First Numbers for FY 2001: NSF and NASA

Working with extremely tight money, the House VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee has completed work on its FY 2001 bill. The numbers, when compared to the Clinton Administration’s original request, are, in many instances, sobering.

The administration requested a 17.3%, or $675 million, increase for the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION over the current budget. The subcommittee bill provided an increase of 4.3%, or $167 million.

Within this overall budget, the administration requested an increase of 19.7%, or $582 million, for Research and Related Activities. The subcommittee bill provided an increase of 5.7%, or $170 million. Within this budget, the subcommittee made the following recommendations:

An increase of 5.9% for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. The administration requested a 16.3% increase.

An increase of 7.4% for Geosciences. The administration requested a 19.5% increase.

An increase of 5.8% for Engineering. The administration requested a 19.6% increase.

The administration requested an increase of 5.0% in the budget for Education and Human Resources. The subcommittee bill recommended essentially no increase over the current budget.

The administration request for Major Research Equipment was $139 million. The subcommittee bill recommended $77 million (details are not available.)

The administration requested an increase of 17.0% for U.S. Polar Research. The subcommittee bill provided an increase of 6.0%.

For the NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) the administration requested an increase of 3.2%. The subcommittee bill provided an increase of less than 1%.

Within this overall budget, the administration requested an increase of 9.4% for Space Science. The bill provided an increase of 8.5%.

Within the overall budget, the administration requested an increase of 10.1% for Life and Microgravity Sciences. The bill provided the request plus an additional $25 million.

Within the overall budget, the administration requested a decline of 2.6% in the Earth Science budget, to which the subcommittee agreed.

The space station was funded at the requested level, which was down $215 million.

When Congress returns from its Memorial Day recess, the full House Appropriations Committee will meet to put its final touches on this bill before sending it to the House floor. There is wide spread speculation that eventually the allocation to the subcommittee will rise, allowing some of the above numbers to be increased. When and how such additional money will be found is as yet unknown. Said Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) in commenting on this bill: “This . . . is inconsistent with the will of the House, and I don’t think it will fly.”