The Time is Now - NSF Funding in Trouble

A senior congressional aide predicts that the FY 1995 budget request for the National Science Foundation will come under great pressure as the appropriations subcommittees draft their legislation. Individuals wishing to inform Members of Congress about their views concerning NSF are advised to do so now.

It is generally recognized that while NSF is respected by many Members of Congress, there is no real passion on Capitol Hill for the foundation. Few Members receive constituent correspondence, visits, or telephone calls about the NSF. In contrast to many other interests, there are no paid lobbyists working Congress on behalf of the foundation.

Despite these factors, NSF has fared relatively well in previous appropriations bills. Nevertheless, because of strict limits on discretionary spending this year (see FYI #36,) an emphatic warning has been given that the FY 1995 NSF budget request is in “very serious trouble.” The VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations subcommittees are under severe pressure to fund VA, HUD, NASA and other agency budgets. It is going to be impossible to provide adequate money for every request. Something will have to give.

A strong recommendation was made that constituents build grass roots support for NSF among all 535 Members of Congress. There is, this recommendation continues, no general awareness on Capitol Hill about the connection between NSF-sponsored research and its importance to the national well-being, particularly strategic goals.

As noted in FYI #38, individual Members of Congress talk to appropriations committee members (see FYI #11 for the subcommittee rosters) about what they hear from their constituents. Pressure will build in the coming weeks and months from the many interests funded through the VA, HUD, Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill. Science funding - in both the NSF and NASA components of the FY 1995 bill - stands a good chance of being run over, this congressional aide concludes.

FYI #39, Communicating With Congress, has guidance on writing to, or visiting with, senators and representatives. Addresses and salutations are as follows:

The Honorable ___________________

U.S. Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator______________

The Honorable ___________________

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative________