Press Release: Foster Leads Letter to Inquire about Job Elimination at Argonne and Fermilab

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Foster (D-IL) sent a letter to the Department of Energy to ask for more information on the number of jobs that would be eliminated at Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi Accelerator Laboratory if the Trump Administration's budget were enacted. The letter received the support of the entire Illinois Democratic delegation.

"As the only PhD physicist in Congress, I am deeply concerned about the effects the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts would have on the future of our country's leadership in science and innovation," Foster said. "I sent this letter to the Department nearly two weeks ago and have not yet received an answer. National labs are not only places of innovation and advanced scientific research, they also employ thousands of people throughout the country and in Illinois. In order to assess the budget request's full impact on the economy and the future of scientific research, we have a right to know how many people may lose their jobs if the Trump administration's budget becomes reality."

"Support for basic scientific research is crucial to our global leadership and the future of our national economy. With Illinois' Fermilab and Argonne leading the way, investments in research have secured America's position at the forefront of discovery and technological innovation," Durbin said. "But President Trump wants to slash funding for our National Labs, threatening this progress and good-paying jobs in Illinois. The Administration owes it to the dedicated employees at Argonne and Fermilab to provide real details on how the budget cuts will directly affect Illinoisans."

The Department of Energy supports seventeen national laboratories nationwide. Illinois is home to two national labs, including Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

The text of the letter is available here.