FY 2015 Appropriations: National Science Foundation

Congress is nearing completion of the FY 2015 appropriations cycle. The House and Senate are scheduled to complete action on a $1.1trillion bill providing funding through September 30, 2015 for all departments and agencies with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security that will be funded through early 2015.

The bill has not been printed in final form. The section on the National Science Foundation is found on PDF pages 48-50, with a funding table on PDF pages 68-69. Note that language in the previous House and Senate appropriations reports stands unless modified by language in the conference report.

National Science Foundation:

The FY 2014 appropriation was $7,171.9 million
The FY 2015 request is $7,255.0 million, an increase of $83.1 million or 1.2 percent
The House bill provides $7,409.2 million, an increase of $237.3 million or 3.3 percent above current funding
The Senate bill provides $7,255.0 million, an increase of $83.1 million or 1.2 percent above current funding
The final bill provides $7,344.2 million, an increase of $172.3 million or 2.4 percent above current funding

There was no overall report language.

Within the National Science Foundation are the following budget accounts:

Research and Related Activities:

The FY 2014 appropriation was $5,808.9 million
The FY 2015 request is $5,807.5 million, a decrease of $1.5 million or 0.03 percent
The House bill provides $5,978.7 million, an increase of $169.8 million or 2.9 percent above current funding
The Senate bill provides $5,838.7 million, an increase of $29.8 million or 0.5 percent above current funding
The final bill provides $5,933.7 million, an increase of $124.8 million or 2.2 percent above current funding

The report language pertains only to “neuroscience.”

Education and Human Resources:

The FY 2014 appropriation was $846.5 million
The FY 2015 request is $889.8 million, an increase of $43.3 million or 5.1 percent
The House bill provides $876.0 million, an increase of $29.5 million or 3.5 percent above current funding
The Senate bill provides $889.8 million, an increase of $43.3 million or 5.1 percent above current funding
The final bill provides $866.0 million, an increase of $19.5 million or 2.3 percent above current funding

Report language lists funding levels for specific programs and has a section on “broadening participation programs.”

Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction:

The FY 2014 appropriation was $200.0 million
The FY 2015 request is $200.8 million, an increase of $0.8 million or 0.4 percent
The House bill provides $200.8 million
The Senate bill provides $200.8 million
The final bill provides $200.8 million, essentially flat funding.

There was no report language.