NSF Congressional Update
November 6, 1997
President Signs into Law Congress' 5% Increase
For NSF's Fiscal Year 1998 Budget
On October 27, 1997, the President signed into law
the FY 1998 VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations
Act. This appropriation act includes funding for NSF
as well as for the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the Veterans Administration, NASA, EPA,
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and numerous
other independent agencies.
For NSF, the act provides a total appropriation in
this bill of $3.429 billion. This is an increase of
5% or $159 million over the FY 1997 level and $62
million more than the request for FY 1998.
For the Research and Related Activities Appropriations
account, the act provides $2.546 billion, an increase
of almost 5% or $114 million more than last year and
$31 million more than the request. House and Senate
conferees agreed to provide an additional $40 million
above the current $20 million level, to support an
expanded plant genome research program. The conferees
also agreed to provide $1 million for the U.S.-Mexico
Foundation.
In addition to this appropriation, instead of providing
the $10 million request for Next Generation Internet,
the conferees included report language directing NSF
to credit to the research and related activities account
$23 million from the domain name registration activity's
intellectual infrastructure fund -- which currently
has a balance just over $30 million. The conferees
have directed that the $23 million be used support
NSF activities in the interagency Next Generation
Internet program in FY 1998.
For the Major Research Equipment account, the act
provides $109 million -- $29 million more than last
year and $24 million more than the request. Of this
amount, $70 million is provided towards the rehabilitation
of the South Pole Station in the Antarctic. The conferees
deferred support for the proposed Polar Cap Observatory.
Instead, they called for NSF to submit a report on
the proposed project. The conference agreement also
provides the $9 million requested to begin the Millimeter
Array radio telescope, $26 million for LIGO construction,
and an additional $4 million to support technology
enhancement and other related construction expenses
associated with the Gemini telescope project.
For Education and Human Resources, the conferees agreed
to provide $632.5 million. This is $14.5 more than
the FY 97 level and $7 million more than the request.
The conferees have included additional funds for the
Advanced Technological Education program and minority
graduate and undergraduate initiatives.
The table below provides a summary of the FY 1998
appropriations process.
STATUS OF THE FY
1998 NSF BUDGET REQUEST
$ in millions |
|
FY97 |
REQ |
HAUTH |
SAUTH |
CAUTH |
HAPPR |
SAPPR |
CAPPR |
RRA |
2432.0 |
2514.7 |
2563.0 |
2563.3 |
|
2537.7 |
2524.7 |
2545.7 |
EHR |
619.0 |
625.5 |
625.5 |
645.5 |
|
632.5 |
625.5 |
632.5 |
MRE |
80.0 |
85.0 |
175.0 |
155.0 |
|
175.0 |
85.0 |
109.0 |
S&E |
134.3 |
137.0 |
137.0 |
137.0 |
|
137.0 |
137.0 |
137.0 |
OIG |
4.7 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
|
4.8 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
TOTAL |
3270.0 |
3367.0 |
3505.0 |
3505.0 |
|
3487.0 |
3377.0 |
3429.0 |
RRA-Research and Related Activities
EHR - Education and Human Resources
MRE - Major Research Equipment
S&E; - Salaries and Expenses
OIG - Office of Inspector General
REQ - FY 1998 NSF Budget Request
HAUTH - House passed FY98-99 NSF Authorization Bill
(H.R. 1273)
SAUTH - Senate FY98 NSF Authorization Bill (S. 1046)
CAUTH - Conference Agreement on NSF Authorization
Bill
HAPPR - FY98 House VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2158)
SAPPR - FY98 Senate VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2158)
CAPPR - FY98 Appropriations Conference Agreement (H.R.
2158 - P.L. 105-65)
See also:
|