June 28, 2007

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill and provided $6,553.4 million for the National Science Foundation. The appropriation is $124.4 million (1.9%) above the President's request and $637.8 million (10.8%) above the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution.

The Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account is funded at $5,156.1 million, $24.4 million (0.5%) above the President's request and 8.2% above the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution.¹ The increase includes an accounting adjustment of $102 million for the transfer of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program into the RR&A account from the Education and Human Resources (EHR) account. The $24.4 million increase is specified for Ocean Research (an enhancement to the Ocean Research Priorities Plan of $18 million) and EPSCoR.

The Education and Human Resources (EHR) account is funded at $850.6 million, $100 million (13.3%) above the President's request and $152.6 million (21.9%) above the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution.¹ The appropriation includes funding increases for the following programs: the Robert Noyce Scholarship program ($15 million); the Math and Science Partnership program ($29 million); the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation ($10 million); the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program ($7.2 million); the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion program ($10 million); and the NSF Academies for Young Scientists program ($15 million).

The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account was provided the requested $244.7 million, which is $53.9 million (28.2%) above the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution.

The Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM)² is funded at the requested level of $285.6 million, $38.8 million (15.7%) above the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution.

The bill funds the National Science Board and the Office of Inspector General at the requested levels of $4 million and $12.4 million, respectively.

NSF FUNDING BY APPROPRIATIONS

(Dollars in millions)

	FY 2007 Estimate	FY 2008 Request	Senate Mark
Research and Related Activities1	4,768.0	5,131.7	5,156.1
Education and Human Resources1	796.7	750.6	850.6
Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction	190.9	244.7	244.7
Agency Operations and Award Management2	248.3	285.6	285.6
National Science Board	4.0	4.0	4.0
Office of Inspector General	11.4	12.4	12.4
Total, NSF	$5,917.2	$6,429.0	$6,553.4

Totals may not add due to rounding.
¹ Total funding for the FY 2008 Research and Related Activities (RR&A) and Education and Human Resources (EHR) Accounts reflect a transfer of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funding ($102 million) from the EHR Account to the RR&A Account.
² Formerly termed Salaries and Expenses.

See also:

• NSF & Congress Archive