Replies to this message are sent to an unsupervised mailbox.
To contact me, click here:
Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov

I am a Mother and a Partner.

I am a Scientist and a Catholic.

I am a Cancer Survivor and an Educator.

I am alive because medical science saved my life. Odds are that you know someone who has been saved by science. Odds are that you are reading this on something created by science. Science (biological, ecological, chemical, physical, social, medial, and every other field you can think of) has been funded with taxpayer dollars; created through government grants to research universities and institutions, or directly by our government research centers and the military.

The United States leads the world in scientific research, and innovation. Taxes, from all of us, have helped tens of millions of Americans stay alive; hundreds of millions of humans; and me.

The current administration is dismantling the funding that created the modern day.

"Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence."

- Louis Pasteur

Here's a small sample of what we got for our money:

• CAR T-cell therapy, a revolutionary cancer treatment using a patient’s own immune cells has cured formerly terminal leukemia in some children. (Funded by National Institute of Health grants)
• Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, unlocking personalized medicine and enabling gene-targeted therapies. (Funded by NIH grants)
• CRISPR gene editing, now used to treat sickle cell disease, was built on decades of basic science funding. (Funded by NIH grants)
• The first successful mRNA vaccine platforms enabled the rapid creation of Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines in under a year. (Federally funded by NIAID and the DoD)
• HPV vaccine development, which now prevents 90% of cervical cancers, was made possible through 20+ years of research (Funded by NIH grants and the Center for Cancer Research)
• New cancer diagnosis and treatments like liquid biopsies, targeted radiation, and immunotherapy were driven by cooperative research programs. (Funded by NIH and National Cancer Institute grants)
• The COVID-19 pandemic response relied almost entirely on supported science from vaccine R&D and testing development to virus sequencing. (Funded by the NIAID, DoD, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)
• Rapid antigen COVID tests, at home test kits, and contact training models were essential during national lockdowns. (Funded by NIH grants and the CDC)
• Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) set the gold standard for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more. (Funded by NIH and National Institute of Drug Abuse grants)
• Neuroimaging tools developed under the BRAIN initiative revolutionized how we diagnose and treat neurological disorders. (Funded by NIH grants, National Science Foundation, and DARPA)
• Research has pioneered the first evidence-based PTSD treatment protocols, including exposure therapy and virtual reality simulations. (Funded by National Institute of Mental Health and Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Youth suicide prevention, particularly in high-risk populations, are supported by research. (Funded by NIMH grants and CDC programs)
• Studies underpinned the creation of statins, which reduce heart attacks and strokes in millions by lowering cholesterol. (Funded by NIH and National Institute of Aging grants and CDC programs)
• Diabetes research drove development of continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and artificial pancreas devices. (Funded by NIH grants, the Special Diabetes Program established by Congress, and CDC programs)
• Alzheimer's research enabled the creation of early detection tools and new drugs. (Funded by NIH through the NIA, and DoD grants)
• Breakthroughs in rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune disease treatments, vastly improving quality of life for patients. (Funded by NIH and DoD's CDMRP grants)
• The eradication of smallpox became a worldwide public health triumph. (Funded by the CDC, in partnership with the WHO, and NIH grants)
• Research enabled HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART), turning HIV from a death sentence into a chronic manageable illness. (Funded by NIH, NIDA, CDC grants)
• Investments in global health surveillance helped the U.S. detect Ebola outbreaks and prepare for Zika virus responses. (Funded by Department of State, USAID, DoD, and US Department of Agriculture grants)
• Research has helped understand and contain West Nile virus, H1N1, avian flu, and SARS in past decades. (Funded by NSF grants and CDC labs)
• Research developed around early hurricane prediction models have saved lives and enabled better evacuation. (Funded by NOAA grants and programs)
• Science agencies have created forecasting systems, allowing farmers and governments to plan for droughts and floods. (Funded by NOAA grants and programs)
• Climate satellites launched to track sea-level rise, global warming, and glacial melt - vital for long-term climate resilience. (Funded by NASA, NOAA, and the Inflation Reduction Act)
• Researchers were first to identify Arctic permafrost melt as a climate feedback loop. (Funded by NSF and DoE grants)
• The National Climate Assessment project was created to inform local and national policy planners. (Funded by NOAA, NASA, EPA, and USGS grants)
• Researchers' data revealed the invisible impact of ocean acidification on marine life and coral reef. (Funded by NOA's Sea grant, NSF programs, and the Inflation Reduction Act)
• Remote sensing technology developed by NASA has helped track wildfires, allocate water, and monitor deforestation. (Funded by NOAA, R&D from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, USDA, and Department of the Interior grants)
