House Appropriations Subcommittee Releases NSF Bill

This morning, the House VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY 1997 bill and sent it on to the full committee. The following is what is known about the National Science Foundation portion of the bill.

For the agency as a whole, and in four major funding categories, the subcommittee provided less than the administration request, but more than the current budget.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION - TOTAL:

The current FY 1996 budget is $3,220 million. The administration request was $3,325 million. The bill would provide $3,253 million for FY 1997. This is a reduction of $72 million, or 2.2%, from the request. This is an increase of $33 million, or 1.0%, above the current budget.

NSF - RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES:

The current FY 1996 budget is $2,314 million. The administration request was $2,472 million. The bill would provide $2,422 million for FY 1997. This is a reduction of $50 million, or 2.0%, from the request. This is an increase of $108 million, or 4.7%, above the current budget.

NSF - EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES:

The current FY 1996 budget is $599 million. The administration request was $619 million. The bill would provide $612 million for FY 1997. This is a reduction of $7 million, or 1.1%, from the request. This is an increase of $13 million, or 2.2%, above the current budget.

NSF - MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT: (LIGO, South Pole Station Improvements)

The current FY 1996 budget is $70 million. The administration request was $95 million. The bill would provide $80 million for FY 1997. This is a reduction of $15 million, or 15.8%, from the request This is an increase of $10 million, or 14.3%, above the current budget.

NSF - ACADEMIC RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE:

NSF folded this account into the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account. The subcommittee instructs NSF not to take any of the $50 million R&RA reduction from its instrumentation request.

The full House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider this bill on June 13, with action by the full House shortly thereafter. Information on the NASA portion of the bill will be reported as it becomes available.