FYI Number 111: November 9, 2007

FY 2008 DOD Bill Complete: Total S&T Funding Down, Basic Research Up

Just before midnight, the Senate passed the FY 2008 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill. Following an earlier overwhelming House vote in favor of the bill, H.R. 3222, the $459.3 billion will now be sent to President Bush, who is expected to sign the bill.

The bill provides $12,768.3 million for the three defense science and technology programs, which is 2.78 percent of the total funding in the bill. This figure compares to 2.98 percent in last year's bill, and 2.96 percent the year before. An August memo by John Young, Director, Defense Research and Engineering, stated "Historically, the Defense Department has pursued a goal of investing 3% of the Department's budget in S&T. The Administration endorsed the 3% goal in 2001" (see http://www.aip.org/fyi/2007/098.html.)

The final bill also sets limits on indirect cost rates, applying a 35 percent limitation only to basic research:

"SEC. 8115. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay negotiated indirect cost rates on a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement (or similar arrangement) entered into by the Department of Defense and an entity in excess of 35 percent of the total cost of the contract, grant, or agreement (or similar arrangement): Provided, That this limitation shall apply only to contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements entered into after the date of the enactment of this Act using funds made available in this Act for fiscal year 2008 for basic research."

The House version of the bill recommended a limit of 20 percent (see http://www.aip.org/fyi/2007/081.html ); the Senate bill contained no similar provision.

The following figures were provided by the Coalition for National Security Research, to which AIP and several of its Member Societies belong. Percentage changes are compared to the last fiscal year.

AGGREGATE 6.1 BASIC RESEARCH: Funding increases 4.5%, or $70.1 million from $1,563.7 million to $1,633.7 million. The Administration requested $1,428.1 million.
AGGREGATE 6.2 APPLIED RESEARCH: Funding declines 4.4%, or $233.4 million from $5,329.2 million to $5,095.8 million. The Administration requested $4,356.7 million.
AGGREGATE 6.3 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT: Funding declines 6.1%, or $393.5 million from $6,432.3 million to $6,038.8 million. The Administration requested $4,986.9 million.
TOTAL AGGREGATE 6.1, 6.2, AND 6.3: Funding declines 4.2% or $556.9 million from $13,325.2 million to $12,768.3 million. The Administration requested $10,771.6 million.

ARMY 6.1: Funding increases 4.3% or $15.6 million from $365.9 million to $381.5 million. The Administration requested $305.8 million.
ARMY 6.2: Funding declines 1.7% or $20.5 million from $1,203.8 million to $1,183.3 million. The Administration requested $686.2 million.
ARMY 6.3: Funding increases 6.6% or $82.7 million from $1,263.3 million to $1,346.0 million. The Administration requested $735.9 million.
TOTAL ARMY 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3: Funding increases 2.7% or $77.8 million from $2,833.0 million to $2,910.7 million. The Administration requested $1,728.0 million.

NAVY 6.1: Funding increases 2.9% or $14.4 million from $491.7 million to $506.1 million. The Administration requested $467.3 million.
NAVY 6.2: Funding increases 3.2% or $24.9 million from $785.9 million to $810.8 million. The Administration requested $677.5 million.
NAVY 6.3: Funding declines 4.2% or $32.4 million from $768.1 million to $735.7 million. The Administration requested $521.8 million.
TOTAL NAVY 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3: Funding increases 0.3% or $7.0 million from $2,045.7 million to $2,052.7 million. The Administration requested $1,666.6 million.

AIR FORCE 6.1: Funding declines 0.2% or $0.9 million from $408.6 million to $407.7 million. The Administration requested $375.2 million.
AIR FORCE 6.2: Funding increases 1.5% or $16.9 million from $1,155.5 million to $1,172.4 million. The Administration requested $1,011.1 million.
AIR FORCE 6.3: Funding declines 33.7% or $349.7 million from $1,037.5 million to $687.8 million. The Administration requested $577.3 million.
TOTAL AIR FORCE 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3: Funding declines 12.8% or $333.7 million from $2,061.6 million to $2,267.9 million. The Administration requested $1,963.5 million.

DEFENSE WIDE (DARPA) 6.1: Funding increases 13.7% or $40.8 million from $297.5 million to $338.3 million. The Administration requested $297.9 million.
DEFENSE WIDE 6.2: Funding declines 11.7% or $254.6 million from $2,183.9 million to $1,929.3 million. The Administration requested $1,981.8 million.
DEFENSE WIDE 6.3: Funding declines 2.8% or $94.1 million from $3,363.5 million to $3,269.4 million. The Administration requested $3,151.8 million.
DEFENSE WIDE 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3: Funding declines 5.3% or $307.9 million from $5,844.9 million to $5,537.1 million. The Administration requested $5,413.5 million.

Richard M. Jones
Media and Government Relations Division
American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
301-209-3095

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