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By Karen Freifeld and Doina Chiacu
(Reuters) - Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other former U.S. national security officials on Tuesday warned that China was outpacing the U.S. in critical technology fields and urged Congress to increase funding for federal scientific research.
The appeal comes a week after the National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds science research, fired 170 people in response to President Donald Trump's order to reduce the federal workforce. An NSF spokesman declined comment on reports that hundreds more layoffs were possible and that the agency's budget could be slashed by billions.
The ex-officials want Congress to provide at least $16 billion authorized for the NSF in fiscal year 2025, according to a letter seen by Reuters addressed to Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Mike Johnson, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
"China is making significant strategic investments in basic and applied research and positioning the country to outpace us in critical areas that could determine the outcome of future conflicts," the letter said. "This is a race that we cannot afford to lose."
The former officials singled out support for the NSF's Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Directorate (TIP) established in 2022, which they see as crucial to transforming research into practical applications vital to U.S. military capabilities and economic strength.
Twenty-one people, or more than 20% of TIP staff, were fired last week, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Nearly 20% more are vulnerable temporary federal employees, said another source, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
China led the world in just three of 64 critical technologies between 2003 and 2007, the letter said, citing the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. As of 2023, it leads in 57 of those technologies.
Former officials who also signed the letter with Hagel included Chris Miller, acting defense secretary during Trump's first term, and Doug Fears, Trump's former homeland security adviser.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
