As part of the automatic, across-the-board budget cuts, known as the "sequestration", set to take effect on March 1, 2013, U.S. science funding programs will be cut by 8.2%.
This reduction follows a decade of flat Federal funding for research that has not kept pace with inflation, and has already been devastating to scientific progress.
Of the few scientists (roughly 10%) that were fortunate enough to gain approval for their projects in the past year, many wait "in limbo" for promised research funding that is on hold due to fear of massive budget cuts.
We urge our government representatives to defend scientific funding agencies from the sequestration, preventing further losses to scientific innovation, training of future generations of scientists, and jobs of hard-working researchers.