Subcommittee Examines FY 2017 Budget for NSF
Washington, DC) – Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research & Technology held a hearing to examine the FY 2017 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Testifying before the Subcommittee were Dr. France Co?rdova, the Director of NSF and Dr. Dan E. Arvizu, Chairman of the National Science Board.
In a hearing notable for its bipartisanship, Members on both sides of the aisle commended NSF for the forward-looking initiatives being led by the Foundation.
Ranking Member Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology said in his opening statement, “The ongoing initiatives in Risk and Resilience; Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems, or INFEWS; Understanding the Brain; Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace; and many others remain essential investments, and I commend NSF for continuing to break down disciplinary barriers to address grand challenges for science and technology, and for our nation. In particular, I am glad to see the investments being made in the Innovation Corps program and in the Smart and Connected Communities Initiative. As the leading proponent of the I-Corps program from when NSF first created it, it's great to see its success.”
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) cited in her statement for the record, “The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 remains one of the most important, and wisest, pieces of science legislation produced by Congress. That Act established the guiding principles for the agency that would become a central enabler of U.S. leadership in science and technology.” She continued, “The fiscal year 2017 budget proposal under review today reflects just how essential an agency the National Foundation has become during those 65 years. It speaks to the importance of the Foundation in expanding our knowledge of the universe, of our own world, and of humankind. It also speaks to the role of the Foundation in addressing our national challenges, whether they are economic growth, national security, environmental security, or society’s overall health and wellbeing.”
Democratic Members discussed several of NSF’s STEM education initiatives, including the INCLUDES initiative, an integrated, national initiative to increase the preparation, participation, advancement, and potential contributions of those who have been traditionally underserved and/or under-represented in STEM fields. Members also discussed the important contributions made by the social, behavioral and economic sciences, and the geosciences directorates at NSF, as well as NSF’s role in furthering smart communities and cybersecurity.
Ranking Member Lipinski noted the importance of NSF’s investments in cybersecurity education. He said, “I am especially pleased to see the increase for the Cybersecurity Scholarship for Service program. The shortage of a skilled cybersecurity workforce in both government and the private sector is well documented, and has significant consequences for our national and economic security.”
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