Covering the Election and Beyond

Science and technology (S&T) policy affects the ways in which we research, develop, and produce new innovations that have the potential to drastically change the way we live and interact with others.  Each day, the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch consider legislation and policies pertaining to research and development, science education, national security, energy, climate change, and dozens of other issues that could impact American citizens’ personal and economic well-being. 

The Office of Government Relations created this website to serve as a resource on presidential candidates' S&T positions and emerging issues in Congress, and the material on this site should not be viewed as an endorsement; AAAS does not endorse any candidate.

SCIENCE DEBATE 2012: QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATES

1. Innovation and the Economy. Science and technology have been responsible for over half of the growth of the U.S. economy since WWII, when the federal government first prioritized peacetime science mobilization. But several recent reports question America’s continued leadership in these vital areas. What policies will best ensure that America remains a world leader in innovation?

Obama	Romney
Double funding for key research agencies Prepare 100,000 science and math teachers over the next decade	Raise visa caps for skilled foreign workers, and offer permanent residence to foreign students graduating with advanced degrees Lower the corporate tax rate to 25 percent Require that all major regulations receive congressional approval Create Reagan Economic Zone and confront countries that steal intellectual property

2. Climate Change. The Earth’s climate is changing and there is concern about the potentially adverse effects of these changes on life on the planet. What is your position on cap-and-trade, carbon taxes, and other policies proposed to address global climate change—and what steps can we take to improve our ability to tackle challenges like climate change that cross national boundaries?

Obama

Romney

Continue to reduce US dependence on oil and lower greenhouse gas emissions Reduce the Federal Government's carbon emissions Invest in clean energy

Recognizes that climate change is happening, and human beings are major contributors; however, more research is necessary to assess the severity of the effects of global warming before the government invests billions of dollars to mitigate those consequences Opposed carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems Invest in research that is meant to result in efficient, low-emissions technologies that will maintain American leadership in emerging industries

3. Research and the Future. Federally funded research has helped to produce America’s major postwar economies and to ensure our national security, but today the UK, Singapore, China, and Korea are making competitive investments in research. Given that the next Congress will face spending constraints, what priority would you give to investment in research in your upcoming budgets?

Obama	Romney
Proposed a goal that we invest more than 3 percent of our GDP in public and private R&D Make the R&D tax credit permanent	Make the R&D tax credit permanent Make funding to federal research a priority in the budget Ensure that the private sector can capitalize on federal research

4. Pandemics and Biosecurity. Recent experiments show how Avian flu may become transmissible among mammals. In an era of constant and rapid international travel, what steps should the United States take to protect our population from emerging diseases, global pandemics and/or deliberate biological attacks?

Obama	Romney
Continue to strengthen public health systems Work with the private sector to identify America's vulnerabilities to public health threats	Invest in public health monitoring systems Encourage advancements in research and manufacturing to increase scientific understanding of new pathogens, and improve response time when they emerge

5. Education. Increasingly, the global economy is driven by science, technology, engineering and math, but a recent comparison of 15-year-olds in 65 countries found that average science scores among U.S. students ranked 23rd, while average U.S. math scores ranked 31st. In your view, why have American students fallen behind over the last three decades, and what role should the federal government play to better prepare students of all ages for the science and technology-driven global economy?

Obama	Romney
Launched a plan to establish the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Master Teacher Corps The “Educate to Innovate” program will encourage private and public organizations to collaborate to improve the quality of STEM education Prepare 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade	Allow parents to choose the right school for their children Ensure that each state has standards in place to prepare high school graduates for college or work

6. Energy. Many policy makers and scientists say energy security and sustainability are major problems facing the United States this century. What policies would you support to meet the demand for energy while ensuring an economically and environmentally sustainable future?

Obama	Romney
Proposed a Clean Energy Standard to generate 80 percent of our electricity from clean energy sources by 2035 Pursue an all-of-the-above energy approach in which we develop natural gas, wind, solar, oil, clean coal, and biofuels Promote safe and responsible development of America’s natural gas supply	Empower states to control onshore energy development Open new offshore areas to development Pursue a North American Energy Partnership so that America can benefit from its neighbors’ resources Ensure transparency and fairness in permitting and regulation processes

7. Food. Thanks to science and technology, the United States has the world's most productive and diverse agricultural sector, yet many Americans are increasingly concerned about the health and safety of our food. The use of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, as well as animal diseases and even terrorism pose risks. What steps would you take to ensure the health, safety and productivity of America's food supply?

