House Science Authorization Bill: NSF Provisions

On May 30, with much partisan rhetoric and rancorous debate, the House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing many of the federal government’s science programs. If enacted, the “Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1996" (H.R. 3322) would set FY 1997 priorities and funding caps for NSF, NASA, NIST’s in-house laboratories, NOAA, EPA’s R&D programs, and others. It did not contain provisions for DOE R&D programs, reportedly due to intra-party disagreements among Republicans over energy funding priorities.

In theory, authorization bills provide guidance to be used by appropriators when they fund federal programs. However, appropriators do not necessarily follow that advice, and this year the House VA/HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds NSF, has already marked up its bill. In addition, the Senate did not act on the House’s science authorization bill last year and is not expected to act on this one.

H.R. 3322 was sponsored by House Science Chairman Robert Walker (R-PA) (see FYI #68 for details of the Science Committee’s mark-up.) During floor debate, numerous amendments were offered. The Science Committee’s Ranking Minority Member, George Brown (D-CA), offered a substitute for the Walker bill that would have brought the priorities and funding levels more in line with President Clinton’s FY 1997 request. Brown’s substitute was rejected, as were most Democratic amendments, as the votes fell mostly along party lines.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Walker’s bill not only authorizes funding levels for NSF programs, but also contains the provision that the foundation must eliminate at least one of its directorates. Based on information that the House Appropriations Committee might provide additional funds to its subcommittees, Rep. Steven Schiff (R-NM) offered an amendment on the floor to increase the authorization for NSF’s Research and Related Activities (R&RA) Account by $41.2 million. Schiff’s amendment was approved by voice vote. Remarking that the bill cut NSF salaries and administrative expenses by more than $7 million below the FY96 level and $9 million below the President’s request, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) offered an amendment to restore funding for these accounts to the level of the request, and to remove the provision eliminating one directorate. Her amendment was rejected.

In the committee mark-up, the bill had been amended to change the name of NSF to the “National Science and Engineering Foundation.” An amendment on the floor by Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI) to restore the foundation’s name to the “National Science Foundation” was successful by a vote of 339-58.

Below are the authorization levels for NSF programs as passed by the House, in comparison with the President’s request, current appropriations levels, and tentative FY 1997 appropriations as set by the House VA/HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. (*The VA/HUD numbers are preliminary at this point and may change based on finalization of the budget resolution.)

Academic Facilities Modernization, which the Administration folded into its request for R&RA, would be authorized at $100 million.

Subsequent FYIs will provide the House authorization levels for NASA and NIST.