• Air quality research helps quantify the deadly effects of pollution, leading to cleaner car and power plant standards. (Funded by EPA STAR Program, NOAA, and NSF grants)
• Long-term ecological studies track how ecosystems respond to human and climate pressures across decades. (Funded by NSF programs, USDA, NASA, USGS, and EPA grants)
• Federal agencies maintain the largest global open-source climate and weather databases, used by scientist and planners worldwide. (Funded by NOAA programs, NSF programs, and EPA grants)
• The James Webb Space Telescope is rewriting our understanding of early galaxies and star formation. (Funded by NASA)
• The Mars Rovers demonstrate U.S. leadership in planetary exploration and robotics. (Funded by NASA).
• Telescopes have discovered thousands of exoplanets, some in habitable zones, expanding the frontier of astrobiology. (Funded by NASA and NSF)
• Observatories like LIGO directly detected gravitational waves for the first time, confirming Einstein's theory. (Funded by NSF grants)
• The Artemis program and its lunar gateway missions are creating technology that will return astronauts to the moon and beyond. (Funded by NASA and Congressional appropriations)
• Research into asteroid tracking and planetary defense is humanity's best shot at preventing an extinction-level event. (Funded by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, DoE, and Congress)
• Satellite development helps detect and track oil spills and harmful algae blooms. (Funded by NOAA's Response and Restoration Program, NASA, and the EPA)
• Development of CubeSats, small satellites, have enabled use in education, defense, and commercial space applications. (Funded by NASA and NSF programs)
• Astronomy research has enabled the first-ever photo of a black hole, expanding the human understanding of space-time. (Funded by NASA and NSF grants)
• Studies on infant-sleep led to the "Back to Sleep" campaign, cutting SIDS death by over 50%. (Funded by NIH and NICHD grants)
• Public research enabled safer and more effective NICU protocols, saving tens of thousands of premature infants annually. (Funded by NICHD's Neonatal Research grants)
• Vaccine for rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, and meningitis were developed and disseminated to aid in the suppression of child illnesses. (Funded by the CDC's Vaccine for Children Program)
• The CDC's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has resulted in massive declines in U.S. child lead exposure and cognitive harm. (Funded by the CDC, HUD, and National Center for Healthy Housing)
• WIC and SNAP nutrition programs are continually improved using research on childhood development and food insecurity. (Funded by NIH grants and the National Institute of Food Agriculture)
• Studies to support fall prevention, bone health, and dementia care have helped Americans live longer and healthier. (Funded by NIH grants through the NIA and DoD through Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs)
• Research has led to the creation of assistive technologies like exoskeletons and smart prosthetics for elderly and disabled populations. (Funded by the DoD and congressionally established OPORP, VA, and NIH programs)
• Research into longevity and mitochondrial function is opening new pathways to extend human lifespan and healthy years. (Funded by NIH grant within NIA and the DoD)
• Research has revealed the health effects of air pollution, PFAs, and microplastics, driving life-saving regulation and environmental cleanup. (Funded by EPA grants, National Environmental Health Science grants, and NSF grants)
• Scientists uncovered the Flint water crisis, leading to infrastructure improvements and national lead policy reform. (Funded by EPA grants and Department of Labor worker grants)
• Public health science has shown how climate change exacerbates asthma, heat stroke, and vector-borne diseases, guiding adaptation strategies. (Funded by NIH grants, EPA grants, and CDC programs)
• Studies linking wildfire smoke to respiratory illness have helped states prepare for climate-fueled disasters. (Funded by EPA grant programs)
• Research has led to trans-fat bans and nutrition labeling standards, reducing cardiovascular deaths nationwide. (Funded by FDA, NIFA, and USDA grants)
• Studies on sugar, salt, and ultra-processed foods continue to shape guidelines and national dietary policies. (Funded by NIH, USDA, and NSF grants)
• Research for the first gene therapy for inherited blindness has restored partial sight to previously blind patients. (Funded by NIH through the National Eye Institute)
• Cochlear implant technology has allowed great strides to be made in restoring hearing to hundreds of thousands of individuals. (Funded by NIH grants and the NSF programs)
• Research into macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy has preserved vision for millions. (Funded by NIH through the NEI and NIDDK programs)
• Trauma research for individuals coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan was adapted for U.S. ERs, revolutionizing trauma care protocols. (Funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and DoD programs)
• Projects in the U.S. Army Research Lab have led to tourniquet best practices, blood-clotting agents, and body armor innovations. (Funded by Department of Defense)
• New stroke treatments, like mechanical thrombectomy, stem from studies on clot removal and brain oxygenation. (Funded by NIH and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health)
• Research has opened up treatment and care for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and long-term recovery which are critical for veterans and athletes alike. (Funded by DoD's CDMRP and DARPA, with the VA and NIH grants)
