In a talk Monday (Nov 5) that received a standing ovation by several hundred neuroscientists, Newt Gingrich urged scientists to pester lawmakers for greater research funding As the former Speaker of the House put it, "This is a multi-trillion dollar budget. They can always find the money if they want to."

Gingrich tasked audience members to spend at least 15 minutes every six months appealing to lawmakers for funding. "If those who know are too busy to talk to those who don't know, they should stop griping about the ignorant decisions" made by lawmakers, Gingrich said. He added that lawmakers can prioritize the budget in such a way as to make money available, though he did not offer which sections of the budget could stand to drop in priority.

The audience applauded several times during Gingrich's speech, given at the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting in San Diego, particularly when Gingrich said that significant amounts of money should be dedicated to young investigators. He also said the budget for the National Science Foundation ought to be tripled. Much of the speech seemed to stroke the scientific ego, praising the accomplishments of science, and particularly neuroscience. Of all the areas of science, the most exciting, Gingrich said, is brain science, because the tools necessary to explore the brain in greater detail have emerged only recently.

Not all Gingrich's points were received so well. Very few in the audience clapped as he noted that he did not approve of the government supporting the "destruction of embryos for research."