1994 in Review: Science Policy and Funding

A look back on this year’s developments in science funding and policy as 1994 comes to an end:

JANUARY: Independent panel on Mars Observer concludes that loss was probably due to “massive failure of the pressurization side of the propulsion system”...Texas Governor’s Advisory Committee makes recommendations for use of SSC laboratory.

FEBRUARY: House science subcommittee holds hearings on high energy physics research...Administration sends FY 1995 budget request to Congress with 4% increase for over-all R&D spending, slight increases for most DOE science and technology programs, 6% increase for NSF, 1.7% NASA cut, 80% NIST increase...Senator Mikulski calls for “scientific patriotism” at OSTP Forum.

MARCH: Appropriations subcommittee hearings start...Mikulski praises NSF direction...Mikulski says young physicists have been “sold a bill of goods” about the availability of jobs...Congressional Budget Office releases report questioning ability of NASA’s projected budget to fund future programs...House science committee chairman George Brown reacts by saying “You can’t live in a dream world forever,” and warns of the possible loss of his space station support.

APRIL: SSC opponents and proponents clash at House science subcommittee hearing on future use of terminated project site...National Science Board releases statement on U.S. science and engineering...NASA Administrator Goldin vigorously defends space station on Capitol Hill, calling it the “last ship out of town” for U.S. preeminence in science and technology.

MAY: House passes NSF authorization bill reaffirming basic scientific research and science education as agency’s primary missions...HEPAP Subpanel report calling for steady high energy physics program funding supplemented by what is soon called the “Drell bump,” and recommends US participation in proposed Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

JUNE: House passes DOE FY 1995 appropriations bill meeting or exceeding administration’s physics-related budget requests for most programs; slashes Advanced Neutron Source request...Brown finds FY 1995 NASA funding bill proposed by House appropriations committee to be “adequate” and announces continued support for space station...Brown introduces fusion energy authorization bill...DOE supports HEPAP panel recommendations...House DOD appropriations subcommittee slashes university R&D funding...DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee releases report warning of reduced program funding; precludes new facility initiatives...House defeats amendment to terminate space station...House approves NSF FY 1995 budget increase...Senate approves DOE FY 1995 funding bill; Senator J. Bennett Johnston calls for passage of authorization bill for Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX).

JULY: Rep. Rick Boucher and Brown introduce DOE high energy and nuclear physics authorization bill calling for modest funding increases and US participation in LHC.

AUGUST: Senate defeats amendment to terminate space station program, ensuring program funding in FY 1995...conference committee on DOE funding bill approves TPX design money, but no construction funding...Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program terminated...Administration releases “Science in the National Interest” report stating “Fundamental science is often the wellspring of advanced technology in ways that are completely unpredictable”...House passes physics research authorization bill...Congress passes DOE FY 1995 appropriations bill meeting or exceeding original administration request for all programs but the Advanced Neutron Source...NIST FY 1995 funding bill passes Congress containing 64.3% increase...GAO report finds no “old-boys’ network” in NSF, NIH, and National Endowment for the Humanities peer review systems.

SEPTEMBER: Congress approves 13.8% increase for NSF for FY 1995; NSF Research and Related Activities budget to increase by 5.4%; LIGO and GEMINI telescope funding approved; academic infrastructure budget receives large increase with strings attached; education funding up by 6.0%...Congress passes NASA FY 1995 funding bill slightly decreasing over-all funding from previous budget; space station request fully funded; most major space science programs intact but at reduced levels from previous budget...Brown pronounces physics research bill dead because of pending adjournment...NSF authorization bill dies...final DOD appropriations bill restores most university R&D funding that House bill originally cut.

OCTOBER: Congress adjourns...first meeting of President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology.

NOVEMBER: House and Senate Republicans prepare to assume chairmanships of all congressional committees in next Congress...National Science Board approves LIGO resolutions.

DECEMBER: Administration releases proposal to cut DOE funding.