• Developments of drought-resistant crops are helping to feed the world amid climate change. (Funded by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NIFA)
• Research to improve precision agriculture technology has significantly reduced water and pesticide use. (Funded by USDA's NIFA and the 2018 Farm Bill)
• Genetic studies enabled the creation of blight-resistant American chestnut trees, reviving an iconic species. (Funded by USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative and Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service)
• Research has created biofortified crops like Vitamin A-rich golden rice to fight malnutrition. (Funded by the USDA's AFRI)
• Research in food safety and contamination detection led to innovations in E. coli and Salmonella tracking. (Funded by USDA's AFRI and the FDA's Food Emergency Response Network)
• Research at land-grant universities developed rotational grazing and no-till farming, improving soil and carbon sequestration. (Funded by USDA's National Resources Conservation Service and NIFA)
• University labs have developed sustainable methods of aquaculture to protect fisheries and ocean ecosystems. (Funded by NOAA Sea grants and USDA's NIFA program)
• Data driven U.S. Drought Monitor is a tool relied on by every farmer and state agency. (Funded by USDA and NOAA)
• Research on bee population collapse have been essential for protecting crop each year. (Funded by USDA's NIFA programs and NOAA grants)
• Labs have pioneered lab-grown meat and alternative proteins, reducing reliance on industrial livestock. (Funded by USDA's NIFA programs, NSF, and Department of Energy grants)
• Studies have exposed racial disparities in maternal mortality, prompting new interventions in Black maternal health. (Funded by NIH grans, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and CDC)
• The All of Us Research Program is collecting health data from over 1 million diverse Americans to reduce bias in future medicine. (Funded by the 21st Century Cures Act, NIH, and HRSA appropriations)
• Telehealth and mobile health clinics have been created for underserved rural and urban populations. (Funded by HRSA and the FCC's Rural Health Care Support Program)
• Research continues to inform policies to reduce disparities in asthma, diabetes, and mental health outcomes among marginalized groups. (Funded by NIH, CDC, and HRSA grants)
• Several agencies have helped create the backbone of the biotech and MedTech industries, generating trillions in economic output and millions of jobs. (Funded by NIH, DoD's DARPA and CDMRP, and the FDA)
• Early investments in AI for diagnostics, predictive analytics, and drug discovery are transforming how we detect and treat illnesses. (Funded by NIH, NCI, and DARPA)
• Supercomputing and bioinformatics, originally funded for genome research, are now used across drug trials, cancer screening, and epidemiology. (Funded by DoE, NIH, NSF, and NOAA grants)
• SBIR and STTR programs fund small business innovation across health technology, vaccines, medical devices, and data science. (Funded by NIH, NSF, and ARPA-Health grants)
• Research behind the Internet has included ARPANET and packet-switching. (Funded by NSF and DARPA grants with Networking Information Technology Research and Development)
• Research grants led to the invention of GPS, which now powers everything from smartphones to planes in disaster response and everyday life. (Funded by DoD's Navstar and Congressional appropriations)
• Labs have developed lithium-ion battery chemistry, now essential for electric vehicles and energy storage. (Funded by DoE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and NSF's ARPA-Energy)
• Advances in quantum computing and quantum cryptography are being led by researchers in federal agencies. (Funded by NSF's Quantum Information Science Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and DoE's Office of Science)
• Researchers have pioneered semiconductor work, sustaining Moore's Law and advancing chip manufacturing. (Funded by NSF's Engineering Research Centers, DOE, NIST, and The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022)
• Federally funded work at Bell Labs and beyond led to the transistor, the backbone of modern electronics. (Funded by DARPA, NSF, and NASA)
• Robotics programs backed by public funding led to automation in manufacturing, exploration, and surgery. (Funded by NSF and NIH grants with DoD's Man Tech program)
• AI breakthroughs like natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and early neural nets stems from federal grants. (Funded by NSF, NIH, DARPA, and DoE funding)
• Federally supported universities developed 3D printing technology, now used in aerospace, medicine, and housing. (Funded by NSF, NASA, and DoE grants)
• Open-source software used globally originated in publicly funded research institutions. (Funded by DoD and ARPANET with NSF grants)
• USGS and NSF geologists mapped the entire U.S. seismic risk profile, influencing building codes nationwide. (Funded by USGS, NSF)
• Federally funded volcanologists developed real-time eruption prediction models for Mount St. Helens, Kilauea, and more. (Funded by USGS, NSF, FEMA, Research Institutions and Universities)
• Research into land subsidence, fault lines, and sinkholes has protected lives and infrastructure across the U.S. (Funded by USGS, NSF, FEMA, DOE, Research Institutions and Universities)
• USGS and NASA research help monitor groundwater depletion, especially in the drought-stricken West. (Funded by USGS, NASA, NOAA, Department of the Interior)
• NSF-funded paleoclimate science reconstructs Earth’s ancient climates, helping model future change. (Funded by the NSF, NASA, DOE, NOAA, Research Institutions and Universities)
