Appropriations: Part 1

The appropriations process is so far following a more conventional timeline this year as opposed to last year’s drawn-out deals. On 17 May (compared with 13 July last year), the House Appropriations committee approved the fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill, which funds NASA, NOAA, and NSF. The bill continues to grow funding for NASA and NSF over FY2018 levels. However, NOAA funding takes a hit. Below are some highlights within each agency. Want more detail? Click here.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)

	FY 2017	FY 2018	President’s Budget Request for FY 2019	AGU Request FY 2019	House Appropriated Amount for FY 2019
Overall	$19,653.30	$20,736.14	$19,892.20	$21,700.00	$21,500.00
Science Mission Directorate	$5,765.90	$6,221.50	$5,895.00	$6,500.00	$6,680.60

*Proposed and enacted funding levels in millions

Thumbs up 

• NASA’s overall growth was continued this year with a 3.7% increase over the FY 2018 omnibus’s topline.
• NASA’s Science Mission Division received a 7.4% increase in funding in the House. Notably, the Planetary Science Division received a 23% increase.
• The report language recognized the value of the latest Earth Science decadal survey.

Thumbs down

• NASA’s Earth Science Division received a 1% cut in funding, which would result in the lowest funding level since FY2015.
• The Heliophysics mission received flat funding

 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF)

	FY 2017	FY 2018	President’s Budget Request for FY 2019	AGU Request FY 2019	House Appropriated Amount for FY 2019
Overall	$7,472.22	$7,767.36	$7,472.00	$8,450.00	$8,200.00
Research & Related Activities	$6,033.65	$6,334.48	$6,150.68	–	$6,651.50

*Proposed and enacted funding levels in millions

Thumbs up 

• Overall, NSF received a 5% increase in funds. The Research and Related Activities account, which includes the Geosciences directorate, received a 5% increase over FY 2018 levels, as well.
• The bill provided funding for three Regional Class Research Vessels.
• The report language recognizes the value of Earth and space science.

Thumbs down 

• None!

 

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ASSOCIATION (NOAA)

	FY 2017	FY 2018	President’s Budget Request for FY 2019	AGU Request FY 2019	House Appropriated Amount for FY 2019
Overall	$5,675.00	$5,827.00	$4,560.76	$6,200.00	$5,159.00
National Ocean Service (NOS)	$521.10	$565.09	$382.00	–	$557.58
National Marine and Fisheries Service (NMFS)	$851.54	$882.96	$810.00	–	$875.26
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)	$514.13	$548.52	$322.00	–	$503.34
National Weather Service (NWS)	$1,121.57	$1,157.10	$1,053.00	–	$1,143.00
NESDIS	$2,203.60	$2,100.57	$1,640.00	–	$1,661.71

*Proposed and enacted funding levels in millions

Thumbs up 

• The National Weather Service was supported in the House bill, with a 1% cut attributed to projects being completed. The bill also includes language to continue hiring for NWS.
• The bill includes “full funding” for the Joint Polar Satellite System and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite programs. Although NESDIS received a 21% cut, that is largely because JPSS and the GOES-R programs have both passed their funding peaks.

Thumbs down 

• Overall, NOAA received an 11% decrease in funding from FY2018 levels. However, the House CJS bill appropriated a larger amount than the $4.65 billion in the President’s budget request.
• Within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Climate Research received a 38% cut.