View from the Hill Ellen E. Burns, Ph.D Office of Congressman Vern Ehlers

Components of Congressional Action Authorization Budget Appropriations

Authorization Establishes or continues a agency, activity, or program Authorizes appropriations –Technically, only authorized programs receive appropriations –Does not guarantee appropriations Example: H.R NSF reauthorization Process: Senate, House, Conference, President

Budget President’s Request Defines Administration Priorities (large & small) –Spending Limits, Deficit & Program Increases Starting Point for Congressional Budget & Appropriations Delivered to Congress February 1 for next FY Congressional Budget Sets Congressional Priorities (large) –Spending Limits, Deficit –Mandatory Spending (Entitlements—SS, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans, Housing, Farm Subsidies) –Discretionary Spending (Yearly Appropriation Bills) –Function Levels (e.g. basic science = function 250) Process: House, Senate, Conference Due April 15 for next FY

Appropriations Discretionary Spending Provides funds to agencies & programs Trumps Authorizations, President’s Request & Congressional Budget –Can legislate through appropriations –President’s Requests are viewed as “suggestions” –May exceed Congressional Budget spending caps –Allocations to functions are largely irrelevant (structure) Cases in which function aligns with subcommittee and becomes politically relevant (defense, homeland security)

Appropriations Structure & Process Appropriations Committee divides budget authority among its 13 Subcommittees 1.Agriculture 2.Commerce, State Justice 3.Defense 4.District of Columbia 5.Energy and Water 6.Foreign Operations 7.Homeland Security 8. Interior 9. Labor, HHS, Ed 10. Legislative Branch 11. Military Construction 12. Transportation/Treasury 13. VA/HUD Process: House, Senate, Conference, President Due September 30 for next FY (rarely met)

FY 2005 Budget Outlook Tight Budget, Large Deficit (~$500 B) Significant National Priorities –Control Spending and Deficits –War on Terrorism, Homeland Security, Iraq –Medicare, Healthcare, Social Security, Veterans (lobby/politics drives spending) Increases in Mandatory Spending and Deficit Control Measures are Squeezing the Discretionary Budget –Domestic Discretionary Spending held to 0.5% increase –Baby Boomer Generation

FY 2005 R&D Budget Outlook President’s Request Total federal R&D in FY 2005 is $132.0 B (+$5.5 B) Increases go to DOD and DHS (7% and 15%) Increases go primarily to development (8%) Basic and applied would be flat at $55.7 B (+0.2%) Biomedical R&D continues to out-pace non-biomedical R&D Congress: Is still working on the budget conference. Numbers may change, but trends are similar

FY 2005 Appropriations The Budget Resolution is not completed. Appropriations Committee is using $821 B for allocation. Allocations for the subcommittees have not been set Likely that allocations will be flat or less than FY 2004 –Except in DHS/DOD Trade-offs between programs will be significant and difficult. Subcommittees are currently holding hearings to help them set priorities

FY 2005 S&T Specifics President’s Request: $5.745 B (+3% over FY 2004) –Well short of the $7.4 B necessary to double by 2007 –Increases in MRE & Salaries –Decrease in Education and Human Resources (EHR) –Other directorates up ~2.2% Congress: No number has been suggested –Chairman Walsh and Ranking Member Mollohan are supportive of NSF –“Can’t give what they don’t have” –Mr. Ehlers & Mr. Holt are sponsoring letter to support NSF Setting up self-sustaining NSF lobbying plan NSF

FY 2005 S&T Specifics President’s Request: $3.4 B (-2% from FY 2004) –Well short of the $4.2 B in H.R. 6 –Increases for Security and Workforce –Significant decrease in Science Lab Infrastructure & Biological and Environmental Research Congress: No number has been suggested –Chairman Hobson and Ranking Member Visclosky are supportive –Likely to have significant “funding hole” in allocation (Yucca) –Mrs. Biggert is starting a letter to support DOE SC DOE Office of Science

FY 2005 S&T Specifics President’s Request: $28.8 B (+2.6% from FY 2004) –Most Institutes up by % –$60 million in new money for the NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research –Grant size and new starts increase slightly Congress: No number has been suggested –Do not expect NIH funding to increase significantly, but never know given the biomedical lobby NIH

FY 2005 S&T Specifics Lessons from NIH Doubling: –Need to have a reasonable plan for growth before and after doubling –Members & public will expect outcomes after doubling –Need an effective lobby to push doubling through appropriations—not enough to have authorizing language Doubling

FY 2005 S&T Specifics NSF Doubling: –Mr. Ehlers supports NSF doubling & is working to return NSF funding to the doubling track as soon as possible. In the meantime: –Fight for continued positive growth in NSF budget –Maintain momentum generated by doubling effort –Educate Members on importance of basic research & NSF –Build an effective coalition and lobby for NSF growth –Encourage NSF to develop cohesive plans for pre- and post- doubling Doubling DOE SC Doubling is gaining support but has a long way to go

Challenges in FY 2005 Very tight discretionary budget Organization of Appropriations pits S&T agencies against other popular programs (NSF vs. VA/HUD) –Need to protect the budgets of various agencies Educate Members on importance of S&T investment to innovation and economic growth –Effectively lobby & make S&T something Members support in all years (lean or flush) Members are reluctant to sign letters this year

What Can you do? Give up being Apolitical Realize that government does not “owe” anything to science Participate—connect with Congress, CNSF, ESC Educate –Members –Yourself, Your Colleagues, Your Students Specifically for FY 2005: –Write or Call your Member of Congress and ask them to sign the NSF and DOE letters.