• U.S.-funded ice core research in Antarctica revealed past CO₂ levels and climate tipping points. (Funded by the NSF, NASA, NOAA, USGS, Research Institutions and Universities)
• Public labs and universities collaborate to track earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslide risk in real time. (Funded by USGS, NSF, NOAA, DHS, Collaborations Between Universities and Public Labs)
• The NSF funds basic math, chemistry, and physics research that corporations rarely touch but underpins every modern technology. (Funded by the NSF)
• Particle physics experiments funded by DOE and NSF—like those at Fermilab—help us understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe. (Funded by DOE Office of Science, NSF)
• NSF-funded mathematicians developed algorithms used in encryption, finance, and logistics. (Funded by the NSF)
• NSF and NASA invest in SETI and astrobiology, asking big questions about life beyond Earth. (Funded by NASA, NSF)
• National science museums, observatories, and labs—often federally supported—bring science education and outreach to every state. (Funded by the NSF, DOE, NASA, and Smithsonian Institution)
• A psychological therapy with strong evidence supporting its effectiveness. Researchers and clinicians collaborate to bridge the science-practice gap and improve patient outcomes. (Funded by the NIH, Research Institutions and Universities)
• Decision neuroscience has provided insights into the neural mechanisms underlying decision-making behaviors. Researchers create computational models to predict decision-making behaviors. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, DoD, Research Institutions and Universities)
• Child development science research has highlighted the importance of early development for brain circuits, linguistic, cognitive, and socio-emotional abilities. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, CDC, UNICEF, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Private Foundations and Nonprofits, Research Universities and Institutes)
• Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have improved our understanding of compulsive drug use and have aided in developing new treatment targets and effective intervention strategies. (Funded by the NIDA, NIH, NIMH, NSF, CDC, Academic Institutions and Research Centers, Pharmaceutical Companies, Private Foundations)
• Researchers have discovered that sleep replays memories, that sleep health can protect against neurodegenerative diseases, and that sleep solutions can be engineered. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, CDC, Academic Institutions and Collaborative Research, Healthcare Organizations and Sleep Solutions)
•  Recent advances in brain and learning sciences, learning technologies, data collection and analysis, and our understanding of how sociocultural factors influence learning are creating opportunities to design better educational approaches for all learners. (Funded by the NIH, U.S. Department of Education, NSF, Private Foundations and Non-Profits, Academic Institutions and Collaborative Research)
• Medical BCIs have enabled people with paralysis, ALS, or locked-in syndrome to control robotic arms, communicate via thought-to-text interfaces, regain partial control of limbs using neural signals. (Funded by the NIH, DARPA, Private Sector Investment, Research Institutions and Universities)
• Research has led to tools for early screening (as young as 18 months), helping identify autism sooner. (Funded by the NIH, CDC, NSF, SFARI, Academic Institutions, Healthcare Organizations)
• Research in Behaviorism has shifted the focus to observable behaviors and learning (conditioning), which led to practical applications in education, therapy, advertising, and even addiction treatment. (Funded by the Academic Institutions and Universities, NIH, Private Foundations and Corporations, Military and Defense Funding)
• The discovery of specific parts of the brain being responsible for specific tasks (Broca’s area for speech) revolutionized how we understand trauma, stroke, memory, and mental disorders. (Funded by the NIH, NINDS, NSF, VA, Private Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations, Academic and Research Institutions, Pharmaceutical Companies, International Collaborations)
• Research in neuroplasticity has demonstrated that the brain changes with experience, even in adulthood, changing education, rehabilitation, and mental health treatment by emphasizing the brain’s adaptability. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, VA, Private Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations, Pharmaceutical Companies, Academic and Research Institutions, Technology and Innovation Companies, International Collaborations and Initiatives)
• Mental illnesses are increasingly understood as brain-based disorders advancing the understanding and resulting in reduced stigma, led to drug therapies, and integrated psychiatry with neuroscience. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, VA, Private Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations, Pharmaceutical Companies, Academic and Research Institutions, International Collaborations and Initiatives)
• Research at the intersection of cognitive science and AI to explore consciousness, decision-making, intelligence, and the ethical impact of emerging technologies. (Funded by the NIH, NSF, DARPA, DoD, Academic and Research Institutions, Private Tech Companies, International Collaborations)

                                                                              *not an exhaustive list of funding sources

Yours truly,

Representative Sarah McDonald
House District 16

email: Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1416
address: 900 Court St NE, H-477, Salem, OR 97301
website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mcdonald