House appropriators eke out small increase for NSF

House appropriators eke out small increase for NSF

House appropriators have recommended $5.6 billion for the National Science Foundation next year, an increase of $171 million, or 3% over the FY 2005 NSF budget amount. The increase would be reserved for research. NSF's Education and Human Resources directorate would receive $34 million less than its current budget of $841 million. At that amount, the $807 million total for EHR would exceed President Bush's request of $737 million by $70 million.

The House mark is no great prize, but it is definitely welcome in a year when increases are rare. As for prizes, the House Appropriations Committee report, H.Rept.109-118, instructs NSF to come up with a special incentive prize to promote scientific work on specific problems, particularly programs that emphasize innovation on high risk/high payoff research projects. The report also states NSF should solicit involvement of the private sector in creating the prize program. NSF should initiate such a mechanism in FY 2006. To view the full summary and appropriations table, visit the websites listed below.

Sources: NSF's Congressional Highlights website www.nsf.gov/about/congress/109/highlights/cu05_0524.jsp and NSF's Major Legislation (109th Congressional report #H.Rept.109-118) website www.nsf.gov/about/congress/nsf-congress-majleg.jsp