From: rsherme@diamond.nswc.navy.mil (Russel Shermer (R43))
Newsgroups: sci.research
Subject: fyi #130: NSF Funding Legislation Complete: Hard Times Ahead for Research
Keywords: science, research, funding, congress, NSF.
Date: 8 Oct 92 14:13:50 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

NSF Funding Legislation Complete: Hard Times Ahead for Research

FYI No. 130, September 29, 1992


Within days President Bush is expected to sign H.R. 5679, the VA,
HUD, Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 1993.
The resulting funding levels are sure to cause anguish in many
sectors of the science community.  This FYI summarizes the NSF
section of House Conference Report 102-902, accompanying H.R. 5679,
with additional NSF mission language in FYI #131.

For the fiscal year ending this week, the NSF OVER-ALL BUDGET is
$2,570.5 million.  President Bush requested $3,027 million for
fiscal year 1993.  The conferees provided NSF with $2,733.1
million, a 6.3% increase.

Within the budget there are winners and losers.  RESEARCH funding
for fiscal year 1993 is being cut by $13 million from this year's
level (despite a requested increase of $340 million) to $1,859
million.  The conference committee suggests that NSF take the money
for its pending headquarters move and allocate it instead to the
research budget.

EDUCATION funding will increase from $465 million to $487 million.
A new urban systematic initiative will receive $5 million, EPSCOR
funding receives an additional $5 million, and level funding of $23
million is provided for the graduate traineeship program.

The budget for INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES increases from $33
million to $50 million.  Of this, $37.5 million is for
instrumentation.

The NSF budget has a category entitled "Mathematical and Physical
Sciences," with a breakdown called "Major Research Equipment."
Three instruments of interest to the physics community are funded
under this category: the laser interferometer gravitational wave
observatory, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, and the
8-Meter Optical Telescopes.  The administration's total MRE request
of $79 million was cut by $11 million.  LIGO will receive $38
million of the $48 million requested under this budget category.
The conferees also provided LIGO with another $5 million from the
physics research budget "for research and development of the LIGO
project."  The NATIONAL HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD LABORATORY's request of
$14 million was reduced by $1 million.

Also under this category, the conferees provided $17 million for
the GEMINI 8-METER TELESCOPES.  Conferees continue to be concerned
about foreign participation in the telescope project, stating: "The
conferees again want to reiterate the understanding that the United
States will provide no more than one half ($88 million) of the
total required for funding of the 8 meter telescope project.  The
conferees believe that the international commitment for its full 50
percent contribution (in cash) should be in place by October 1,
1992."

Funding was reduced for the ARCTIC RESEARCH VESSEL, with the
conferees agreeing to delay the NCAR JET RESEARCH AIRCRAFT.  A $5
million cut was made in the U.S. ANTARCTIC PROGRAM.
(Over)

Funding "floors" in the Senate report (see FYI #125) were suspended
for manufacturing, high performance computing and interdisciplinary
research on the environment, pending receipt of the NSF operating
plan.

The conference report also states: "...with regard to HIGH ENERGY
PHYSICS FACILITIES, the conferees note that there are proposals for
B-Factories from Cornell University and Stanford University.
Careful and objective examination of the technical merits and costs
of both proposals are essential elements of a prudent decision
between the two."


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