The Bottom Line -- President Signs FY 1997 NIST Appropriation

In a race to avoid a partial government shutdown and to get home to campaign, Members of the House and Senate approved an omnibus $600 billion spending bill that funds a number of departments and agencies, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This bill, H.R. 3610, was signed by President Clinton on Monday night.

Title II of this legislation contains FY 1997 funding for NIST. Descriptive language is sparse. Among the funding provisions:

OVER-ALL NIST BUDGET:

The Clinton Administration requested $825.9 million. Congress provided 71.2% of this request, or $588.0 million, for FY 1997.

Regarding this appropriation, NIST commented: “In a time of tight fiscal constraints, this is a very good budget for NIST. It provides the resources that will allow NIST to continue each of its four major programs.”

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES BUDGET:

The Clinton Administration requested $270.7 million. Congress provided 99.0% of this request, or $268.0 million.

This budget provides funding for laboratory and research services, and the Baldridge National Quality Program ($2.9 million.) Expect that approximately $27 million will be provided for the Physics program and $52 million for the Material Sciences and Engineering program (in addition to other physics and materials sciences research in other programs.)

NIST commented: “The importance of the work of NIST laboratory research and services and the Baldridge National Quality Award program clearly was understood by Congress, which provided the full amount requested by the President to fund ongoing work.”

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM BUDGET:

The Administration requested $345.0 million. Congress provided 65.2% of this request, or $225.0 million. No restrictions were placed on the use of these funds.

NIST commented: "...the budget agreement provided NIST with enough funding to meet all of our past commitments and to make new awards, even though the ATP did not receive the full amount requested by the President. This outcome is particularly welcome in light of serious efforts by some in Congress to eliminate the program entirely. NIST now will determine exactly how much funding is available for new awards and then will move ahead.” MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP:

The Administration requested $105.0 million. Congress provided 90.5% of this request, or $95.0 million. Language was included in H.R. 3610 on renewal of funding for Centers.

NIST commented: “The budget provides sufficient funding to maintain the federal government’s share of funding to support all of the centers located around the country. That includes the new centers we announced last month, which gave smaller manufacturers access to MEP centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.”

CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES BUDGET:

The Administration requested $105.2 million. Congress declined to fund this budget, and rescinded $16 million of unobligated prior year funding.

NIST commented that this: "...is a clear setback to our efforts to remedy critical facilities shortcomings. ...we now must reassess our facilities plans again. Prior year funding that remains will only cover maintenance and necessary fire and life safety upgrades for existing NIST facilities, and completion of the Advanced Chemical Science Laboratory now under construction in Gaithersburg [MD].”