NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet

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    NASA Appropriations and Authorizations:
A Fact Sheet
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
February 3, 2015

Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43419

 NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet

I

 A Fact Sheet
    March 11, 2016
            (R43419)
          
In the current fiscal environment, congressional deliberations about the National Aeronautics
 and Space Administration (NASA) often focus on the availability of funding. This fact sheet
 provides data on past and current, current, and proposed FY2017 NASA appropriations as well as proposed NASA
appropriations for FY2016 and proposed authorizations of NASA appropriations for FY2016.
authorizations of NASA appropriations for FY2017.
    For more information on the FY2017 budget request for NASA, see CRS Report R44397, NASA: FY2017 Budget and Appropriations. NASA issues of congressional interest are discussed further in CRS Report R43144, NASA:
 Issues for Authorization, Appropriations, and Oversight in the 114th Congress. Additional
 information on appropriations legislation affecting NASA is provided in CRS Report R43509,
R44409, Overview of FY2017 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations (CJS), and similar reports
 for other years.1
1
    Table 1 shows appropriations for NASA from FY2010FY2011 through FY2015. FY2016. The data for FY2010
FY2011 through FY2014FY2015 include supplemental appropriations, rescissions, transfers, reprogramming, and,
 in the case of FY2013, sequestration. They are taken from NASA’'s congressional budget
 justifications for FY2012FY2013 through FY2016FY2017. Congressional budget justifications are available on
 the NASA budget website (http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/) for the current year and for previous
past years back to FY2002. The table data for FY2015FY2016 are as enacted by the Consolidated and Further
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-2352016 (P.L. 114-113). For amounts not specified in that act, see
pp. H9348-H9349 pp. H9741-H9743 of the explanatory statement, published in the Congressional Record on
 December 11, 2014.
17, 2015.
    Table 2 shows enacted appropriations for FY2015FY2016 (as above); the Administration’'s request for
FY2016 FY2017 (including requested one-time mandatory funding); and proposed authorizations of appropriations for FY2016 in two NASA authorization
bills from the 113th Congress: the Senate bill S. 1317 (as reported on December 10, 2014); and the
House minority bill H.R. 2616 (as introduced on July 8, 2013).2
Figure 1 shows NASA’s total annual budget authority from the agency’s establishment in
FY1958 to FY2015, in both current dollars and inflation-adjusted FY2015 dollars.

1

See, for example, CRS Report R43080, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations;
CRS Report R42440, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations; CRS Report
R41721, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations; CRS Report R41161, Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2011 Appropriations; and CRS Report R40644, Commerce, Justice,
Science, and Related Agencies: FY2010 Appropriations.
2
Amounts that these bills would have authorized for FY2014 and FY2015 are not shown. Two other NASA
authorization bills in the 113th Congress, H.R. 2687 (ordered reported on July 18, 2013) and H.R. 4412 (passed by the
House on June 9, 2014) are not included in the table as they did not include authorizations for FY2016.

Congressional Research Service

1

 NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet

Table 1. NASA Appropriations, FY2010-FY2015
(budget authority in $ millions)
FY2010

FY2011

FY2012

FY2013

FY2014

FY2015

$4,498
1,439

$4,920
1,722

$5,074
1,761

$4,782
1,659

$5,148
1,825

$5,245
1,773

1,364

1,451

1,501

1,275

1,346

1,438

Astrophysics

647

631

648

617

678

685

James Webb Space Telescope

439

477

519

628

658

645

Heliophysics

608

639

645

603

641

662

0

0

0

0

0

42

497

534

569

530

566

651

Science
Earth Science
Planetary Science

Education
Aeronautics
Space Technology
Exploration
Exploration Systems Development

275

456

574

615

576

596

3,626

3,821

3,707

3,706

4,113

4,357

3,288

2,982

3,002

2,884

3,115

3,245

- Orion MPCV

—

1,196

1,200

1,114

1,197

1,194

- Space Launch System

—

1,536

1,497

1,415

1,600

1,700

- Exploration Ground Systems

—

250

305

355

318

351

39

607

406

525

696

805

Commercial Spaceflight
Exploration R&D

299

232

300

297

302

306

6,142

5,146

4,184

3,725

3,774

3,828

Space Shuttle

3,101

1,593

596

39

0

—a

International Space Station

2,313

2,714

2,790

2,776

2,964

—a

728

840

798

910

810

—a

Space Operations

Space and Flight Support
Education

180

145

136

116

117

119

Space Grant

46

46

39

37

40

40

EPSCoR

25

25

17

17

18

18

MUREP

31

29

30

28

30

32

Other
Safety, Security, and Mission Supportb
Construction and EC&R
Inspector General
Total

79

47

50

34

29

29

3,018

2,956

2,994

2,711

2,793

2,759

453

433

495

661c

522

419

36

36

38

35

38

37

18,724

18,448

17,770d

16,879c

17,647

18,010

Sources: FY2010-FY2014 from NASA FY2012-FY2016 congressional budget justifications. FY2015 from P.L.
113-235 and pp. H9348-H9349FY2017 in the NASA Authorization Act for 2016 and 2017 (H.R. 2039) as ordered reported by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on April 30, 2015. Note that H.R. 2039 contains two sets of numbers for FY2017. In materials released by the committee, the numbers in Section 102 are described as "aspirational," while the numbers in Section 103 are described as "constrained."2Figure 1 shows NASA's total annual budget authority from the agency's establishment in FY1958 to FY2016, in both current dollars and inflation-adjusted FY2016 dollars.
    
