As has been the case in recent years, President Bush's FY 2008 budget
request for the National Institute of Standards and Technology would
favor NIST's in-house laboratories with a significant increase, while
minimally funding the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnerships
(MEP) and zeroing out the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). NIST's
Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS), which comprises
the NIST laboratories and the Baldrige National Quality Award, would
receive a 7.2% increase over the FY 2007 request. Combined with a nearly
40% increase for facilities construction, this adds up to an 11.1% increase
for the NIST "Core," which Bush designated as part of his
American Competitiveness Initiative.
Because the FY07 appropriations are not yet finalized, the FY08 request
cannot be compared to actual FY07 funding levels. In reality, actual
funding for MEP and ATP in years past has generally been greater than
Bush's requests, and annual attempts to terminate the ATP, going back
almost to the program's inception, have all failed. The FY07 Continuing
Resolution passed by the House would, if enacted, provide $79.0 million
for the ATP, $104.7 million for the MEP, $432.8 million for STRS, and
$58.7 million for construction.
It is notable that, in NIST Director William Jeffrey's prepared remarks
on the new request, he made no mention of either the MEP or the ATP.
"The NIST increases proposed in the budget and the fact that the
House joint resolution provided a $60 million increase in NIST's core
- despite a severe budget climate - shows that there is broad recognition
of the important role that NIST plays in supporting the innovation that
drives our nation's economy and the well being of all Americans,"
he stated. Budget documents highlight five major areas targeted for
new or increased funding within the request for the NIST labs: Enabling
Nanotechnology from Discovery to Manufacture (+$6 million); Measurements
and Standards for the Climate Change Science Program (+$5 million);
Enabling Innovation Through Quantum Science (+$4 million); Disaster
Resilient Structures and Communities (+$4 million); and National Earthquake
Hazards Reduction Program (+$3.25 million). According to Jeffrey, each
of these initiatives "helps build a missing or inadequate measurement
base...that improves confidence in scientific results or improves the
quality, reliability or safety of innovative products."
All comparisons below are between the President's FY07 and FY08 budget
requests:
NIST TOTAL: Up 10.2%, or $59.4 million, from $581.3 million
to $640.7 million.
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES: Up 7.2%, or
$33.5 million, from $467.0 million to $500.5 million.
CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES: Up 38.1%, or $26.0 million,
from $68.0 million to $93.9 million.
HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP: Flat at $46.3
million.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM: Zeroed out, as in the FY07 request.
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