Final FY18 Appropriations: National Science Foundation

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

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> From: FYI <fyi () aip-info org>
> Date: March 30, 2018 at 6:54:26 AM GMT+9
> To: farber () central cis upenn edu
> Subject: Final FY18 Appropriations: National Science Foundation
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> Number 37: March 29, 2018
> Final FY18 Appropriations: National Science Foundation
> The final spending legislation for fiscal year 2018 boosts the National Science Foundation budget by 4 percent to 
> $7.8 billion, a modest raise compared to what several other science agencies are receiving.
> The final appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2018 provides the National Science Foundation with a $295 
> million, or 4 percent, funding increase to $7.8 billion.
>  
> The legislation’s joint explanatory statement, which provides funding and policy direction to the agency, 
> acknowledges the National Science Board’s 2018 Science and Indicators report finding that the U.S. is at risk of 
> losing global R&D spending leadership to other countries, stating:
>
> This strong investment in basic research reflects the Congress’ growing concern that China and other competitors are 
> outpacing the United States in terms of research spending, as noted in the 2018 Science and Engineering Indicators 
> report of the National Science Board.
>
> The chart below shows that the spending increase will benefit both the foundation’s research and education accounts. 
> However, NSF’s gains are smaller than those Congress provided to several other federal science agencies.
>
> The joint explanatory statement for NSF is available here. Unless otherwise noted in the statement, language from the 
> House and Senate Appropriations Committee reports stands as congressional direction. Detailed tables with funding 
> amounts for programs are available in FYI’s Federal Science Budget Tracker.
>         
> Research and Related Activities
>         
> NSF’s Research and Related Activities account, which funds extramural research grants, will rise 5 percent to $6.3 
> billion.
>         
> As in most years, Congress has given NSF considerable discretion on how to distribute funds among its six research 
> directorates. The final statement does not include language that the House approved via a floor amendment that would 
> direct NSF to shift $30 million to physical and biological sciences from other programs.
>         
> Committees comment on merit review. The House report reiterates merit review requirements enacted in the American 
> Innovation and Competitiveness Act, and the Senate report says the committee “continues to believe that NSF should 
> include criteria that evaluates how a proposal will advance our Nation’s national security and economic interests, as 
> well as promote the progress of science and innovation in the United States.”
>
> Interest in indirect costs. The statement does not provide guidance on NSF’s indirect cost rates, which determine a 
> percentage on top of each grant that the foundation pays to the awardee’s institution to cover finance and 
> administrative overhead. The House report, however, directs NSF to address the Government Accountability Office’s 
> preliminary findings from its interim assessment of NSF’s indirect cost policies and provide a report on how GAO’s 
> recommendations will be implemented. 
>         
> Scientific facilities fully funded. The statement reiterates House and Senate report language on maintaining funding 
> levels for existing research infrastructure. The Senate report “encourages the NSF to fully fund its U.S. scientific 
> research facilities and instruments,” while the House report goes further, directing NSF to “allocate no less than 
> fiscal year 2017 levels to support its existing research laboratories, observational networks, and other research 
> infrastructure assets, including the astronomy assets, the current academic research fleet including global class 
> vessels with unique seismic capabilities, Federally funded research and development centers, and the national high 
> performance computing centers.” The House report also directs NSF to maintain at least the current level of support 
> for its astronomical programs and facilities.
>         
> Astronomical facilities divestment. The statement acknowledges NSF’s ongoing efforts to decide on future operations 
> for several astronomical observatory facilities and directs NSF to include proposals for divestment within future 
> budget requests. NSF’s plans to divest from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and the Green Bank Observatory in 
> West Virginia have prompted pushback from some members of Congress.
>         
> Polar programs. The bill provides up to $544 million for polar research and operations support, which includes 
> funding for the Office of Polar Programs and the U.S. Antarctic program. The Senate report also encourages NSF to 
> prioritize research into the current stability of Antarctic ice sheets, including the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and 
> any impacts of future instability.