    
      
        Table 1. NASA Appropriations, FY2011-FY2016
        (budget authority in $ millions)
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
Science
$4,920
$5,074
$4,782
$5,148
$5,243
$5,589
  Earth Science
1,722
1,761
1,659
1,825
1,784
1,921
  Planetary Science
1,451
1,501
1,275
1,346
1,447
1,631
  Astrophysics
631
648
617
678
731
731
  James Webb Space Telescope
477
519
628
658
645
620
  Heliophysics
639
645
603
641
636
650
  Education

          
          
            —a
          
          
            —a
          
          
            —a
          
          
            —a
          
          
            —a37
Aeronautics
534
569
530
566
642
640
Space Technology
456
574
615
576
600
687
Exploration
3,821
3,707
3,706
4,113
3,543
4,030
  Exploration Systems Development
2,982
3,002
2,884
3,115
3,212
3,680
    - Orion MPCV
1,196
1,200
1,114
1,197
1,190
1,270
    - Space Launch System
1,536
1,497
1,415
1,600
1,679
2,000
    - Exploration Ground Systems
250
305
355
318
343
410
  Commercial Spaceflight
607
406
525
696

          
          
            —b
          
          
            —b  Exploration R&D
232
300
297
302
331
350
Space Operations
5,146
4,184
3,725
3,774
4,626
5,029
  Space Shuttle
1,593
596
39
0
8

          
          
            —c  International Space Station
2,714
2,790
2,776
2,964
1,525

          
          
            —c  Space Transportation

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d2,254

          
          
            —c  Space and Flight Support
840
798
910
810
839

          
          
            —cEducation
145
136
116
117
119
115
  Space Grant
46
39
37
40
40
40
  EPSCoR
25
17
17
18
18
18
  MUREP
29
30
28
30
32
32
  Other
47
50
34
29
29
25
Safety, Security, and Mission Servicese2,956
2,994
2,711
2,793
2,755
2,769
Construction and EC&R
433
495
661f522
446
389
Inspector General
36
38
35
38
37
37
Total
18,448
17,770g16,879f17,647
18,010
19,285
Sources: FY2011-FY2015 from NASA FY2013-FY2017 congressional budget justifications. FY2016 from P.L. 114-113 and pp. H9741-H9743 of the explanatory statement, Congressional Record, December 11, 2014.
17, 2015.
        Notes: Some totals may not add because of rounding. MPCV = Multipurpose Crew Vehicle. R&D = Research
 and Development. EPSCoR = Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. MUREP = Minority
 University Research Education Program. EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation.
a.

Not specified in P.L. 113-235 or the explanatory statement.

b.

Called Cross-Agency Support before FY2015.

c.


        a.

    Included in Astrophysics.
        b.

    Included in Space Transportation under Space Operations.
        c.

    Not specified. Amount for Space Transportation includes up to $1,244 million for Commercial Crew.
        d.

    Included in International Space Station. 
        e.

    Formerly Cross-Agency Support. 
        f.

    Includes $14 million (after sequestration) of supplemental funding from the Disaster Relief Appropriations
 Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-2) that is not shown in the NASA FY2015 congressional budget justification.

d.


        g.

    Includes rescission of $1 million from prior-year accounts not shown in the table.

Congressional Research Service

2

 NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet

 
      
    
    
      
        Table 2. NASA Appropriations, FY2015-FY2016FY2016-FY2017, and Authorizations, FY2016
(budget authority in $ millions)
Appropriations
FY2015

Science
Earth Science
Planetary Science
Astrophysics
James Webb Space Telescope
Heliophysics
Education
Aeronautics
Space Technology
Exploration
Exploration Systems Development
- Orion MPCV
- Space Launch System
- Exploration Ground Systems
Commercial Spaceflight
Exploration R&D
Space Operations
International Space Station
Space and Flight Support
Education
Space Grant
EPSCoR
MUREP
Other
Safety, Security, and Mission Support
Construction & EC&R
Inspector General
Total

FY2016

Enacted

Request

$5,245
1,773
1,438
685
645
662
42
651
596
4,357
3,245
1,194
1,700
351
805
306
3,828
—a
—a
119
40
18
32
29
2,759
419
37
18,010

$5,289
1,947
1,361
709
620
651
0
571
725
4,506
2,863
1,096
1,357
410
1,244
399
4,004
3,106
898
89
24
9
30
26
2,843
465
37
18,529

Authorizations
FY2016
S. 1317
(113th)
$5,316
1,872
1,500
687
620
637
0
593
665
4,660
3,485
1,250
1,800
435
825
350
4,010
3,196
814
142
—
—
—
—
2,965
441
39
18,831

