The 105th Congress appears willing to do more for science and technology than the Clinton Administration. Members of Indiana's Congressional delegation have voiced support for research in conversations with IU President Myles Brand. The Congress appears poised to provide strong leadership to sustain America's investment in basic science and medical research, assuming the research community continues to speak with a coherent and unified voice. Despite the positive climate in Washington, federal funding for research will erode as balanced budget imperatives are met at the turn of the century. However, it is unlikely that the Congress can do much better without significant reforms to slow the growth of entitlement programs.
Entitlement spending is the primary factor driving the federal budget deficit.
Taken together, Medicare and Medicaid spending reaches 4.1 percent of GDP in 2000 under current projections, and then skyrockets to over 10 percent by the year 2030. Clearly, entitlement reform is a key element of any real effort to balance the budget and maintain America's long-term security at home and abroad.