GOVERNMENT & POLICY ate committee was more generous and approved $5.3 billion, a 12% rise. Some see this as an attempt to start a multiyear effort to double NSF's research budget, as has been done for NIH. The Senate Committee also rejected the proposal made by the Administration to transfer the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Sea Grant program, the Environmental Protection Agency's environmental education grants, and the U.S. Geological Survey's Waste Quality Research Program to NSF. They will remain in their present agencies. STUCK Appropriations bills for fiscal 2003 are still locked up in committee. The Senate measure gives $1 billion for basic research in the NSF physical sciences division—a 12% increase—and a 17% increase to computer science at $617 million, but leaves biological sciences unchanged from 2002 at $526 million. It would also reduce funding for major research equipment by almost half, to $79 million. The bill provides small increases for a variety of other NSF programs. Research funding at EPA, always someONGRESS HAS YET TO PASS AN $8.7 billion for DOE research in 2003, in- what of a political football, would get a appropriations bill for fiscal cluding $4 billion for defense-related re- nearly 8% boost from the Senate to $624 2003. The current year will end search. The Senate increased DOE's R&D million, although much ofthe increase goes on Sept. 30, and it looks like few, by about 5% above the President's request to congressionally designated projects, or if any, of 13 spending bills will be and 4.5% above last year's appropriation. earmarks. The National Aeronautics & signed by the President before that dead- Some program funding changes include a Space Administration would get a signifiline. However, of the work done so far, 10% increase for energy-supply R&D, to cant 6% rise in total R&D funding. Supmany science offices and agencies are get- $491 million, and an 8.3% increase in fos- port for academic programs at NASA, however, would be cut fromfiscal2002 to ting decent funding increases for next year. sil energy research, to $545 million. Congress left for its August recess after The House should take up the energy $203 million, and much of that would go a rush of activity, including work on the and water bill early next month, but it will to congressional earmarks. spending bills. In the week before its recess, probably not be as generous as the Senate. The Commerce Department has rethe Senate passed two bills, and several Early versions of the bill indicate funding search programs at NOAA and the Namore were voted out of the Appropriations of DOE research next year at the levels retional Institute for Standards & TechnolCommittee. The House has passed five quested by the President, which would be ogy NISTresearch is conducted in its own bills, but many appropriations bills have a slight reduction from this year. laboratories, and the Senate committee not even been considered in committee The National Institutes of Health is slat- has approved a 3% increase there to $276 yet. Congress has set a tentative date of ed for another double-digit increase for million. The Advanced Technology ProOct. 4 to adjourn in advance of the No- fiscal 2003. The Senate committee has gram, which supports high-risk industrial vember congressional elections. approved a 16% increase to $27 billion, R&D but has been politically challenged, The lone bill with an R&D component completing afive-yeareffort to double the would remain unchanged at $159 million. that has passed both chambers is the 2003 agency's budget. The funds, however, The Senate is likely to give NOAAmore Department of Defense measure. The Ad- would not be evenly distributed among the than an 11% increase for R&D, to $682 ministration had requested a cut of more various offices and institutes, instead being million, in contrast to a sharp cut proposed than $190 million in the total funding for concentrated on increases for bioterror- by the Administration. Some of the inscience and technology programs at DOD, ism research, construction and facilities, crease would go to boost work on global clibut an increase is likely The House passed and cancer research. For example, support mate-change research. a $1.4 billion increase to $11.3 billion for for bioterrorism research would rise from Because the House is late on considerbasic and applied research programs at $275 million this year to about $ 1.5 billion ing appropriations measures and Congress DOD. The Senate approved a $900 mil- for 2003. And the increase in construc- is feeling pressure to complete work on lion increase to $10.8 billion. tion would be used for counterterrorism other legislation—especially creation of At this stage, most other research fund- measures and to tighten lab security the Homeland Security Department, ing bills have been considered only by the which will impact some R&D fundingSenate. For example, most of the Depart- ALSO GETTING a large increase from the continuing resolutions on federal spendment of Energy is funded in the energy and Senate appropriators is the National Sci- ing are expected. Congress will probably water appropriations bill, passed late last ence Foundation. Although the Adminis- have to return for a lame duck session afmonth by the Senate Appropriations tration had requested a small raise and a ter the November elections to finish its Committee. This bill would provide about number ofprogram shifts to NSF, the Sen- work.—DAVID HANSON
TIME RUNS OUT ON MONEY BILLS
With just one month left before adjournment, not a single appropriations bill has been signed
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