NSF Congressional Highlight
Senate Passes FY 2000 Conference Report for VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies
October 18, 1999
By a vote of 93-5, the Senate passed the final version the FY
2000 VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Appropriations
Act on October 15. This legislation includes funding
for the VA, HUD, EPA, NASA, national service as well
as the National Science Foundation. The House passed
the compromise bill on October 14th. President Clinton
has indicated that he will sign the bill.
The conference report provides NSF with a total budget
of $3.912 billion -- this amount represents an increase
of $240 million or 7% over the FY 1999 appropriation.
For the Research and Related Activities account, the
conferees have agreed to provide a total of $2.966
billion -- nearly $200 million or 7% over the FY99
level. Within this account, the conferees provided
$90 million for the Computer and Information Sciences
and Engineering (CISE) directorate for "individual
and team research projects related to information
technologies, specifically in the areas recommended
in the PITAC report and in H.R. 2086." HR 2086 is
the Networking and Information Technology Research
and Development Act, reported by the House Science
Committee on June 9, 1999.
The conference report also provides $50 million for
biocomplexity; $60 million for the plant genome program;
and $25 million to support arctic logistics. The conference
report directs NSF to develop a multi-year, multi-agency
plan for the implementation of joint United-States
Japan Arctic research activities and to provide $5
million within available funds for logistical activities
in support of US-Japan international research activities
related to global change . The conferees included
bill language that limits NSF support for internet
domain registration -- a provision similar to the
one included in last year's appropriations bill and
consistent with National Science Board policy. In
addition, the conferees agreed to the Senate's proposal
to include buy/build America language concerning the
future acquisition of a research vessel with icebreaking
capability.
Also within the RRA account, NSF is encouraged to consider
providing from with available funds up to $3 million
for the Civilian Research and Development Foundation.
The report provides no funding, without prejudice
for the NSF Opportunity Fund in FY 2000. NSF is directed
also to provide up to $5 million for the National
Oceanographic Partnership Program and to explore the
feasibility of establishing a multi-disciplinary research
program that will estimate the benefits and costs
of gambling. Language commending NSF for its support
of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is
also included.
For the Major Research Equipment account, the conferees
agreed to provide $95 million -- this is $10 million
above the request. The additional funds are for initial
steps towards the acquisition of a high altitude research
aircraft. Within the conference agreement $36 million
is provided for the terascale computing system --
this is identical to the request and is in addition
to the $90 million provided for information technology
research in the research and related activities account.
Also included in the conference agreement are the
funds requested for the Large Hadron Collider, the
Millimeter Array, the Network for Earthquake Engineering
Simulation, polar aircraft upgrades, and South Pole
Station modernization.
For Education and Human Resources, the conferees agreed
to provide $696.6 million -- this is a $34.6 million
increase over the FY99 level. Within this account
the conferees have agreed to provide: a total of $55
million for EPSCOR and $10 million for a new innovation
partnership effort. The conferees direct that funds
for these two efforts be combined in a single program
office within the EHR account, under the direct supervision
of the Director's office. According to the conference
language, the new office should examine means of helping
non-EPSCoR institutions receiving among the least
federal research funding expand their research capacity
and competitiveness. The new innovation partnership
office is expected to work with CISE to insure access
to advanced networking and computing activities for
rural and insular areas with research institutions
and to coordinate with all other research directorates.
Also within the EHR account, $46 million is provided
for informal science education - the level requested;
and $10 million to support undergraduate activities
at historically black colleges and universities --
of which $8 million is from the Education account
and $2 million is to be provided from the Research
account.
For both the EHR and the RRA accounts, the conferees
included language directing NSF to use any remaining
additional funds - except where specified in the conference
report - to be distributed proportionately and equitably
across the directorates, consistent with the ratio
of the budget request level above the FY 99 funding
level.
The Salaries and Expenses account is funded at the
level of $149 million. The conference report directs
NSF to fund program travel only from within the S&E
account and to improve its oversight activity of its
many programs, using available funds from with the
S&E account. The Office of Inspector General is funded
at the level of $5.45 million -- both levels are equal
to the budget request.
FY 2000 National Science Foundation
Appropriations Table
Account |
FY99 |
Req |
House |
Senate |
Final |
RRA |
2770.00 |
3004.00 |
2778.50 |
3007.30 |
2966.0 |
|
MRE |
90.00 |
85.00 |
56.50 |
70.00 |
95.0 |
|
EHR |
662.00 |
678.00 |
660.00 |
688.60 |
696.6 |
|
S&E |
144.00 |
149.00 |
146.50 |
150.00 |
149.0 |
|
OIG |
5.20 |
5.45 |
5.33 |
5.55 |
5.45 |
|
Total |
3671.2 |
3921.45 |
3646.83 |
3921.45 |
3912.0 |
See also:
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