WASHINGTON – The Science Coalition (TSC) today commended the approval of Fiscal Year 2020 funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). This year’s appropriations measure includes an increase in spending over last year’s investment for each respective agency.

“These five research agencies play an essential role in advancing the scientific enterprise in this country. For researchers and scientists at America’s universities, they are an integral partner – working hand-in-hand with them to drive innovation, strengthen the economy, and advance human well-being. We commend the House for approving the additional investments necessary for our nation’s long-term success and competitiveness.

“The action taken today by the House is an important step forward. We are hopeful that ongoing negotiations between congressional leaders and the administration will result in a deal to raise the budget caps, enabling the Senate to begin its appropriations work in earnest.”

This funding package includes approximately:

  • $465 million for AFRI;
  • $22.3 billion for NASA;
  • $1.0 billion for NIST;
  • $5.5 billion for NOAA; and
  • $8.6 billion for NSF.

Congress has until October 1 to avoid unilateral spending cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011, including a nine percent post-sequester cut for non-defense discretionary spending and an 11 percent cut for defense basic research spending. Research cuts to federal research agencies would total more than an estimated $5.1 billion.

TSC recently released a state-by-state analysis of post-sequestration cuts to core federal research agencies’ state-level spending, which can be found here.

A recent poll from The Science Coalition found that eight in 10 voters, across party lines, support the federal government using taxpayer funds to invest in scientific research.

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About the Science Coalition

Established in 1994, The Science Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic scientific research as a means to stimulate the economy, spur innovation, and drive America’s global competitiveness.