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Senate Appropriations Bill Reverses House Cuts for National Science Foundation September 30, 2004 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would raise the budget for the National Science Foundation by $167 million in FY 2005, reversing the $111 million proposed cut in the House appropriations bill and matching the President's budget request for NSF. The Senate appropriations bill (S. 2825; Senate Rpt. 108-353) would provide $5.74 billion for NSF in FY 2005, which is 3.0 percent greater than the agency's FY 2004 funding level. Although the Senate appropriations bill would provide $278 million more than the House bill, it would fall far short of the $7.38 billion FY 2005 budget recommended in the NSF Authorization Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-368), which aims to double the agency's budget over five years. The committee report accompanying the Senate appropriations bill acknowledges the deviation from the NSF doubling plan: "The Committee continues to be supportive of the efforts achieved in the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368) and the pursuit of a doubling path for NSF funding. However, due to funding constraints, the Committee is not able to provide such funding at this time, but will continue to pursue these efforts in the future (Senate Rpt 108-353)."
Under the Senate bill, NSF's Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account would receive $4.40 billion -- an increase of $151 million (3.6 percent) relative to the FY 2004 enacted level and an increase of $251 million (6.0 percent) relative to the House bill. Within the R&RA account, most of the disciplinary directorates would increase by 2-4 percent, while the Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Directorate would increase by 10.3 percent for FY 2005 The Senate bill would provide $929 million for Education and Human Resources (EHR), a level slightly lower than the FY 2004 enacted level, but $86 million greater than the House appropriations bill. The Senate appropriations bill would provide $130 million for Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), a significant departure from the House bill's proposed $208 million for MREFC and 15.8 percent below the FY 2004 enacted level. The Senate bill would not provide any funding for new projects in the MREFC account and was silent on the use of R&RA funds to continue with planning and design of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). By contrast, the House bill would provide funding for two new MREFC projects and $6 million within R&RA for NEON planning and design. The House and Senate also differ on support for new Science and Technology Centers. While the House provides no funds for the proposed new class of Science and Technology Centers, the Senate "supports the Foundation's request to boost spending for developing new science and technology [S&T] centers in fiscal year 2005." NSF appropriations will not be finalized until the FY 2005 appropriations bill is passed in identical form by the House and Senate and signed into law by the President. Because Congress did not complete appropriations action before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, the agency will operate under a continuing resolution that provides pro rata funding through November 20, 2004. Table 1. National Science Foundation Appropriations
(budget authority in millions of dollars)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | Change from FY 2004
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| ($ Millions)
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| to FY 2005 Senate
| | NSF Program | FY 2003
| FY 2004
| FY 2005
| FY 2005
| FY 2005
| Amount Percent
| | | Actual1 | Estimate2 | Request3 | House4 | Senate5 | ($ Millions) | (%) | Research and Related Activities (R&RA)
| 4,054.4 | 4,251.4 | 4,452.3 | 4,151.7 | 4402.3 | 151.0 | 3.6 | | Biological Sciences | 570.5 | 586.9 | 600.0 | no data | 605.5 | 18.6 | 3.2 | | Computer & Info. Science & Eng. | 589.3 | 604.7 | 618.0 | no data | 629.9 | 25.3 | 4.2 | | Engineering | 541.7 | 565.1 | 576.0 | no data | 575.9 | 10.8 | 1.9 | | Geosciences | 691.8 | 713.1 | 728.0 | no data | 728.5 | 15.4 | 2.2 | | Mathematical & Physical Sciences | 1,040.7 | 1,091.5 | 1,115.0 | no data | 1123.1 | 31.6 | 2.9 | | Social, Behavioral & Economic Sci.* | 198.6 | 203.8 | 225.0 | no data | 224.7 | 20.9 | 10.3 | | Polar Programs | 324.0 | 342.2 | 350.0 | 350 | 349.7 | 7.6 | 2.2 | | Integrative Activities | 97.9 | 144.1 | 240.0 | no data | 165.0 | 20.9 | 14.5 | | Education and Human Resources (EHR) | 934.9 | 939.0 | 771.4 | 843.0 | 929.2 | -9.8 | -1.0 | | Major Research Equipment (MREFC) | 179.0 |
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