Order Code RL34396
The America COMPETES Act
and the FY2009 Budget
Updated May 22, 2008
Deborah D. Stine
Science and Technology Policy Specialist
Resources, Science, and Industry Division

The America COMPETES Act and the FY2009 Budget
Summary
The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) responds to concerns that the
United States may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the
future due to insufficient investment today in science and technology research and
in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. A similar
concern led President Bush to announce the American Competitiveness Initiative
(ACI) in January 2006. In March 2008, both the House and Senate included in their
budget resolutions support for the America COMPETES Act.
The act authorizes increases in the nation’s investment in science and
engineering research at the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) laboratories, and the Department of Energy
(DOE) Office of Science. In addition, the act authorizes new STEM education
programs at NSF, DOE, and the Department of Education (ED) and enhances the
funding of some existing programs at NSF including the Robert Noyce Teacher
Scholarship Program. A concern to some policymakers is whether federal
appropriations will meet the act’s authorized levels.
The act also establishes within DOE the Advanced Research Projects Agency-
Energy (ARPA-E) and Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes.
ARPA-E is designed to support transformational energy technology research projects
with the goal of enhancing the nation’s economic and energy security. An issue for
Congress is whether to appropriate funds to ARPA-E. The President’s FY2009
budget does not request appropriations for ARPA-E. Instead, it requests funding of
six new technology transfer collaborations that integrate basic and applied research.

The Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes are
multidisciplinary research institutes, located at DOE National Laboratories, that
would apply fundamental science and engineering discoveries to technological
innovations. The President’s FY2009 budget would not establish these institutes.
The Administration proposes instead to establish Energy Frontier Research Centers
(ERFCs) at universities focused on transformative research.
In STEM education, the act authorizes ED and NSF programs to encourage
STEM degree majors and professionals to become K-12 STEM teachers. At ED, an
issue for Congress is that although the Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow
program is appropriated for FY2008, the Administration proposes to eliminate it for
FY2009. At NSF, the FY2009 budget justification provides a FY2008 budget
estimate less than Congress appropriated for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship
program and requests FY2009 funding at approximately 10% of that authorized in
the act.
At DOE, an issue is the degree to which DOE has taken actions to establish the
new DOE STEM education initiatives authorized in the act. The DOE FY2009
budget justification notes the America COMPETES Act and mentions many DOE
STEM education programs, but it does not identify any specific America
COMPETES Act initiatives. As a result, the status of these programs is unclear.

Contents
Overview of the America COMPETES Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Agency Programs and the America COMPETES Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
National Institute of Standards and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
National Science Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Congressional Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
List of Tables
Table 1. Comparison of the America COMPETES Act Authorizations,
FY2008 Appropriations, and FY2009 Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The America COMPETES Act and the
FY2009 Budget
The Administration and Congress agree on the need to invest in science and
engineering research, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
education in order for the United States to be more competitive with other nations.
Their priorities as to which programs to fund, and how much, however, are different.
When Congress passed the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully
Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (P.L. 110-69),
known as the America COMPETES Act, in August 2007, much of the FY2008
appropriations debate had already taken place. As a consequence, FY2008
appropriations largely failed to address the new priorities enacted in the America
COMPETES Act.
The FY2009 budget cycle will be the first time Congress can debate funding for
America COMPETES Act programs at the beginning of the appropriations process.
The purpose of this report is to compare the President’s FY2009 budget request to
the FY2009 authorized levels provided by the America COMPETES Act. For more
general information on the America COMPETES Act, see CRS Report RL34328,
America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues, by Deborah D.
Stine.
Overview of the America COMPETES Act
The America COMPETES Act was a response to concerns that the United States
may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the future. The act
mainly addresses concerns about insufficient investment in science and engineering
research; STEM education; and STEM workforce development. Similar concerns
led President Bush to announce the related American Competitiveness Initiative
(ACI) in January 2006.
The America COMPETES Act authorizes an increase in federal science and
engineering research funding and support for kindergarten through postdoctoral
education. The act also establishes the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
(ARPA-E)1 and Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes.
1 For more information on ARPA-E, see CRS Report RL34497, Advanced Research Projects
Agency - Energy (ARPA-E): Background, Status, and Selected Issues for Congress
, by
Deborah D. Stine.