Obama	Romney
Signed food reform that gave the FDA authority to improve food safety Set a goal to increase the number of certified organic operations by 20 percent, and decrease the amount of antibiotics used in livestock	Have the FDA work with industry, researchers, state agencies to develop guidance for controlling food-borne illness outbreaks

8. Fresh Water. Less than one percent of the world’s water is liquid fresh water, and scientific studies suggest that a majority of U.S. and global fresh water is now at risk because of increasing consumption, evaporation and pollution. What steps, if any, should the federal government take to secure clean, abundant fresh water for all Americans?

Obama	Romney
Released a national clean water framework aimed at developing a comprehensive approach to protecting the health of America’s waters Awarded 92 grants to water conservation projects that will save enough water for an estimated 950,000 people Invested in 5,100 water and waste water community infrastructure projects to safeguard the health of 18 million rural residents and support 135,000 jobs	Modernize the federal laws and regulations governing water use to enable more collaborative and cost-effective approaches that facilitate state and local participation

9. The Internet. The Internet plays a central role in both our economy and our society. What role, if any, should the federal government play in managing the Internet to ensure its robust social, scientific, and economic role?

Obama	Romney
Supports legislation to protect intellectual property online without compromising freedom of expression, increasing cybersecurity risk, or undermining the innovative global Internet Strengthen cybersecurity and ensure that we are guarding against threats to vital infrastructure, while preserving Americans' privacy, data confidentiality, and civil liberties	Opposes any effort to subject the Internet to an unaccountable, innovation-stifling international regulatory regime.  Hopes to clear barriers to private investment and innovation, and curtail needless regulation of the digital economy

10. Ocean Health. Scientists estimate that 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are in serious decline, habitats like coral reefs are threatened, and large areas of ocean and coastlines are polluted. What role should the federal government play domestically and through foreign policy to protect the environmental health and economic vitality of the oceans?

Obama	Romney
Established a National Ocean Policy to make conservation a priority for the federal government Direct additional funding to Gulf Coast restoration to bring back the fisheries and coastal ecosystems	Safeguard the long-term health of fisheries, while accommodating the needs of small business owners

11. Science in Public Policy. We live in an era when science and technology affect every aspect of life and society, and so must be included in well-informed public policy decisions. How will you ensure that policy and regulatory decisions are fully informed by the best available scientific and technical information, and that the public is able to evaluate the basis of these policy decisions?

Obama	Romney
Ensure that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda, and make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology Include the public in the decision-making process	Sound science should inform sound policy decisions, and the costs and benefits of regulations should be weighed in that process  Pursue legislative reforms to ensure that regulators take cost into account when they implement new rules, and establish a regulatory cap so that agencies streamline outdated regulations as they impose new ones

12. Space. The United States is currently in a major discussion over our national goals in space. What should America's space exploration and utilization goals be in the 21st century and what steps should the government take to help achieve them?

Obama	Romney
Continue to operate the Space Station until at least 2020 Invest in research on advances in spaceflight technology Improve the education system that prepares students for space and science achievements Maintain American superiority in robotic space exploration and Earth observation from space	Clarify priorities for NASA Cooperate with the international community to achieve space goals Develop capabilities that will improve space-based information that is vital to national security Ease trade limitations, on foreign sales of U.S. space goods to access new markets

13. Critical Natural Resources. Supply shortages of natural resources affect economic growth, quality of life, and national security; for example China currently produces 97% of rare earth elements needed for advanced electronics. What steps should the federal government take to ensure the quality and availability of critical natural resources?

Obama	Romney
Launched a multidisciplinary energy research “hub” to advance our leadership in manufacturing products that rely on rare earth materials Developed a new federal strategy to promote U.S.-based electronics recycling Use natural resources more efficiently, and decrease reliance on rare earth materials	Open access to federal lands, and adopt streamlined regulatory processes that encourage rather than stifle resource development

14. Vaccination and Public Health. Vaccination campaigns against preventable diseases such as measles, polio and whooping cough depend on widespread participation to be effective, but in some communities vaccination rates have fallen off sharply. What actions would you support to enforce vaccinations in the interest of public health, and in what circumstances should exemptions be allowed?

Obama	Romney
Passed the Affordable Care Act, which made vaccine services more accessible to Americans, and created the Prevention and Public Health Fund	Ensure that America has a robust research and development enterprise capable of improving on the tools available to prevent diseases by implementing more competitive taxation and trade regulation policies