From: rsherme@diamond.nswc.navy.mil (Russel Shermer (R43))
Subject: fyi #125: NSF and NASA Funding Legislation
Keywords: congress, funding, science, nsf, nasa
Organization: NAVSWC DD White Oak Det.
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 20:00:16 GMT

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




NSF and NASA Funding Legislation in Final Stages

FYI No. 125, September 15, 1992


In the next three weeks Congress must conclude its consideration of
twelve appropriations bills providing money for the federal
government after September 30.  Both the House and Senate have
passed differing versions of bills making appropriations for the
National Science Foundation, NASA, and DOE.

Instrumental to resolving the differences in the legislation are
conference committees drawn from the members of the House and
Senate appropriations committees.  These ad-hoc committees
determine the ultimate funding levels for government agencies,
subject to final House and Senate floor votes.  Of almost equal
importance, these committees write the conference reports which
literally spell out how an agency should spend its money.

Conference committees represent the last hope, or the last hurdle,
to be crossed before a bill goes to the floor for a final vote.
Conference committee members cannot redraft legislation going
beyond the range of the original versions of the House and Senate
bills.  For instance, the conference committee cannot terminate the
space station, since both bills provide money for the program.  But
they will determine the station budget, and will also specify how
that money is to be spent.

The conference committee drafting the final version of the Energy
and Water Development Appropriations Bill is meeting today.

To reach a Member of Congress, call the Capitol switchboard at
202-224-3121.

The VA, HUD, Independent Agencies conference committee is expected
to meet after September 21.  The House has not announced its
conferees, although most, if not all, of the VA, HUD appropriations
subcommittee members will be named.  They are Representatives: Bob
Traxler (D-Michigan), Louis Stokes (D-Ohio), Alan Mollohan (D-West
Virginia), Jim Chapman (D-Texas), Chester Atkins (D-Mass.), Marcy
Kaptur (D-Ohio), Bill Green (R-New York), Lawrence Coughlin
(R-Penn.), and Bill Lowery (R-Cal.), as well as Chairman Jamie
Whitten (D-Mississippi) and Ranking Republican Member Joseph McDade
(R-Penn.)

The Senate has announced its conferees.  They are Senators: Barbara
Mikulski (D-Maryland), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), J. Bennett
Johnston (D-Louisiana), Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey), Wyche
Fowler, Jr. (D-Georgia), J. Robert Kerrey (D-Nebraska), Jake Garn
(R-Utah), Alfonse D'Amato (R-New York), Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma),
Phil Gramm (R-Texas), Christopher Bond (R-Missouri), as well as
Chairman Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) and Ranking Republican
Member Mark Hatfield (R-Oregon).


The conference report language will be especially important to the
National Science Foundation.  In a recent budget update from NSF's
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs they write:

"Numerous floors, setasides, and prescriptive guidance are
contained within the Senate Appropriations Committee's report.  The
Senate Committee has elected to emphasize such initiatives as
manufacturing, high performance computing, education, research
facilities--both specialized and general purpose--and defense
conversion.  In addition, the Committee has directed that in taking
the reduction in the research account, centers and groups should be
assessed no more than 25% of the necessary reduction.  The House
report, by comparison, requests the Foundation to review the
priority for its major research facilities such as LIGO and the
8-Meter telescope; and leaves to NSF far more discretion in
whatever reductions will be necessary.

"The impact of the Senate mark [version], particularly on research
and related activities, is particularly acute.  The reduction in
total funding for research from the request level amounts to over
$300 million out of the request. [Note: because of a last-minute
House floor amendment, both reductions are similar.]  Couple that
reduction with the specific setasides for manufacturing (to be
funded at the request level of $104M); high performance computing
(committee's directives says to provide half of HPCC's requested
increase), and earmarks for the large scale research facilities;
and the net result is that the disciplinary programs not
specifically protected could suffer as much as a 20% reduction
below the comparable level for last year.  The House report, on the
other hand, leaves NSF with far more flexibility in the management
of the resources being provided."

The VA, HUD, Independent Agencies Appropriations bill is H.R. 5679.

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