From: rsherme@diamond.nswc.navy.mil (Russel Shermer (R43))
Newsgroups: sci.research
Subject: fyi #158:  End Point: NSF Spending Plan Approved
Keywords: science, funding, policy, nsf.
Date: 23 Dec 92 11:59:47 GMT
Organization: NAVSWC DD White Oak Det.

Posted for:
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
Contact: Richard M. Jones
Phone: (202) 332-9661
Email: fyi@aip.org



End Point: NSF Spending Plan Approved

FYI No. 158, December 22, 1992


Almost eleven months after the National Science Foundation sent its
budget request to Congress, a final spending plan has been approved
for fiscal year 1993 (which started on October 1.)  The
foundation's budget increased by 6.3% over the previous year to
$2,733.6 million.  Spending for Research and Related Activities was
cut $13 million below the fiscal year 1992 level.  As expected, a
number of subactivities are going to be hard hit.

Under the plan submitted by NSF on December 3, and approved on
December 9 by Senator Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Bob Traxler, the
following budgets were set:

MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES: The total budget declined by
$2.62 million, or 0.4%, to $619.94 million.  Under this budget
category are the following subactivities:

   ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES: Down $8.91 million, or 7.9%, to $103.37
   million.

   PHYSICS: Down $9.91 million, or 7.2%, to $128.23 million.

   MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES: Down $0.87 million, or 1.1%, to $77.59
   million.

   CHEMISTRY: Up $0.05 million, or 0.04%, to $112.22 million.

   MATERIALS RESEARCH: Up $7.06 million, or 4.9%, to $150.57
   million.

   MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT: Up $9.96 million, or 26.3%, to $47.86
   million.

GEOSCIENCES: this funding, under a separate budget category,
declined by $0.22 million, or 0.05%, to $401.88 million.  The
budgets for Ocean Sciences and the Arctic Research Program showed
very modest increases.  Budgets for Atmospheric Sciences and Earth
Sciences were cut by relatively small amounts.

EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES: The budget grew by $161.94 million,
or 6.3%, to $2,733.55 million.  Systemic Reform funding increased
by $41.18 million, or 93%.  Undergraduate Education funding
increased, as did Human Resource Development and Research,
Evaluation, and Dissemination.  Funding for Elementary, Secondary,
and Informal Education declined.  NSF's decision to cancel a second
class of fiscal year 1993 graduate traineeships was rejected by
Mikulski and Traxler.

NSF Director Walter Massey, in his letter to Mikulski and Traxler,
cited the cuts in Base Program Support.  He wrote, "In spite of the
optimism we have for the future based upon the challenges offered
to us by the Commission [on NSF's future], the development of this
current plan has been extremely difficult.  Tough decisions had to
be made that will result in funding levels in many programs that
will be significantly below last year's level."

One of the most closely watched issues was how NSF would develop a
plan responsive to direct language from the appropriations
committees calling for research more attuned to the needs of the
private sector.  Massey's letter, referring to the NSB commission
report (see FYI #151), stated "I feel that the report provides a
strong policy basis for an accelerated expansion of programs that
link scientific and engineering research to key technologies in
such areas as materials, biotechnology, electronics, and
information and communication."  He later said, "NSF will seek
closer consultation with potential industrial partners as we
identify strategic research opportunities in the near future."

Under a heading entitled, "Strategic Research," Massey identified
the following programs (with the percentage increase over last year
following): manufacturing research and education - 18.7%, advanced
materials and processing - 14.2%, biotechnology - 9.3%, high
performance computing and communications - 12.5%, and global change
research - 15.2%.

In his letter, Massey said, "in developing this plan, our
overriding goal has been to achieve an appropriate balance between
the many facets of NSF's mission."  With the release of this plan
yesterday, the relationship between support for physics and
astronomy research and the overriding federal budget problem seems
to be brought into even sharper focus.

(Note: FYI# 159 provides additional information on two major
programs in the current plan: funding for LIGO and the Gemini
eight-meter telescope project.)

###############
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
Contact: Richard M. Jones
(202) 332-9661
##END##########
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