The Federal R&D Budget: Process and Outlook Matt Hourihan April 25, 2017 For the SETCVD AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program http://www.aaas.org/program/rd-budget-and-policy-program

The Federal Budget is Kind Of a Big Deal Dollars are oxygen for science programs – but every dollar in the budget has claimants! The budget process is, fundamentally, a negotiation between competing constituencies, interests, ideologies, and value systems in a structured, decentralized system “Politics is who gets what, when, and how.” - Harold Lasswell “Budgeting is about values, and it’s about choices.” – Rep. Rosa DeLauro Major impact for R&D and innovation: most basic research, and most university research, is federally funded

Step 1: President Proposes…

Step 2: …and the Congress Disposes?

Reception and Questions… Some Republican responses: “draconian, careless, and counterproductive” “cannot pass” “does not work” “you’ll see some changes” “ridiculous” FY17 appropriations: how does Congress wrap things up? FY18 budget resolution: Where do the caps end up? Remember: 60 votes required to change! FY18 appropriations: does support continue? How does the basic/applied dichotomy shake out?

Congressional Budget and Appropriations Budget Resolution limits discretionary spending in total Appropriations Committees subsequently limit spending by bill [via 302(b) allocations] Approps committees write/approve 12 appropriations bills Bills have to pass both chambers, subject to amendment Conference committee Can be filibustered/vetoed Twelve Appropriations Subcommittees Eight subcommittees responsible for at least $1 billion of R&D Approps led by “Cardinals” Committee Chairs: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ), Sen. Thad Cochran (MS) Ranking Members: Rep. Nita Lowey (NY), Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT) Appropriators will often have their own priorities

Energy & Water Subcommittee House Senate Chair Mike Simpson (ID) Lamar Alexander (TN) Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (OH) Dianne Feinstein (CA) ~$40 billion Challenge: balancing basic research, DOE tech portfolio, NNSA, national labs; also Army Corps, Bureau of Reclamation Questions: What happens to applied tech? Does support for science programs (physics, bio, others) continue?

Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee House Senate Chair Tom Cole (OK) Roy Blunt (MO) Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT) Patty Murray (WA) >$150 billion Deep divisions over public health programs, education, DOL Usually one of the hardest to pass, thus usually one of the last out of the gate Everybody likes NIH lately Especially Alzheimer’s research Cancer moonshot?

Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee House Senate Chair John Culberson (TX) Richard Shelby (AL) Ranking Member Jose Serrano (NY) Jeanne Shaheen (NH) ~$55 billion Challenge: balancing Depts. of Justice and Commerce, NASA, NSF Questions: NSF: social and geo science funding? Facilities? NASA: what happens to earth science? Human spaceflight? (and where do we go?) Commerce: What happens to NOAA climate research and NIST commercial technology programs?

Defense House Senate Chair Kay Granger (TX) Thad Cochran (MS) Ranking Member Pete Visclosky (IN) Dick Durbin (IL) Over $500 billion Tradeoffs: balancing force modernization, readiness, personnel costs, defense science & tech ecosystem (including RDT&E and medical research): short-term versus long-term Offset Strategy? War funding?

Agriculture Subcommittee House Senate Chair Robert Aderholt (AL) John Hoeven (ND) Ranking Member Sanford Bishop (GA) Jeff Merkley (OR) ~$20 billion Funds most USDA (but not Forest Service); also FDA Balancing between conservation, public assistance, food safety Questions: Does growth for competitive grants continue? Do formula funds remain lower priority? Also: Farm Bill on the horizon

Interior & Environment House Senate Chair Ken Calvert (CA) Lisa Murkowski (AK) Ranking Member Betty McCollum (MN) Tom Udall (NM) ~$30 billion Includes: Dept. of the Interior, EPA; also Forest Service; small bit goes to NIH Another divisive bill: environmental protection, land use, emissions regulation, wildfire management and response Again, science funding tends to take secondary prominence (U.S. Geological Survey, EPA S&T)

For more info… mhouriha@aaas.org 202-326-6607 http://www.aaas.org/program/rd-budget-and-policy-program