CRS-2
The act authorizes funding increases for the National Science Foundation (NSF),
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) laboratories, and the
Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science through FY2010. The
Administration’s ACI also proposes increases in research funding for the three
agencies, but at a lower rate of change.
The America COMPETES Act is an authorization act. New programs
established by the act will not be initiated unless funded through subsequent
appropriations. Similarly, increases in the authorization level of existing programs
may or may not translate into increased funding.
Agency Programs and the America COMPETES Act
The following section discusses some of the America COMPETES Act
programs in relation to the President’s FY2009 budget submission.2
The FY2009 request information is based on the FY2009 Congressional Budget
Request documents from the DOE3 and the NSF.4 The ED FY2009 request
information is based on the its Budget Summary.5 The NIST FY2009 request
information is from the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget of the U.S. Government.6
Table 1 summarizes the America COMPETES Act FY2008 and FY2009
authorization levels, the FY2008 appropriation, and the President’s FY2009 request.
When funding for an activity is not specified in the FY2009 budget request, the table
states “not included.” This does not necessarily mean that the Administration does
not intend to fund the activity. In some cases, the activity may simply be at a level
of organizational detail below that specified in the budget documents.
2 For information on the President’s FY2009 budget, see CRS Report RL34448, Federal
Research and Development Funding: FY2009
, coordinated by John F. Sargent.
3 The DOE Budget Request is available at [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/0
9budget/Start.htm]. Relevant detailed budget justification addressing science is available
in volume 4 at [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/09budget/Content/Volumes/Volume4.pdf].
The detailed budget justification addressing the nuclear energy educational programs that
are part of the act is available in volume 3, p. 621 at [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/
09budget/Content/Volumes/Volume3a.pdf].
4 The NSF Budget Request is available at [http://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2009/toc.jsp].
5 The ED Budget Summary is available at [http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/
budget/budget09/summary/index.html]. The relevant sections are on elementary and
secondary education at [http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget09/summary/
edlite-section2a.html], higher education programs at [http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/
budget/budget09/summary/edlite-section2e.html], and programs proposed for elimination
at [http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget09/summary/edlite-section3.html].
6 See the NIST budget information in the Appendix on p. 228 at
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/appendix/com.pdf]

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National Institute of Standards and Technology
The mission of NIST, a laboratory of the Department of Commerce, is to
increase the competitiveness of U.S. companies by supporting industrial development
of precompetitive, generic technologies, diffusing government-developed
technological advances, and providing measurement, calibration, and quality
assurance techniques.7
The America COMPETES Act authorizes NIST’s Scientific and Technical
Research and Services (STRS) and Industrial Technology Services (ITS) programs.
The ITS includes the existing Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
and a new Technology Innovation Program (TIP), which replaced a program with
similar goals, the repealed Advanced Technology Program (ATP).8
The act authorizes $541.9 million for STRS in FY2009; the President’s FY2009
budget proposes $535.0 million.9 The act authorizes $131.5 million for TIP in
FY2009, but the President’s FY2009 budget proposes eliminating TIP, so its
proposed budget is zero. For MEP, the act authorizes $122.0 million in FY2009,
while the President’s FY2009 budget proposes $4.0 million to end federal support
for the program.
Department of Energy
The mission of DOE is to “advance the national, economic, and energy security
of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support
of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear
weapons complex.”10 The DOE is the largest federal government supporter of basic
physical sciences research. This research is conducted at its national laboratories as
well as through its support of investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitively
selected awards, conducted primarily at universities.11
7 For more information on NIST, see CRS Report 95-30, The National Institute of Standards
and Technology: An Appropriations Overview
, by Wendy H. Schacht.
8 For additional information on ATP and TIP, see CRS Report 95-36, The Advanced
Technology Program
, and CRS Report RS22815, The Technology Innovation Program, both
by Wendy H. Schacht. The report describes the similarities and differences between the two
programs.
9 This includes almost $9 million for the Baldridge National Quality Award Program.
According to NIST, “The Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to
businesses — manufacturing and service, small and large — and to education, health care
and nonprofit organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas:
leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and
knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results.” For
more information, see [http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/baldfaqs.htm].
10 Department of Energy, “About DOE,” at [http://www.energy.gov/about/index.htm].
11 Department of Energy, “Science and Technology,” at [http://www.energy.gov/
sciencetech/index.htm].

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The America COMPETES Act authorizes the establishment of the ARPA-E and
the Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes within DOE. Based on
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) model, ARPA-E is
designed to support transformational energy technology research projects with the
goal of enhancing the nation’s economic and energy security.12 Discovery Science
and Engineering Innovation Institutes would be multidisciplinary research institutes
located at DOE national laboratories that would apply fundamental science and
engineering discoveries to technological innovations. Up to three institutes may be
created each fiscal year. The DOE FY2009 budget request does not propose funding
for either ARPA-E or the Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes.

