Stress harmful effects of federal budget cuts
Scientific research can seem remote from daily life for most people. But scientific inquiry on topics like air and water quality, fish and wildlife, and health reveals essential information, much of it with immediate and unmistakable significance.
Dan Jaffe, a part-time Winthrop resident and atmospheric scientist and an expert on air pollution knows firsthand how vital this research is. Jaffe is currently looking at the effects of wildfire smoke on health and air quality. So Jaffe recently joined more than a hundred colleagues from the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Washington, DC, to share concerns about the critical impacts of federal funding for health and science.
“These are drastic cuts that are going to severely damage the United States’ work in all areas of science,” Jaffe said.
AGU, the largest group of earth scientists in the world, organized the trip so scientists could talk with members of Congress about the crucial importance of science — and about what’s lost when it isn’t funded, Jaffe said. Jaffe, a professor and researcher for 40 years, the last 30 at the University of Washington, traveled to Washington, DC, to voice his personal opinion, not as a representative of the university.
The majority of university research is funded by federal agencies, and much of it has already been cut. The budget passed by the House of Representatives — and still under consideration by the Senate — threatens further reductions, Jaffe said.
“We’re looking at very direct impacts in the Methow Valley and in [4th District Republican Rep.] Dan Newhouse’s district from these major cuts,” Jaffe said, noting that research on wildfire smoke, forestry and environmental monitoring ultimately affects other parts of the economy, including tourism.
Grants for scientific research typically span several years, but many universities have seen grants cancelled, some just one year in. The grants fund research assistants, equipment and graduate students. “It’s a huge waste of money — they just pull the plug,” Jaffe said.
Although Jaffe is fortunate that his own research is still funded, he’s aghast about the broader, long-term impacts on the field. “We’re looking at a virtual halt in scientific progress that would last for years. Destruction of programs at these key federal agencies would take more than a decade to rebuild,” Jaffe said. He ticked off a list of agencies that have been cutting grants, including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, and NASA.
In Washington, Jaffe spoke with aides for all local members of Congress — Newhouse and Democratic senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.
These cuts will cause significant damage to the Methow Valley and Okanogan County as we go into wildfire season, one where conditions are already high risk, Jaffe said. “It makes no sense at all,” he said.
Jaffe urged people — especially in rural areas — to contact members of Congress while the federal budget is still being negotiated. “This is a really key time for people to make their voice known. Maybe people think we don’t need science, but for weather and environmental science, this is a really critical time to be heard,” he said.
One-on-one with Newhouse
Twisp residents Tim and Amy McGuire tacked on time to an east coast family visit, hoping to speak to Newhouse directly. They were pleased to get 15 minutes with the congressman and his chief of staff, and were impressed with how many topics they covered, Tim said. Newhouse was very receptive, and the McGuires even got a private tour of the Capitol.
Tim told Newhouse that the severe budget cuts and layoffs are hurting rural communities — and the country in general. Although Newhouse agreed that using a sledgehammer isn’t appropriate in most cases, he didn’t say what he’d do to reign in the cuts, Tim said.
When the McGuires brought up health coverage, Newhouse said he would never vote for anything that would cut Medicare. But his position on Medicaid, the health-insurance program for low-income people, was less clear — Newhouse appeared concerned that some people try to game the system to obtain these benefits without working, Tim said.
The McGuires also talked about the importance of public land in the Methow Valley and Okanogan County, and told Newhouse they were worried that federal lands could be put up for sale. Newhouse said this was happening only in Nevada and Utah and stated more than once that “Mount Rainier is not for sale,” Tim said.
The exchange that made the biggest impact on Tim came when he shared his greatest concern — that Pres. Trump and his administration are destroying the government and rule of law from the inside out. Tim told Newhouse that he’s alarmed by the absence of due process, especially for immigrants. Although Newhouse listened intently, he seemed taken aback and didn’t respond directly, Tim said.
People have been urging Newhouse to hold a town hall in the Methow and in other communities in his vast district, which covers central Washington from the Oregon border to Canada. Newhouse explained to the McGuires that he had been advised not to hold town halls for security reasons, because of threats to him and his family, Tim said.
“The meeting was good for a first meeting — short, but good. We definitely felt we were heard,” Tim said.
No Kings in America
Mazama residents Lincoln and Janet Loehr feel so strongly about the state of the nation that they traveled to Washington last month with the express purpose of protesting and making their concerns known. Visits to museums and historic sites were a bonus, Lincoln said.
The Loehrs were unable to see Newhouse, so they met with a staffer and presented a petition signed by people in the Methow Valley that stressed support for the Constitution and for due process. The Loehrs also talked with the aide about the importance of protecting Medicaid and Social Security.
Outfitted with a “No Kings in America” banner, the Loehrs joined a rally on the steps of the Supreme Court while the justices heard oral arguments about birthright citizenship. The high-profile case drew speeches on the court steps from Democratic representatives Nancy Pelosi of California, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, and Pramila Jayapal of Washington’s 7th District.
