America Speaks! and Shows Support for S&T Investment
Every year, Research!America publishes America Speaks!, a summary of our most recently commissioned survey data. With Volume 22, we capture an important snapshot of public priorities as they concern life-saving science and public health. Nine in 10 Americans – both Democrats (92%) and Republicans (89%) – say it is important that the U.S. be a global leader in science and technology (S&T). (Read the report.)
“One of the most important findings, consistent across the three decades we’ve been commissioning public opinion surveys, is broad bipartisan support for the U.S. to invest more of its resources in science and technology. Strong support for S&T investment has been consistent despite economic cycles, political changes, and crises of all kinds,” said Mary Woolley, President and CEO of Research!America.
“Despite a decline in Americans’ trust in scientists and public health officials, Americans continue to assert that research investment is critical for job growth, economic prosperity, and global competitiveness,” said Woolley. “We need to make sure our federal budget aligns with Americans’ priorities. It’s time to increase our investment in S&T to bolster our nation’s ability to overcome the myriad challenges on the horizon: fighting this and the next pandemic, mental illness and addiction, rare diseases that together affect at least 20% of our population, treatment-resistant superbugs, and a host of other serious public health threats. If we committed to investment that would lead to finding more solutions to what ails us, we would likely drive public trust upward.”
Americans say investing in research is important to finding new ways of preventing, treating, and curing new illnesses (92%); preventing the next pandemic (87%); creating jobs (85%); and achieving economic growth (83%). More than 8 in 10 Americans (83%) also say it’s important to increase S&T spending as a share of the U.S. economy, in order to remain globally competitive – particularly with countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, which have much stronger relative investments in S&T.
We are grateful for the continued support of the American Medical Association (AMA) to make America Speaks! possible. Read the full report, and access past volumes of America Speaks!
Contact Tim Haynes, Senior Director of Communications, at 571-482-2737 or thaynes@researchamerica.org with press inquiries.
About Research!America
Research!America is a non-profit medical and health research advocacy alliance which advocates for science, discovery, and innovation to achieve better health for all. Visit www.researchamerica.org.
About Research!America Surveys
Research!America began commissioning surveys in 1992 in an effort to understand public support for medical, health, and scientific research. The results of Research!America’s surveys have proven invaluable to our alliance of member organizations and, in turn, to the fulfillment of our mission to make research to improve health a higher national priority. In response to growing usage and demand, Research!America has expanded its portfolio, which includes state, national, and issue-specific polling.