1. The Federal R&D Budget Outlook
Matt Hourihan
August 19, 2019
For the SUNY Research Administrators Virtual Academy
AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program

8. House R&D Highlights (1)
NIH: +$2 billion, 4.7% above FY19 – highest funding since FY06
Most ICs received increases of ~5%
Priorities: Precision medicine, Alzheimer’s
New money: pediatric cancer data initiative, gun violence research, extramural R&D facilities grants
DOD Science & Technology: -$677 million, 4.3% below FY19
Basic science (6.1): +0.5%, mostly for Army; DARPA, NDEP, Minerva also increased
University Research Initiatives: +6.9%, +$27 million
Priorities include AI, hypersonics, cyber; Defense Innovation Unit + National Security Innovation Network
NSF: +$561 million, 6.9% above FY19
STEM ed programs supported

9. House R&D Highlights (2)
DOE Office of Science: +$285 million, 4.3% increase
Sizable increases for undergrad support, math & CS research, fusion research, among other areas
+9.1% for Energy Frontier Research Centers with new awards planned in FY20
DOE Technology Programs: Increases of at least 11% for efficiency & renewables R&D; ARPA-E; grid security and reliability
Nuclear, Fossil offices about flat
USDA: ~11% increases for NIFA research and education programs
+$50 million, 12% increase for Ag and Food Research Initiative (competitive grants)
~3% increases for ARS, NASS research; ~1% for ERS
OIG: NIFA, ERS move to Kansas City broke law?

10. House R&D Highlights (3)
NASA: +3.8%; Science Directorate +3.7%
Increases for WFIRST (Astrophysics), Earth Science
Education office including Space Grant spared from elimination
Climate + Environment: EPA, NOAA, USGS have all dodged big cuts
NOAA: plus-ups of ~9% or more for ocean, coastal, atmospheric, and climate research programs; Sea Grant saved
USGS: largest increases for geological mapping, geospatial programs
Other boosts:
+$975 billion for CDC
VA research up 7.8%
NIST Lab programs up 3.7%

12. Next Steps
Senate to begin issuing their own appropriations legislation in September…
Recent science priorities have included NIH, energy science and technology, NSF, Defense research
Scaling back House numbers?
…followed by conference committees to negotiate final numbers with House. Issues:
Border wall vs health spending
Gun violence research line items
But other research-relevant legislation (CJS, Interior, Energy) could see clearer sailing
Fiscal year ends September 30: will need a Continuing Resolution for some/most/all agencies
(Image source: Roll Call)

13. Beyond This Fall
Next year, much more limited cap space: less than 1% increase for defense and nondefense
Also, an election year…
2021: No more caps
Though “how much to spend” will remain a political question subject to annual negotiation
Budget resolution and debt ceiling return
Fiscal future: aging population, increasing spending, and insufficient revenues means…growing deficits, increasing interest payments, and declining discretionary spending
And THAT could all mean stagnating science funding for some years to come
Or fiscal blowback (again)?

15. CBO disc decline

17. mhouriha@aaas.org 202-326-6607 http://www.aaas.org/rd
For more info…