Looking Back: The Record of the Second Session of the 105th Congress
This was a good year for the programs and issues tracked by FYI. With congressional action now complete on various bills, reviewing the second session of the 105th Congress is appropriate.
APPROPRIATIONS:
The budget cycle began full of promise when the Clinton Administration proposed the Research Fund for America which would have substantially increased funding of many science budgets. The funding mechanism was the anticipated but never realized tobacco settlement. Nevertheless, science and technology were popular this year in Washington, as reflected in good outcomes for the following appropriations bills:
DEFENSE: Despite worrisome opposition by House appropriators to increased 6.1 basic research funding, the final version of the bill was very good news. While various branches fared differently, the total basic research budget increased 6.8 percent over last year, just over the request. The year before, Congress effectively froze this budget. Total Applied Research funding increased 6.4 percent, which is 5.6 percent above the request.
EISENHOWER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: While the federal government funds education through many programs, those most directly related to math and science education are the Department of Education’s Eisenhower program and NSF’s Education and Human Resources programs. Six weeks ago, the House voted to kill the Eisenhower program by folding it into a catchall block grant program. In the end, Congress kept Eisenhower intact, and funded it at the requested level of $335 million.
ENERGY: Four programs support most DOE basic physics research. The High Energy Physics Program received a 2.4 percent increase, which was more than requested. Congress exceeded the Nuclear Physics request with a 4.4 percent increase. The budget for Basic Energy Sciences increased 21.1 percent, and included money for the Spallation Neutron Source, although the BES budget was less than requested. The Fusion budget did not do as well -- while Congress provided more than the request, it declined slightly from last year. About five weeks ago, outgoing House appropriations subcommittee chairman Joseph McDade (R-PA) gave DOE until next July to complete R&D of sophisticated ITER technologies, much to the consternation of House Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI).
NASA: Positive figures to report here as well. The total appropriation is higher than both last year’s budget and the request. Space Science is up 6.8 percent over last year, with Congress giving more than NASA requested. Ditto for Earth Sciences, with a 3.4 percent increase over last year. Life and Microgravity Sciences went up a whopping 23.0 percent over the previous year. Despite much congressional concern over Russian participation, escalating costs, and project management, the space station received exactly what the administration requested. While opposition to the station will no doubt continue, goodwill over John Glenn’s shuttle flight and upcoming missions to position station hardware in space point to continued appropriations for the station.
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY: The NIST core lab budget rose 1.2 percent, although this was less than requested. The Advanced Technology Program, for which an appropriations death warrant had been issued in 1997, received 5.7% more funding for 1999 than it had received in 1998 -- although significantly less than requested. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership and NIST Construction were both funded at the request.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: Congress increased the foundation’s total budget by 7.1 percent, although this was less than the administration requested. There is a similar pattern for Research and Related Activities, up 8.8 percent, and Education and Human Resources, up 4.7%. The Major Research Equipment request was almost met, although there was no money for the Polar Cap Observatory. Heavy-handed Senate language directing foundation spending was stricken from the final bill. In July, the full House rejected a proposed cut in NSF research funding during consideration of an authorization bill.
OTHER:
Various authorization bills were passed, as well as an extension of the R&E tax credit. Among the most notable were:
“DOUBLING” LEGISLATION: Less than two years after a bill was first introduced in the Senate to double federal civilian research spending, the Senate passed S. 2217 authorizing a doubling over 12 years. Over one-third of all senators were cosponsors of this landmark legislation.
SCIENCE POLICY STUDY: Over in the House, members approved a resolution endorsing the National Science Policy Study. Science Committee Chairman Sensenbrenner said the resolution and report send “an unmistakable signal that America’s scientific enterprise will no longer be taken for granted in the Halls of Congress.”
