As many of you know, I teach in the religion department of a major university. I am also running as hard as I can to unseat Rodney Davis in Illinois’ 13 District. His support for the tax bill shows clearly why this race is so very important.

The bill that he and his Republican colleagues just helped pass will do enormous damage to scientific research in the United States, and will hurt communities and institutions in our district, including the University of Illinois, Illinois State University, and Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. If passed into law, the bill will make graduate students in universities pay federal tax on money they never see, namely waivers of tuition for the universities in which they are enrolled.

Nearly 100% of research scientists in the United States receive their training in graduate programs. They receive modest financial stipends, which are augmented by a waiver of tuition for their courses. Today, without the additional tax burden imposed by Republicans in Congress, a great many graduate students must work additional part-time jobs to make ends meet. They forge ahead because they are dedicated to their work and believe in the power of research and education to make the world better.

Taxing tuition waivers will be an enormous disincentive for the pursuit of research careers. For all but the most wealthy, this tax will be an insurmountable barrier. And the big loser will be American science and technology, on which our prosperity and well-being depend. From crop science and climate science to mechanical engineering and virology, the effects will be immediate and damaging. Many foolish ideas are created in Washington, and some even become law. In terms of damage to our nation, this single component of the tax bill may be the worst idea ever.

Representative Davis wants to have it both ways. He says that he is opposed to taxing graduate student tuition waivers but voted for this bill anyway. Talk is cheap. The costs of this tax bill will be enormous and far reaching.

As your congressman I will value students, value educators, and value research in the sciences and the humanities.

And I will back up my words with votes.