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The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) was established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The purpose of the NAS is stated in its original charter:
"The Academy shall, whenever called upon by any department of the Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science or art, the actual expense of such investigations, examinations, experiments, and reports to be paid from appropriations which may be made for the purpose, but the Academy shall receive no ...