AIP FYI #68: Getting Closer: House Approves Additional Science Funding
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 68: June 20, 2008
“I’m particularly pleased that in the legislation there is a signal
sent that this Congress cares about investments in science, cares
about the future, not as much as I would like, but nonetheless, I
thank you, Mr. Chairman [David Obey (D-WI)], for including that
critical funding and I thank my colleagues for accepting it.” –
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
“The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 2642 because it
is consistent with the principles laid out by the President for an
acceptable bill. H.R. 2642 provides our troops the resources they
need, does not micromanage our military commanders, and stays within
the President’s reasonable discretionary spending limits for FY 2008
and FY 2009.”
– Office of Management and Budget
At 8:13 last night the six-month-long effort to increase current
year funding for the National Science Foundation, the DOE Office of
Science, NASA, and the National Institutes of Health turned a
corner toward success. The House of Representatives voted 416-12 to
pass H.R. 2462, a supplemental appropriations bill that has the
support of the White House. The measure now moves to the Senate,
which is expected to pass the bill. The House also passed a
separate bill providing war-fighting funding for this year and part
of next year.
Here are the numbers and the language, taken from the supplemental
appropriations legislation:
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION – SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS
AND EXPLORATION:
“The amended bill includes $62,500,000 for Science, Aeronautics and
Exploration.”
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION – RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES:
“The amended bill includes $22,500,000 for Research and Related
Activities, of which $5,000,000 shall be available solely for
activities authorized by section 7002(b)(2)(A)(iv) of Public Law
110-69.” This citation refers to the Experimental Program
to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in the America COMPETES Act.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION – EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES:
“The amended bill includes $40,000,000 for Education and Related
Activities of which $20,000,000 is for section 10 of the National
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1) and
$20,000,000, is for activities authorized by section 10A of the
National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C.
1862n-1a).” These citations refer to the Robert Noyce scholarship
programs.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY – ENERGY PROGRAMS – SCIENCE:
“The amended bill includes an additional $62,500,000 for Science.
The Department of Energy is instructed to utilize this funding to
eliminate all furloughs and reductions in force which are a direct
result of budgetary constraints. Workforce reductions which are a
result of completed work or realignment of mission should proceed as
planned. This funding is intended to maintain technical expertise
and capability at the Office of Science, and may be used for
National Laboratory Research and Development including research
related to new neutrino initiatives. Funding for research efforts
shall not be allocated until the Office of Science has fully funded
all personnel requirements.”
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH – OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR (INCLUDING
TRANSFER OF FUNDS):
“The amended bill provides $150,000,000 in additional funding for
the National Institutes of Health to support additional scientific
research. This funding is to be distributed on a pro-rata basis
across the NIH institutes and centers.”
This section of the House bill also includes $62.5 million for
Defense Environmental Cleanup.
Commenting on the House action, House Science and Technology
Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) said, “The inclusion of
competitiveness funding in this supplemental bill – and the strong
funding levels expected to be included in the FY09 House
appropriations bills – should leave no doubt about this Congress’
commitment to Federal funded basic research and math and science
education.”
When the Senate considers this bill next week, efforts might be made
to increase funding for other domestic programs, requiring the bill
to be sent back to the House for reconsideration. Yesterday, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) called H.R. 2462 a “pretty good
bill” that might pass the Senate as it is now written. It is now
thought that $10 billion in other program funding that the House
dropped from the Senate’s previously-passed supplemental bill may be
considered in a second supplemental bill. While senators from both
parties are displeased at the process as well as the outcome in the
House-passed supplemental bill, the consensus appears to be leaning
toward getting this bill on the President’s desk without further
delay. Despite what have been very long odds, that bill will
include $337.5 million in additional current year funding for the
DOE Office of Science, NASA, NIH, and the NSF.
Richard M. Jones
Media and Government Relations Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
http://www.aip.org/gov
(301) 209-3095
