NSF Congressional Highlight
U.S. House Passes FY 2006 Spending Bill Including NSF

June 16, 2005

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2006 Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill and provided $5.64 billion for the National Science Foundation. This appropriation is $170.5 million (3%) above the FY 2005 estimated budget and $38.4 million (1%) above the FY 2006 request.

The Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account is funded at $4.38 billion, $44 million (1%) and $157 million (4%) above the FY 2005 appropriated and FY 2006 request levels, respectively. Funding decisions by directorate and program will be left to the discretion of NSF, pending Congressional approval.

The bill provides $807 million for the Education and Human Resources (EHR) account, $34.4 million (4%) below the current level and $70 million (9.5%) above the FY 2006 request.

Specifically, the bill provided funding levels for the following within the EHR account:

• Math and Science Partnership (MSP; -$19.36 million from FY 05 to $60 million; equal to FY 06 request);
• Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research [EPSCoR; +$3.32 million from FY 05 to $97 million; $3 million (3%) over request];
• Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education [ESIE; -$6.95 million from FY 05 to $175 million; $34.2 million (24%) over request];
• Undergraduate Education [DUE; -$3.67 million from FY 05 to $150 million; $15 million (11%) over request];
• Graduate Education (DGE; +$0.3 million from FY 05 to $155 million; equal to request);
• Human Research Development [HRD; +$1.46 million from FY 05to $120 million; $1.6 million (1.4%) over request]; and
• Research, Evaluation, and Communication [REC; -$9.52 million from FY 05 to $50 million; $16.2 million (48%) over request].

The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account is funded at $193.4 million, $19.7 million (11%) above the current level and $56.7 million (23%) below the budget request. The bill provides the FY 2006 request levels for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, EarthScope, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, and the Scientific Ocean Drilling Vessel.

The NSF's Salaries and Expenses account is funded at $250 million, $26.8 million (12%) over the current level and $19 million (7%) below the request. The National Science Board is provided $4 million, up $30,000 from last year. The Office of the Inspector General is funded at $11.5 million, $1.5 million over the current level.

The spending bill was reported out of the Full House Appropriations Committee on June 7, 2005.

NSF FUNDING BY APPROPRIATION

(Dollars in Millions)

	FY 2005 Estimate	FY 2006 Request	House Mark
Research and Related Activities	$4,221	$4,333	$4,378
Education and Human Resources	841	737	807
Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction	174	250	193.4
Salaries and Expenses	223	269	250
National Science Board	4	4	4
Office of Inspector General	10	11.5	11.5
Total, NSF	$5,473	$5,605	$5,643

Totals may not add due to rounding.

See also:

• NSF & Congress Archive