Drive to Increase Federal Research Funding Moving on Several Fronts

This is an important time for federal research funding for the next fiscal year. Although FY 1999 does not start for about eleven months, decisions now being made behind closed doors by the Clinton Administration will play a vital role in determining the size of the federal research budget.

A number of events last week focused attention on the need to increase federal research spending. Last Wednesday, unprecedented support was demonstrated for “A Decade of Investment” at a well-attended U.S. Capitol press conference. One hundred-and-six scientific organizations, representing approximately three million researchers, released a “Unified Statement on Research” calling for a doubling of federal civilian and defense research funding over ten years (see FYI #127 for text of statement.) The position of the organizations, spanning many disciplines (including AIP, eight of its Member Societies and eight of its Affiliated Societies), was outlined by D. Allan Bromley, President of The American Physical Society; Ronald Breslow, Immediate Past President of the American Chemical Society; and Winfred M. Phillips, President-nominee of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (see FYI#130 for Dr. Bromley’s remarks.)

The press conference also announced the introduction of S.1305, The National Research Investment Act of 1998. This bipartisan bill was authored by Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) and Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT.) It calls for a doubling of federal civilian research funding over ten years. Gramm and Lieberman, representing different political parties and political philosophies, agree on the need to dramatically increase federal research funding. An important boost was given to the bill when Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) appeared at the press conference to announce his cosponsorship of the bill. Domenici, although well-known as a friend of science, is also a budget hawk. His support of the bill gives it much greater clout. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is also an original cosponsor of S. 1305.

The next day, Speaker of House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) appeared before the House Budget Committee to discuss what only a few years ago would have seemed folly: how to best use a federal budget surplus. Among Speaker Gingrich’s recommendations was an increase in federal spending for scientific research (see FYI #131 .) Joining Gingrich in calling for more federal research funding was Rep. George Brown (D-CA), who described his “Investment Budget Proposal.” Among other provisions, Brown’s plan would increase federal R&D spending by 5% annually. Under the current Balanced Budget agreement it would decline (in real terms.)

Congress is expected to adjourn within the next few weeks. It has finished work on most appropriations bills, generally providing in full, and in some cases notably exceeding, the Clinton Administration’s requests for research budgets this year (with the major exception of the basic research budget (6.1) for the Department of Defense.)

At the White House, and across the street at the Office of Management and Budget, decisions are now shaping the general outline of the federal budget for FY 1999. The degree to which the Clinton Administration responds to the bipartisan call from Capitol Hill and from the scientific community to significantly increase federal research spending will not be known until early next year when it releases its FY 1999 budget request, a reflection of the Administration’s budget priorities for the future.

Expressed in tennis parlance, a receptive Congress awaits the Clinton Administration’s serve on FY 1999 federal research spending -- and the ball is clearly in the Administration’s court.