2018 budget.
