R&D Funding in the New Administration and Congress Matt Hourihan April 10, 2017 For the Big Ten+ Research Deans’ Meeting AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program http://www.aaas.org/program/rd-budget-and-policy-program
1. Recent History (a.k.a past is prologue)
R&D Funding in the Obama Years While the President’s requests were regularly unfulfilled, appropriators still found ways to fund research…when there was fiscal room “All politics is local” Competitiveness, health, energy independence, national security; individual legislator priorities However, still areas of particular disagreement, i.e.: Climate science Social science Applied tech: energy, manufacturing Duplication, role of government, waste, accountability, transparency Nondefense discretionary spending ultimately a lower priority for everyone
2. The Trump Administration Budget
3. What About Congress?
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?
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; 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?
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
For more info… mhouriha@aaas.org 202-326-6607 http://www.aaas.org/program/rd-budget-and-policy-program