The Senate Appropriations Committee has sent S. 2778, the
Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Bill, to the floor.
The House has not yet acted. This bill contains the following
funding levels for the National Institute of Standards and
Technology:
TOTAL NIST BUDGET:
Current budget: $686.8 million
Under the Senate bill, the budget would increase by 0.8%, or
$5.4 million, to $692.2 million
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES:
Current budget: $321.1 million
Under the Senate bill, the budget would increase by 4.8%, or
$15.3 million, to $336.4 million.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES:
Current budget: $291.0 million
Under the Senate bill, the budget would increase 0.3%, or
$944,000, to $292.0 million.
CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES:
Current budget: $62.4 million
Under the Senate bill, the budget would increase 2.2%, or $1.4
million, to $63.8 million.
The committee's report, S. Report 107-218, describes the
committee's recommendations:
NIST:
"The Committee recommends a total of $692,169,000 for the
three appropriations accounts under the National Institute of
Standards and Technology [NIST]. The recommendation is
$129,059,000 above the budget request. The Committee
recommendation includes the fiscal year 2002 funding level, a
4.1 percent pay adjustment for Federal employees and
$5,000,000 for requested Homeland Security program increases."
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES:
"The Committee recommends an appropriation of $336,443,000.
The recommendation is $48,366,000 below the budget request."
At this point the committee report listed funding levels for
various laboratories. Among them:
The current Physics lab budget is $33.1 million. The Senate
bill would increase it to $33.6 million.
The current Material Sciences and Engineering lab budget is
$56.5 million. The Senate bill would increase it to $57.4
million.
The current Electronics and Electrical Engineering lab budget
is $41.3 million. The Senate bill would increase it to $41.9
million.
Regarding these laboratories, the Senate committee report
stated: "Within the amounts provided, the Committee approves
the following increases . . . $4,000,000 in the
Physics program to provide measurements, standards, and test
methods for the development of advanced nanotechnologies . . .
. "
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES:
"The Committee recommends an appropriation of $291,976,000.
The recommendation is $172,369,000 above the budget request.
"Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program [MEP]- The
Committee recommends an appropriation of $106,623,000 to fully
fund all of the MEP centers.
"Advanced Technology Program [ATP]- The Committee recommends
an appropriation of $185,353,000. The recommendation is
$39,198,000 above the budget request. This amount, when
combined with approximately $11,000,000 in carryover, will
fully fund ATP awards at current levels. Within the amounts
made available, $45,000,000 shall be used for administrative
costs, internal laboratory support, and for Small Business
Innovation Research Program [SBIR] requirements. NIST may not
apply a contracts and grants processing surcharge to the ATP
program.
"The Committee is concerned that the Department of Commerce
has had difficulty understanding Congressional intent in
regards to funding of new awards under the ATP program. In
fiscal year 2002, the Committees on Appropriations provided
$60,700,000 for new ATP awards, yet the Department committed
to issuing only $35,000,000. The Committees on Appropriations
clarified Congressional intent on this matter by modifying
bill language in the fiscal year 2002 Supplemental
Appropriations bill. The Committee recommends similar
modified bill language which obligates the Department of
Commerce to spending a full $60,700,000 in fiscal year 2003
towards the awards. In addition, in the fiscal year budget
request, NIST proposed reforms, supposedly designed to improve
the ATP program. The Committee reminds NIST that the creation
of legislation regarding ATP reform is a function of the U.S.
Congress and that NIST shall issue $60,700,000 in new ATP
awards in fiscal year 2003 even in the absence of
Congressional action on suggested authorizing legislation.
"In the budget request, the administration proposed reduced
funding for the Advanced Technology Program. The Committee
does not recommend this approach and is concerned that the ATP
awarding process has been purposely hindered as a result of
philosophical differences of opinion between the Department of
Commerce and the U.S. Congress. Therefore, the Committee
directs the Department of Commerce to submit a written plan on
how it intends on making timely ATP awards in fiscal year
2003. This plan should be submitted and approved by the
Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, State and
the Judiciary before any funds are obligated for Department of
Commerce, Departmental Management."
CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES
"The Committee recommends an appropriation of $63,750,000. The
recommendation is $9,538,000 above the budget request and
fully funds the highest priority safety, capacity,
maintenance, and repair projects at NIST. Of the amounts
provided, $15,000,000 is provided for equipping and relocation
expenses related to NIST's Advanced Measurement Laboratory in
Gaithersburg, MD and $19,265,000 is for construction and
renovation projects at NIST's Boulder, CO site."
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