--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Scientific discovery requires sustained…" description: "\"Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for decades, and politicians can destroy it in a single budget cycle.\" — Bill Foster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png" --- # Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for… ![“Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for decades, and politicians can destroy it in a single budget cycle.” quote by Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png) > “Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for decades, and politicians can destroy it in a single budget cycle.” [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑term research needs stable financing; short political cycles can abruptly end projects. **In simple terms:** Research needs steady money, not yearly cuts. Key Takeaway Advocate for multi‑year funding. Themes science funding politics research continuity Mood concerned optimistic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - grant applications - budget planning - advocacy - long‑term projects Key Concepts economics policy innovation Questions to Reflect On - What strategies protect research from budget cuts? - How can scientists influence policy? A Different Perspective Political realities may limit ideal funding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budget/) [Budget Cycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budget-cycle-2022936/) [Decades Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-politicians-2022935/) [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Funding Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funding-decades-2022933/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Single Budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-budget-2022937/) [Sustained Funding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustained-funding-2022934/) ## Related quotes > [I think for too many decades, the politicians have driven a wedge between the gay and lesbian communities and the religious communities for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-think-for-too-many-decades-the-politicians-have-driven-a-wedge/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [If we're going to have an unconventional budget, we probably need an unconventional process to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-foxx/if-we-re-going-to-have-an-unconventional-budget-we-probably-need-an/) [Anthony Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-foxx/) > [I don't want to revisit history or try to re-interpret it, you know, but starting from where we are now, given the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-don-t-want-to-revisit-history-or-try-to-re-interpret-it-you-know/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made, and the only way to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/as-soon-as-you-re-at-the-higher-levels-of-budgeting-you-ve-got-to-get/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > ['The Librarians' is a show that really needs to have ten days, but we shoot it in seven, so the workload is really tremendous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/the-librarians-is-a-show-that-really-needs-to-have-ten-days-but-we/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) > [In my mid-20s I worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-my-mid-20s-i-worked-at-the-white-house-office-of-management-and/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [They offered me $1,500 to do a week of 'The Golden Girls.' Can you imagine that? A big show with a big budget, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/they-offered-me-1-500-to-do-a-week-of-the-golden-girls-can-you/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/) [Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/) > [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/) [Peter Orszag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orszag/) > [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Many developing nations have such severe debt and budget problems that the money given by developed nations will never be spent the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/many-developing-nations-have-such-severe-debt-and-budget-problems/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [When we stop running up huge budget deficits and start acting responsibly in Washington, we will provide small-business owners with the certainty they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/when-we-stop-running-up-huge-budget-deficits-and-start-acting/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) ## More by Bill Foster > [It's wonderful to see more of my colleagues recognizing the importance of investing in STEM education and scientific research and development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/it-s-wonderful-to-see-more-of-my-colleagues-recognizing-the/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [There are a number of much less expensive alternatives to detaining immigrants than locking them up somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/there-are-a-number-of-much-less-expensive-alternatives-to-detaining/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [I was surprised that when you get into electoral politics how scientific the analysis was in the electorate. You can identify on a state-by-state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-was-surprised-that-when-you-get-into-electoral-politics-how/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [I don't want to do anything that capitalizes personally on the fact that I've been in public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-don-t-want-to-do-anything-that-capitalizes-personally-on-the-fact/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [Negative thoughts are contagious and they get passed around like a disease. I inoculate myself against the fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/negative-thoughts-are-contagious-and-they-get-passed-around-like-a/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [When I first ran for Congress, I decided that I would not take pledges to vote for or against any issue. I believe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/when-i-first-ran-for-congress-i-decided-that-i-would-not-take-pledges/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [History has not looked kindly on us when we've prevented people fleeing violence from seeking refuge in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/history-has-not-looked-kindly-on-us-when-we-ve-prevented-people/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [I used to say I represented 33% of the strategic reserve of physicists in Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-used-to-say-i-represented-33-of-the-strategic-reserve-of-physicists/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [As a scientist and successful businessman, I understand that no one has a monopoly on good ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-scientist-and-successful-businessman-i-understand-that-no-one/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [The idea of ensuring that federal research dollars should be reasonably spread around is an arguably useful goal. But it should be done per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/the-idea-of-ensuring-that-federal-research-dollars-should-be/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [The amount of subtle and beautiful physics that's necessary to make a smartphone work is enormous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/the-amount-of-subtle-and-beautiful-physics-that-s-necessary-to-make-a/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [I support common-sense measures like universal background checks to prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-support-common-sense-measures-like-universal-background-checks-to/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [From a scientific point of view, it's hard for me to understand why someone in the Texas Panhandle should not have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/from-a-scientific-point-of-view-it-s-hard-for-me-to-understand-why/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [As we continue to work to pass comprehensive immigration reform, we must take action to stop these predators who are exploiting immigrants attempting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-we-continue-to-work-to-pass-comprehensive-immigration-reform-we/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) [Explore all 79 Bill Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) ## More Budget quotes > [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) > [When we stop running up huge budget deficits and start acting responsibly in Washington, we will provide small-business owners with the certainty they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/when-we-stop-running-up-huge-budget-deficits-and-start-acting/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [Many developing nations have such severe debt and budget problems that the money given by developed nations will never be spent the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/many-developing-nations-have-such-severe-debt-and-budget-problems/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/) [Peter Orszag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orszag/) > [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/) [Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/) > [They offered me $1,500 to do a week of 'The Golden Girls.' Can you imagine that? A big show with a big budget, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/they-offered-me-1-500-to-do-a-week-of-the-golden-girls-can-you/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [In my mid-20s I worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-my-mid-20s-i-worked-at-the-white-house-office-of-management-and/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > ['The Librarians' is a show that really needs to have ten days, but we shoot it in seven, so the workload is really tremendous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/the-librarians-is-a-show-that-really-needs-to-have-ten-days-but-we/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) > [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made, and the only way to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/as-soon-as-you-re-at-the-higher-levels-of-budgeting-you-ve-got-to-get/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I don't want to revisit history or try to re-interpret it, you know, but starting from where we are now, given the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-don-t-want-to-revisit-history-or-try-to-re-interpret-it-you-know/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [If we're going to have an unconventional budget, we probably need an unconventional process to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-foxx/if-we-re-going-to-have-an-unconventional-budget-we-probably-need-an/) [Anthony Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-foxx/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [There is no excuse for waste, fraud, and abuse in the Defense Department budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/there-is-no-excuse-for-waste-fraud-and-abuse-in-the-defense/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) [Browse all 855 Budget quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budget/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for decades, and politicians can destroy it in a single budget cycle.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Foster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/scientific-discovery-requires-sustained-funding-for-decades-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Budget" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/scientific-discovery-requires-sustained-funding-for-decades-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/bill-foster-8681_budget_scientific-discovery-requires-sustained_1800005.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for decades, and politicians can destroy it in a single…” — Bill Foster", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Foster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Scientific discovery requires sustained funding for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/scientific-discovery-requires-sustained-funding-for-decades-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/scientific-discovery-requires-sustained-funding-for-decades-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```