President
Bush's FY 2002 budget request would cut funding for the Commerce Department's
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by nearly 20 percent.
Support for NIST's in- house laboratories would increase, but funding
for new Advanced Technology Program (ATP) awards would be suspended while
the program is evaluated. Also part of the Commerce Department, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would see a 2.0 percent decrease
under this request. In his department's budget briefing, Commerce Secretary
Don Evans stated, "The President's budget is focused on the people's
priorities, and it puts first things first, starting with a fair, responsible
and much-needed tax cut." Evans outlined the Bush Administration's
philosophy for the Commerce Department: the "government's role is not
to create wealth, but rather to create an environment in which entrepreneurs
and workers can flourish and create wealth."
The total FY 2002
request for NIST is $487.5 million, a decrease of $109.5 million, or
18.3 percent, from the FY 2001 level of $597.0 million. Scientific and
Technical Research and Services (STRS), which includes NIST's intramural
laboratories, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program, and the
Critical Infrastructure Protection Grants Program, would receive $347.3
million, an increase of $35.4 million, or 11.4 percent, over current
funding. NIST's Industrial Technology Services, comprising the Advanced
Technology Program (ATP) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
(MEP), would receive $119.3 million, a $131.0 million, or 52.4 percent,
decrease from the current year. Construction funding would also decrease,
by 39.9 percent, to $20.9 million. Details of the request, as given
in a NIST Fact Sheet, are provided below:
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES: Up
11.4 percent
NIST Laboratories:
The request is $336.9 million, an increase of $35.2 million, or 11.7
percent, over current funding. The Fact Sheet states that the request
would "provide U.S. industry and the science/technology community
with the measurement capabilities, standards, evaluated reference
data and test methods needed to support innovation, improve quality
and lower transaction costs in virtually all technology- intensive
sectors."
Baldrige National Quality Program:
The request is $5.4 million, an increase of $0.2 million, or 3.9 percent,
over current funding. The request would "manage the annual award
competition (for the manufacturing, service, small business, health
care and education sectors), conduct the annual Quest for Excellence
conference..., maintain a comprehensive database on state and local
quality awards, continually improve the performance excellence criteria,
and facilitate information sharing among all sectors of the U.S. economy."
Critical Infrastructure Protection Grants
Program: The request is $5.0
million, equal to FY 2001 funding. This program promotes "the necessary
research to address the widespread vulnerabilities in and risks to
U.S. computer and telecommunications systems."
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES: Down 52.4 percent
Advanced Technology Program:
The request is $13.0 million, a decrease of $132.4 million,
or 91.9 percent, from FY 2001 funding. "This request, combined
with estimated carryover from the previous year and recoveries, would
provide an operating budget of $79.9 million which would cover continued
funding requirements for previous awards. The Administration proposes
that no new awards be made in FY 2002 while the ATP is evaluated by
the Commerce Department." Secretary Evans provided the following
explanation: "To ensure taxpayer dollars are being used to maximum
effect, the Commerce Department will reevaluate the Advanced Technology
Program, to see if the program's research and development grants to
commercial businesses are warranted, given the current opportunities
for high-tech firms. While ongoing projects will be funded through
their scheduled completion, the administration proposes that funding
for new grants is suspended in FY 2002."
Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
The request is $106.3 million, an increase of $1.4 million, or 1.3
percent, from the current level. "The request will permit NIST
to continue providing the federal share of funding needed to support
the network of centers serving smaller manufacturers in all 50 states
and Puerto Rico."
CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES: Down 39.9 percent
The request
for construction is $20.9 million, a decrease of $13.9 million from
current funding. The Fact Sheet states that this request will "address
the highest priority safety, capacity, maintenance and major repair
projects required to operate NIST's research facilities in Gaithersburg,
Md., and Boulder, Colo., some of which are 30-45 years old."
NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE: Not funded;
no change
"NTIS covers
its operating costs through fees for its products and services; there
is no FY 2002 request for the agency." No funding was appropriated
for NTIS in FY 2001 either.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA):
NOAA is also
funded through the Department of Commerce. It would receive $3,152.3
million under the FY 2002 request, a decrease of $60.8 million, or
2.0 percent, from current funding. According to Evans, "Increases
totaling $330 million are provided for critical programs including
severe weather prediction, coastal conservation, climate study, marine
sanctuaries, fisheries modernization and modernization of the marine
transportation system." Within NOAA, its budget document states,
$0.7 million is requested for Climate Change Assessments, to "continue
contributions to environmental assessments that have become the primary
tool to deliver climate information to governments, industry, the
scientific community and the general public.... This investment will
support NOAA's leadership in assessing climate change and its global
impact on the United States and other communities."
Richard M. Jones
Media and
Government Relations Division
American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
(301) 209-3095
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