Representative Frank Wolf, the very religious, very conservative congressman who for 25 years has represented some of Northern Virginia’s richest counties, doesn’t seem to be the kind of politician who would champion science. He’s voted against expanding stem-cell research and against reducing funding for missile defense.
Yet there he was, in early April, standing at a microphone announcing the introduction of his Math and Science Incentive Act of 2005. The legislation would pay the interest on education loans for undergraduate students in math, science, or engineering who agree to work at least five years in their field. The idea came from the book Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America (Regnery, 2005), by former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who was there beside Wolf, applauding the new legislation. Also standing behind Wolf were Senator John Warner (R-VA) and Representatives Vern Ehlers (R-MI) and Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), chairman of the...
