Subcommittee Examines FY 2016 Budgets for NSF and NIST
(Washington, DC) – Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing to examine the FY 2016 budget requests for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. France Co?rdova, the Director of NSF, Dr. Daniel Arvizu, the Chairman of the National Science Board (NSB), and Dr. Willie E. May, the Acting Director of NIST.
On the budget request for NSF, Ranking Member Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) of the Research & Technology Subcommittee said in his opening statement, “The National Science Foundation is the only agency in our government that supports fundamental research across all fields of science and engineering. NSF has always been the primary source of federal support in a variety of fields, including the social and economic sciences. As other agencies such as DARPA and NIH have increasingly shifted toward more mission-focused and translational research, NSF has become the primary source of support for many more fields. $7 billion sounds like a lot of money, and of course it is. However, given the breadth and depth of our nation’s scientific talent, and their capacity to transform the world through scientific and technological breakthroughs, $7 billion still leaves a lot of excellent ideas on the cutting-room floor. NSF is requesting a 5.2 percent increase in its budget for FY 2016 which I believe is fully justified and I will strongly support.”
Ranking Member Lipinski also commented on the NIST budget request saying, “NIST has always been the world’s premier measurement science and standards organization. In recent years, policymakers in Congress and the White House have called on NIST to take on leadership roles in an increasing number of critical areas, including cybersecurity, disaster resilience, forensic science, and advanced manufacturing. On the one hand, it is a great compliment to NIST that we entrust them with these responsibilities and they continue to live up to our expectations. On the other hand, many of these responsibilities have been assigned without needed increases in funding, making it difficult for the agency to carry out its mission. NIST is requesting a nearly 30 percent increase, but over a relatively small base. I fully support NIST’s request in light of all the increased responsibilities.”
Full Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) joined Congressman Lipinski in support of the request. She said, “I am pleased with the budget requests for both NSF and NIST. I hope Congress will have the wisdom to fully fund both requests. There are many worthy programs across the government, and we cannot fund everything. However, I believe that funding science and innovation should be an easy choice. This is about our future, and even more important, it is about our children’s future.”
Democratic Members commented on the need for robust Federal funding for basic research across all fields and the work both NSF and NIST do to grow the innovation economy. In addition, Members discussed the progress of specific programs at each agency and efforts to bolster STEM education outcomes.
In the last Congress, the Chairman moved bills that were aimed at placing scientific decision-making in the hands of Congress and made significant cuts to the social and behavioral sciences.
Ranking Member Johnson said, “We all have beliefs we hold very strongly whether or not there is evidence to support them. Some of my colleagues believe very strongly that some fields of science are less valuable than other fields, and that some grants are less worthy than other grants. Personally, I do not presume to have the expertise to make that determination. I trust the merit-review process, and I trust NSF to make those decisions.”
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