National Science Foundation Funding Advances Another Step

Yesterday the full House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 1996 budget numbers for the National Science Foundation that were recommended by the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Under this bill, as yet unnumbered, the foundation budget would decline from current year funding of $3,263 million to $3,160 million for FY 1996. Research and Related Activities funding declines $200 million as compared to the administration request, with all other NSF accounts funded as requested. See FYI #97 for additional budget figures.

Accompanying all legislation is a committee report. These reports contain language providing an explanation of the committee’s actions, as well as recommendations. While not having the force of law, committee report language can exert a strong influence over a department or agency.

The report language pertaining to NSF contains no sweeping policy recommendations. Pertinent sections are below:

RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES:

“The Committee recommends a total of $2,254,000,000 for Research and Related Activities in fiscal year 1996, a reduction of $200,000,000 from the budget request. The reduction recommended by the Committee is taken without prejudice and is to be allocated by the Foundation in accordance with internal procedures, subject to approval by the [appropriations] Committee.” In other words, the NSF shall determine where the $200 million reduction is to be taken, with the committee’s approval.

MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT:

“This account provides funding for the construction of major research facilities that provide unique capabilities at the cutting edge of science and engineering.

“The Committee recommends a total of $70,000,000 for the major research equipment account for fiscal year 1996. This level reflects the total amount requested in the President’s budget for construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO).”

ACADEMIC RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE:

“This program is a consolidation of academic research facility modernization and support of academic research instrumentation.

“The Committee recommends the budget request of $100,000,000 for this activity in fiscal year 1996.”

EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES:

“The Foundation’s Education and Human Resources activities are designed to encourage the entrance of talented students into science and technology careers, to improve the undergraduate science and engineering education environment, to assist in providing all precollege students with a level of education in mathematics, science, and technology that reflects the needs of the nation and is the highest quality attained anywhere in the world, and extend greater research opportunities to underrepresented segments of the scientific and engineering communities.

“For fiscal year 1996, the Committee has provided the President’s request of $599,000,000. This level is $6,974,000 below the fiscal year 1995 appropriation. Given the resource constraints facing the Foundation, the Committee believes that the Foundation support for math and science education should be provided strictly on the basis of merit to institutions of higher education, independent museums, professional societies and associations, state and local educational entities, and other similar eligible organizations that are primarily associated with educational activities.”

Under a separate section entitled, “Education System Reform,” the report states:

“The Committee strongly supports the Urban Systemic Initiative (USI) and commends the Foundation for the significant progress made in the first nine awards. The Committee urges the Foundation to make all reasonable efforts to fully fund these awards and the recent second seven awards at the agreed level of $3,000,000 per year. Further, beyond the USI program, the Committee recognizes the significant accomplishments of the Alliance for Minority Participation in Science and the Advanced Technology Education programs. The Committee urges the Foundation to give the highest priority attention to these two very important activities.”

EPSCoR:

“The Committee is pleased with the efforts which the Foundation has made to ensure that the Experimental program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is part of the broader systemic reform initiatives pursued in recent years. These efforts have formed a solid base for education and human resource development activities in many of the EPSCoR states. The same success has not, however, occurred with respect to the research directorates. The committee believes that new efforts are needed to mainstream EPSCoR researchers and research clusters into research directorate activities, and to include representatives from EPSCoR states on panels, advisory committees, and other bodies. EPSCoR is, after all, a research-based program and its ultimate measure of success must be determined by the extent to which its participants can move into the mainstream of research programs and research decision-making. The Committee understands that it takes time to become competitive, but it also believes that the Foundation needs to place a renewed emphasis on such mainstreaming. The Committee directs the Foundation to report by December 1, 1995, on how increased interaction can be achieved between the research directorates and the EPSCoR states and how better representation on appropriate committees can be achieved.”

The next step for this bill is for it considered by the full House within the next two weeks.