H.R. 2616
(113th)
$5,306
1,849
1,500
700
620
637
0
594
720
4,534
3,474
1,260
1,800
414
700
360
4,133
3,320
814
136
—
—
—
—
2,937
471
37
18,868

Sources: FY2015 enacted from P.L. 113-235 and pp. H9348-H9349 of the explanatory statement, Congressional
Record, December 11, 2014. FY2016 request from NASA FY2016 congressional budget justification.
Authorizations from S. 1317 as reported and H.R. 2616 as introduced.
Notes: Some totals may not add because of rounding. MPCV = Multipurpose Crew Vehicle. R&D = Research
and Development. EPSCoR = Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. MUREP = Minority
University Research Education Program. EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation.
a.

Not specified in P.L. 113-235 or the explanatory statement.

Congressional Research Service

3

 NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet

Figure 1. NASA Funding, FY1958-FY2015

Source: FY2017
        (budget authority in $ millions)
Appropriations
Authorizations
FY2016
FY2017
FY2017
Enacted
Request(Total)
          
          
            Request(Mandatory)
          
          
            H.R. 2039(Sec. 102)
          
          
            H.R. 2039(Sec. 103)
          
        
        
          
            Science
$5,589
$5,601
$298
$4,935
$4,679
  Earth Science
1,921
2,032
60
1,450
1,199
  Planetary Science
1,631
1,519
128
1,500
1,500
  Astrophysics
731
782
85
731
709
  James Webb Space Telescope
620
569
—
569
620
  Heliophysics
650
699
25
685
651
  Education
37

          
          
            —a—
—
—
Aeronautics
640
790
156
580
571
Space Technology
687
827
136
596
500
Exploration
4,030
3,337
173
5,268
4,845
  Exploration Systems Development
3,680
2,860
173
3,682
3,310
    - Orion MPCV
1,270
1,120
66
1,350
1,200
    - Space Launch System
2,000
1,310
80
1,900
1,700
    - Exploration Ground Systems
410
429
26
432
410
  Commercial Spaceflight

          
          
            —b
          
          
            —b—
1,185
1,136
  Exploration R&D
350
477
—
402
399
Space Operations
5,029
5,076
—
3,993
3,950
  Space Shuttle

          
          
            —c0
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  International Space Station

          
          
            —c1,431
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  Space Transportation

          
          
            —c2,758
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  Space and Flight Support

          
          
            —c887
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —dEducation
115
100
—
119
119
  Space Grant
40
24
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  EPSCoR
18
9
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  MUREP
32
30
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —d  Other
25
37
—

          
          
            —d
          
          
            —dSafety, Security, & Mission Services
2,769
2,837
—
2,843
2,843
Construction & EC&R
389
420
—
436
465
Inspector General
37
38
—
37
37
Total
19,285
19,025
763
18,807
18,010
Sources: FY2016 enacted from P.L. 114-113 and pp. H9741-H9743 of the explanatory statement, Congressional Record, December 17, 2015. FY2017 request from NASA FY2017 congressional budget justification. Authorizations from H.R. 2039 as ordered reported.
        Notes: Some totals may not add because of rounding. MPCV = Multipurpose Crew Vehicle. R&D = Research and Development. EPSCoR = Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. MUREP = Minority University Research Education Program. EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation.

        a.

    Included in Astrophysics. 
        b.

    Included in Space Transportation under Space Operations.
        c.

    Not specified. Amount for Space Transportation includes up to $1,244 million for Commercial Crew.
        d.

    Not specified. 
      
    
    
      

        
          
            Figure 1. NASA Funding, FY1958-FY2016
          
        
        
          
        
        
          
            Source: FY1958-FY2008 from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Aeronautics and Space Report of
 the President: Fiscal Year 2008 Activities, , http://history.nasa.gov/presrep2008.pdf, Table D-1A. FY2009-FY2013FY2014 from
 NASA congressional budget justifications, FY2011-FY2015. FY2014FY2016. FY2015 from P.L. 113-76. FY2015235. FY2016 from P.L. 114-113. P.L. 113-235.
Current dollars deflated to FY2015FY2016 dollars using GDP (chained) price index from President’'s budget for FY2015,
FY2017, Historical Table 10.1, http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals.
Historicals.
            Note: Transition quarter between FY1976 and FY1977 not shown.

Author Contact Information
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
dmorgan@crs.loc.gov, 7-5849

Congressional Research Service

4

 Author Contact Information
[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
        ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
      

    Footnotes
    
      
        1.
            
         See, for example, CRS Report R43918, Overview of FY2016 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS); CRS Report R43509, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations, CRS Report R43080, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations; CRS Report R42440, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations; CRS Report R41721, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations; and CRS Report R41161, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2011 Appropriations.

      

        2.
            
         See, for example, "Highlights of H.R. ____, the NASA Authorization for 2016 and 2017," http://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/Bills_Amendments/HIGHLIGHTS%20for%20NASA%20Authorization%20for%202016%20and%202017.pdf.

      

  