This is part III of a three-part series, read parts I and II for more context.  

Before Congress’ August recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee introduced and passed all twelve of their FY2024 appropriations bills. Unlike the House, the Senate appropriations bills largely reflect the spending caps set in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 – however, they also agreed to add $14 billion to the FY2024 spending limits to supplement the low spending caps. 

In this final post, we’ll detail the Senate appropriations spending and programmatic highlights for federal science agencies. 

Department of Energy 

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24	% Change  from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
DOE Office of Science	$8,100	$8,800.4	8.6%	$9,500	17%	$8,430	4.1%
ARPA-E	$470	$650.2	38.3%	—	—	$450	-4.3%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The committee’s funding recommendation will help implement the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The bill continues to advance the highest priorities in materials research, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, biology, and clean energy research to maintain and strengthen our global competitiveness.    
• The Committee takes serious actions on carbon dioxide removal by providing $250,000 to coordinate with the Council on Environmental Quality [Council] to develop a regulatory framework report that provides clarity and guidance of existing laws and regulations that are relevant for the advancement of ocean carbon dioxide removal pathways. Federal agencies are encouraged to collaborate on this issue.  
• The report direct DOE to review all prior ARPA–E awards and conduct an analysis on market value and technology transfer successes and failures. 

NASA 

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
NASA	$25,383.7	$ 27,185	7.1%	$27,840	9.7%	$25,000.32	-1.5%
SMD	$7,795	$8,260.8	6%	$9,000	15.5%	$7340.92	-5.8%
Earth	$2,195	$2,472.8	12.7%	$2,534.4	15.5%	$2,218.7	1.1%
Planetary	$3,200	$3,383.2	5.7%	$3,694.7	15.5%	$2,683.32	-16.1%
Helio	$805	$750.9	-6.7%	$935	16.1%	$805	0%
STEM ED	$143.50	$157.80	10%	$157.80	10%	$143.5	0%

 

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• NASA Earth Science receives a small bump to address climate research priorities, including the Earth System Observatory recommended by the Earth Science decadal survey.  
• The Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission to find potentially dangerous asteroids and comets receives $210 million, consistent with the request and $120 million above the fiscal year 2023 level.  
• The report directs NASA to provide a notional budget profile and schedule for the VERITAS mission. 

• The committee strongly admonishes NASA for cost and time overruns for Mars Sample Return and gives NASA a $5.3 billion for the mission. 
• The bill provides $58 million for Space Grant, $26 million for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology, $45.5 million for the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), and $14 million for STEM Education and Accountability Projects. 

NOAA 

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
NOAA	$6,201.27	$6,823.61	10%	$7,200	16.1%	$6,506.38	4.9%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The committee provides a minor increase for NOS and a 12.4% increase for NESDIS.  
• The bill includes $1.5 billion for construction of NOAA’s weather satellites, more than $200 million above the FY2023 enacted level.  
• OAR, NWS, and Mission Support all receive slights cuts. The committee expresses concern over OAR’s 18% vacancy rate as of mid-FY23. 

NSF 

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
NSF	$9,539.01	$11,314.68	18.5%	$11,900	25.3%	$9,500	-0.4%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The committee provides $7.6 billion for research and related activities, which includes the Geosciences Directorate and the Office of Polar Programs. 
• The bill provides $200 million for the Regional Innovation Engines program within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. The Committee directs NSF to award at least 20 percent of NSF Engines to institutions in EPSCoR States.  
• The Committees strongly supports NSF actions to combat sexual harassment in science, including the implementation of the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act.  
• NSF’s education and training programs to build tomorrow’s innovation workforce are funded at $1.23 billion.  

• The Committee supports increasing the graduate fellowship stipend and encourages NSF to consider such a proposal as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget request.  
• The Committee funds grants to support the development of hands-on learning opportunities in STEM education, including via afterschool activities and innovative learning opportunities such as robotics competitions, as directed by an AGU endorsed legislation. 

 

USGS 

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
USGS	$1,497.18	$1,786	19.3%	$1,850	23.6%	$1,515.45	1.2%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• USGS’ Climate Adaptation Science Centers receive $63.12 million, FY23 level funding.  
• The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) receives level funding, which is in addition to the $64 million Earth MRI received in the IIJA.  
• The Landslide Hazards Program receives $14.78 million, and the agency is encouraged to prioritize efforts to predict and reduce the risk of post-wildfire landslides, in light of the increasing frequency of catastrophic wildfires.  
• USGS’ Science Support receives $106.3 million, FY23 level funding. This includes $2.67 million for the Scientific Integrity, Diversity, Partnerships with Tribes and Support for Enterprise Science initiative.  

• The National Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program receives $117.84 million.   

NIEHS  

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY24	Senate FY23	% Change from FY23
NIEHS	$913.98	$938.8	2.7%	$980.7	7.3%	$913.98	0%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The committee provides FY23 level funding for NIEHS.  

NIEHS Superfund Research Program  

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
Superfund Research Program	$83.04	$83.04	0%	$89	7.2%	$83.04	0%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The committee provides $2 million to further the Institute’s work on PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern.  
• The bill designates $1.75 million to support risk reduction for Native Americans to hazardous metals mixtures from abandoned uranium mine waste.  

EPA  

in millions	FY23	PBR FY24	% Change from FY23	AGU FY24 Ask	% Change from FY23	Senate FY24	% Change from FY23
EPA	$10,135.43	$12,083.27	19.2%	—	–	$9,922.32	-2.10%
Science & Technology	$802.29	$967.84	20.6%	—	—	$795.06	– 0.9%

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report: 

• The Agency received $101.45 million to advance air, climate and energy research.  
• The EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program receives FY23 level funding.  
• EPA’s Environmental Programs and Management receives $3.32 billion, a $35.4 million increase.  

As mentioned in the previous post, the House and Senate appropriations bills are far apart in terms of funding levels as well as language.  It’s unlikely that the House and Senate will be able to complete the appropriations process before 30 September, making it likely that Congress will pass a continuing resolution (CR) to give them time to further negotiate. Under a CR the government remains open at the previous years’ funding levels, however new programs cannot be started, old programs cannot sunset and funding for programs cannot be altered. This year another possibility is a government shutdown – wherein all but essential operations of federal agencies are shutdown. Both a CR and a government shutdown are harmful to science.  

Given the concerning decreases to federal science funding and the unlikelihood that Congress will be able to reach an agreement on appropriations before the end of the fiscal year, August is a key time to talk to your legislators about the value of science (and funding that science) for your community – including your work or research.  

Check out AGU’s resources for effectively communicating with your legislators or email us if you have any questions.