Washington ? The voice of science is being stifled in the Bush administration, with fewer scientists heard in policy discussions and money for research and advanced training being cut, according to panelists at a national science meeting.

Speakers at the national meeting of the American Association for Advancement of Science expressed concern Sunday that some scientists in key federal agencies were being ignored or even pressured to change study conclusions that don’t support policy positions.

The speakers also said that Bush’s proposed 2005 federal budget was slashing spending for basic research and reducing investments in education designed to produce the nation’s future scientists.

And there also was concern that increased restrictions and requirements for obtaining visas would diminish the flow to the U.S. of foreign-born science students who have long been a major part of the American research community.

Rosina Bierbaum, dean of the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment, said the Bush administration had cut scientists out of some of the policy-making processes, particularly on environmental issues.

“In previous administrations, scientists were always at the table when regulations were being developed,” she said. “Science never had the last voice, but it had a voice.”

Issues on global warming, for instance, that achieved a firm scientific consensus in earlier years are now being questioned by Bush policy makers. Proven, widely accepted research is being ignored or disputed, she said.

One result of such actions, said Neal Lane of Rice University, a former director of the National Science Foundation, is that “we don’t really have a policy right now to deal with what everybody agrees is a serious problem.”

Asked for comment, White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said, “The president makes policy decisions based on what the best policies for the country are, not politics. People who suggest otherwise are ill-informed.”

Federal spending for research and development is significantly reduced under the proposed 2005 Bush budget, the speakers said.

“Overall the R&D budget is bad news,” said Bierbaum.

She said the National Science Foundation funds for graduate students and for kindergarten through high school education had been slashed.

NASA has gotten a budget boost, but most of the new money will be going to the space shuttle, space station and Bush’s plan to explore the moon and Mars. What is suffering is the space agency’s scientific research efforts, she said.

“Moon and Mars is basically going to eat everybody’s lunch,” she said.