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Frontiers
President Signs Into Law NSF Budget for 1997
November 1996
NSF's research programs were given a boost when
President Clinton signed into law on September 27 the fiscal year 1997
VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies appropriations bill.
NSF will receive $3.27 billion for 1997 under the new legislation,
a modest 2 percent increase--or $50 million--above the 1996 total.
However, House and Senate conferees ironing out details on the final
bill agreed to a $118 million (5.1 percent) hike in the agency's research
and related activities.
The measure signed by the President also provides $50 million for
large-scale academic research instrumentation, plus $1.4 million in
contingency funds for the Gemini project's expected tariff requirements.
NSF received its requested amount for education programs: $619 million
for 1997. Conferees redirected some of the requested funds, including
$10 million added to informal science education specifically targeted
to the agency's systemic education reform efforts.
The bill assures continuity in NSF's programs to start the new fiscal
year. Last fall, budget turmoil was caused by delays in passage of
several 1996 appropriations bills and government shutdowns. NSF's programs
were directly affected by the various delays.
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