>       
> The statement includes the administration’s requested $1.8 million for OPP’s $350 million Antarctic Infrastructure 
> Modernization for Science (AIMS) project, which will replace aging facilities at McMurdo Station. It also revises the 
> House report language to specify that funding for AIMS should fall within the Research and Related Activities account 
> instead of the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account. The administration has proposed to ramp 
> up funding for AIMS to $104 million in fiscal year 2019.
>         
> Vortex-Southeast. The Senate report asks NSF to provide adequate resources for the Vortex-SE tornado research program 
> focused on the southeastern U.S. in preparation for a 2020 field campaign.
>
> I-Corps protected. Both the House and Senate reports reject the administration’s proposed 13 percent cut and direct 
> NSF to maintain current funding for the program.
>         
> Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. The statement specifies a 7 percent increase for the $160 
> million Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The administration had proposed a 38 percent 
> cut to EPSCoR, which supports R&D at historically underserved institutions.
>         
> New Historically Black Colleges and Universities program. The Senate report specifies $10 million for a new HBCU 
> Excellence in Research program, which will provide competitive grants to HCBUs to stimulate improvement of their R&D 
> capacity and competitiveness.
>         
> Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction
>         
> The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) budget is set to decrease by 13 percent to $183 
> million.
>      
> Report on MREFC eligibility and mid-scale research infrastructure. The House report directs the National Science 
> Board to develop a report with the National Academies on how to “bridge the gap between the Major Research 
> Instrumentation program and the MREFC account while also developing processes appropriate for mid-scale 
> infrastructure, cyberinfrastructure, and instrument upgrades to be funded through the MREFC account.” NSF recently 
> lowered the eligibility threshold for MREFC projects from $100 million to $70 million and also has requested $60 
> million for a new Mid-scale Research Infrastructure program in fiscal year 2019. 
>         
> Telescopes construction on track. Final appropriations include the $58 million requested for the construction of the 
> Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, a 14 percent planned decrease. The statement also includes the requested $20 million 
> for the construction of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope.
>         
> Three Regional Class Research Vessels funded. The statement specifies $105 million for construction of three new 
> Regional Class Research Vessels, one more than NSF has proposed.
>         
> Education and Human Resources
>         
> The Education and Human Resources Directorate is set to increase 3 percent to $902 million.
>         
> Scholarships and fellowships funding protected. The statement provides a 6 percent increase in funding for the Robert 
> Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to $65 million, rejecting the administration’s proposed 12 percent cut. The Senate 
> report also rejects the administration’s request to reduce funding for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
>         
> Hispanic Serving Institutions program doubles. The statement specifies $30 million for the HSI program, double the 
> amount appropriated last year.
>         
> Science education. The statement does not accept the administration’s request to cut funding by over a third for STEM 
> + Computing partnerships, and instead will maintain support for the program at $52 million. It also provides the 
> requested $63 million for the Advancing Informal STEM Learning program.
> Contact the Author
>
> Alexis Wolfe
> American Institute of Physics
> awolfe () aip org
> (301) 209-3182
> More From FYI
>
> Final FY18 Appropriations: DOE Office of Science
>
> The Department of Energy Office of Science was among the most favored science agencies in the final spending 
> legislation for fiscal year 2018, receiving its largest single-year budget increase since 2009.
> Read More >
>
> Congressional and Research Community Leaders Praise Science Spending Surge
>
> Following the release and enactment of the final appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2018, policymakers and 
> leaders in the scientific community have praised the large spending increases for federally sponsored scientific 
> research, infrastructure, and STEM education.
> Read More >
>
> Week of March 26
>  
>  - FY18 Appropriations a Windfall for Science
> - Space Science Week at the National Academies
> - NNSA Nuclear Nonproliferation Director Confirmed
> - Plus: In Case You Missed It / Events / Opportunities
> Read More >
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