Bush authored the seminal report 'Science, the Endless Frontier,' which argued for government funding of basic scientific research and the establishment of a national science foundation. This report laid the foundation for post-war U.S. science policy.

Largely due to Bush's advocacy and the recommendations in 'Science, the Endless Frontier,' the National Science Foundation (NSF) was established. The NSF became a primary source of funding for basic research in the United States, supporting scientific progress across a wide range of disciplines.

Bush's ideas and recommendations continued to influence science policy throughout the post-war era. His emphasis on the importance of basic research shaped the direction of scientific inquiry and technological innovation in the United States.