HIGHLIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON IMPACTING THE PHYSICS
COMMUNITY FROM FYI, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS BULLETIN OF
SCIENCE POLICY NEWS
Science Committee Hearing on Energy Critical Elements
A hearing was held on the future availability of energy critical materials and a report by the American Physical Society’s Panel on Public Affairs and the Materials Research Society.
Department of Commerce Releases Competitiveness and Innovation Report
The Department of Commerce released a report addressing the economic competitiveness and innovative capacity of the United States.
“Science and Engineering Indicators 2012” Released
The National Science Board released “Science and Engineering Indicators 2012,”a 575-page report measuring and characterizing R&D, education, workforce, academic, public attitudes and state data.
Important Numbers - Physical Sciences Funding: 1989 to 2009
"Indicators 2012" provides twenty years of funding data for federal obligations for research in physics, astronomy, geological sciences, oceanography, and engineering – metallurgy and materials.
Additional Insights from the Indicators
“Indicators 2012” provides data on public perceptions and knowledge of science, and a wealth of information on federal support for science and engineering.
President Obama Invites Science Competition Winners to the White House
President Obama welcomed over 100 student winners of science fairs to the second White House Science Fair. The students came from over 45 states, and represented over 40 different competitions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Congressional Hearings on Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future
Members received testimony regarding the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Release Report Outlining Undergraduate Education Initiative
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology released a report providing a strategy for improving STEM education, particularly during the first two years of college.
FY 2013 Request would Maintain but Delay NSF, DOE Science, and NIST Budget Doubling
Total funding for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the laboratory and research facilities construction programs of the National Institute of Standards and Technology would increase by 4.4 percent.
FY 2013 Request for DOE Office of Science and ARPA-E
Total Office of Science funding would increase 2.4 percent or $118.4 million to $4,992.1 million. ARPA-E funding would increase 27.3 percent or $75.0 million to $350.0 million.
FY 2013 Request for National Nuclear Security Administration
Total Weapons Activities program funding would increase 5.0 percent, or $363.2 million to $7,577.3 million. Total Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation program funding would increase 7.1 percent or $162.8 million to $2,458.6 million.
FY 2013 National Science Foundation Budget Request
The total request is $7,373 million which is an increase of $340 million or 4.8% over the FY 2012 enacted budget.
FY 2013 Request for Defense Science and Technology Programs
Total 6.1 Basic Research would increase 4.5 million or 0.2 percent. Total 6.2 Applied Research would decrease $261.3 million or 5.5 percent. Total 6.3 Advanced Technology Development would decrease $145.0 million or 2.7 percent.
FY 2013 Request for National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Total NASA funding would decline $58.6 million or 3.3 percent to $17,711.4 million.
FY 2013 Request for National Institute of Standards and Technology
Total NIST funding would increase $106.2 million or 14.1 percent to $857.0 million.
FY 2013 Request for National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
The FY 2013 budget request is $336.9 million, a decline of $1.1 million or 0.3 percent.
FY 2012 STEM Education Budget Request
The Department of Education and the National Science Foundation administer much of the funding for STEM education programs, which are reviewed in this FYI.
FY 2013 Request for the US Geological Survey
The FY 2013 USGS request is up $34.5 million or 3.2 percent to $1,103.2 million.
OSTP Director John Holdren on FY 2013 S&T Budget Request
Holdren commented "I cannot tell you how much I sympathize with the view that important scientific projects in which we have invested in the past and would like to continue to invest in the future simply cannot be afforded under the current fiscal restraints."
AIP Takes Action on Bill Requiring Disclosure of Proposals and Peer Reviewers
The American Institute of Physics along with 83 other organizations, including four of its Member Societies, signed a letter to every member in the House of Representatives regarding the GRANT Act
Richard M. Jones
Government Relations Division
American Institute of Physics
rjones@aip.org
301-209-3095
