Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2008 (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Feb. 5, 2008 |
| Report Number |
RL34048 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
John F. Sargent, Christine M. Matthews, John D. Moteff, Daniel Morgan, Robert Esworthy, and Wendy H. Schacht, Resources, Science, and Industry Division: Pamela W. Smith Domestic Social Policy Division: Wayne A. Morrissey Knowledge Services Group |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-161) was the measure used by Congress and the President to wrap up action on the regular appropriations acts in late 2007. On December 19, 2007, Congress completed action on the act, and it was signed into law by President Bush on December 26, 2007. Previously, action had been completed on only one of the regular appropriations acts, the Defense Appropriations Act, FY2008 (P.L. 110-116) which was signed into law by President Bush on November 13, 2007. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 provides appropriations covered in the eleven outstanding appropriations acts. To ensure continuity of government operations, Congress had passed four continuing resolutions (P.L. 110-92, P.L. 110-116 Division B, P.L. 110-137, and P.L. 110-149) that provided funding for all agencies that had not received appropriations from the beginning of FY2008 through passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The Bush Administration requested $142.7 billion in federal research and development (R&D) funding for FY2008. Total federal R&D funding for FY2008 provided in P.L. 110-161 and P.L. 110-116 is estimated to be $142.7 billion, a 1.2% increase over FY2007.
FY2008 funding for the American Competitive Initiative (ACI) fell short of the President's ten-year doubling target for innovation-related research at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science, and National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) core laboratory programs. It also falls short of the authorization levels set by Congress that put R&D funding for these agencies on a seven-year doubling pace. Funding for DOE's Office of Science increased by 5.8% in FY2008 to $4.0 billion. NIST's core laboratory programs increased 1.4% in FY2008 to $441 million. Total FY2008 funding for NSF was increased by 2.5%. NSF's research and related activities increased by only 1.1%, joining other R&D agencies (notably the Environmental Protection Agency (-2.4%) and National Institutes of Health (0.5%)) whose R&D budgets decreased or received increases below the rate of inflation.
In total, DOE received $9.9 billion for R&D in FY2008, a 7.7% increase over FY2007, led by a 24.0% increase in its energy programs. Total funding for NIST increased by 11.7% in FY2008 to $755.8 million due in large measure to increases in its construction budget. NASA's FY2008 R&D budget increased to $12.8 billion, a 7.5% increase over FY2007, due primarily to increases in two initiatives: the international space station and the crew launch vehicle/crew exploration vehicle combination. FY2008 research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) funding for the Department of Defense increased by 1.1%. DOD's science and technology research programs received $12.8 billion for FY2008, though DOD had requested $10.8 billion. DOD's request for a $3.9 billion RDT&E increase under its Global War on Terror initiative was not included in P.L. 110-116 or P.L. 110-161.