Dr. John H. Marburger, director of the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy testified:
[T]he Budget does not request funding for the Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA-E) or new math and science education programs at the
Department of Energy. This is because the Administration believes very strongly
that the basic research programs at the DoE Office of Science are a higher
leverage investment and in greater need of funding than new DoE programs,
especially given the devastating impacts of last year’s Omnibus appropriations
bill on this agency.13
Rather than create ARPA-E or the Discovery Science and Engineering
Innovation Institutes, the Secretary of Energy has issued a new policy on technology
transfer,14 and proposes establishing 25-30 multi-investigator Energy Frontier
Research Centers (EFRCs)15 at universities or other nonprofit organizations. As a
12 For more information on ARPA-E, see CRS Report RL34497, Advanced Research
Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E): Background, Status, and Selected Issues for Congress
,
by Deborah D. Stine.
13 Testimony of Dr. John Marburger, III, Director, White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, House Committee on Science and Technology, Funding for the America
COMPETES Act in the FY2009 Administration Budget Request
, hearing, 110th Congress, 2nd
session, February 14, 2008 at [http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/Commdocs/
hearings/2008/Full/14feb/Marburger_Testimony.pdf].
14 See the press release at [http://www.doe.gov/print/5977.htm] and the policy statement at
[http://www.doe.gov/media/Policy_Statement_on_Technology_Transfer.pdf]. The
technology transfer policy states “This Policy Statement builds upon the stimulus provided
by the technology transfer provisions contained in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and other
recent legislative actions such as the ‘America COMPETES Act’ that seek to improve the
transfer of energy technologies from the Department’s Facilities to products and
applications that address public and private needs.”
15 A footnote to Attachment 4 of Dr. Marburger’s testimony to the House Committee on
Science and Technology Policy states that “[T]otal Budget funding for DoE research center
partnerships similar to those in Section 5008 [the Discovery Science and Engineering
Innovation Institutes] — Energy Frontier Research Centers, Bioenergy Research Centers,
and SciDAC Institutes [Science Discovery Through Advanced Computing] — is $183
million.” Testimony of Dr. John Marburger, III, Director, White House Office of Science
and Technology Policy, House Committee on Science and Technology, Funding for the
(continued...)

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result of the technology transfer policy, DOE will now reportedly pool funds from
the Office of Science and other programs to fund six new collaborations that integrate
basic and applied research. Funding for these collaborations will reportedly be based
on congressional language that requires DOE to set aside 0.9% of its applied energy
research and development budget for technology transfer.16 The goal of EFRCs
would be to focus on transformative research.17 The requested FY2009 EFRC budget
is approximately $100.0 million, with initial five-year awards of $2.0-5.0 million
annually per center. In contrast, each Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation
Institute is authorized at $10.0 million annually for a maximum of three years.
The act also authorizes the establishment of several new STEM education
programs at the K-12 and post-secondary level within DOE. These activities include
K-12 student and teacher programs such as specialty high schools for science and
mathematics pilot program, experiential based learning opportunities (e.g., summer
internships) for middle and high school students, and summer institutes for teachers.
Post-secondary programs include a nuclear science talent expansion program and a
hydrocarbon systems science talent expansion program to enhance existing and create
new educational programs in nuclear science and hydrocarbon systems. In addition,
the act establishes a new position within DOE to direct STEM education programs
across the department, and a Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund,
that is to include not less than 0.3% of DOE’s research, development, and
commercial application funding.
Although the relevant sections in the FY2009 DOE budget submission note the
authorization of the America COMPETES Act, they do not make clear what specific
educational programs within the act to which the request is responding.18 For
example, the FY2009 request for the Office of Nuclear Energy references the
America COMPETES Act and states it will designate 20% of its research funds for
university research activities as a way to increase support for U.S. nuclear science
15 (...continued)
America COMPETES Act in the FY2009 Administration Budget Request, hearing, 110th
Congress, 2nd session, February 14, 2008 at [http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/
Commdocs/hearings/2008/Full/14feb/Marburger_Testimony.pdf].
16 This may be a reference to the following provision in the Title X, Section 1001 of the
Energy Policy Act (P.L. 109-58): “TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION FUND. —
The Secretary shall establish an Energy Technology Commercialization Fund, using 0.9
percent of the amount made available to the Department for applied energy research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application for each fiscal year, to be used to
provide matching funds with private partners to promote promising energy technologies for
commercial purposes.”
17 For more details, see the FY2009 DOE Budget submission section entitled “FY 2009
Budget Request to Congress Errata sheet” at [http://www.er.doe.gov/obp/FY_09_Budget/
Errata%20Sheet.pdf], and the DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers webpage at
[http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/EFRC.html].
18 Relevant DOE detailed budget justification addressing science is available on pp. 453-
472 of volume 4 at [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/09budget/Content/Volumes/Volume4.
pdf] and the nuclear energy educational programs on pp. 621-626 of volume 3 at
[http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/09budget/Content/Volumes/Volume3a.pdf].

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and engineering education, but it does not cite the act’s nuclear science talent
expansion program.
In the section entitled “Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists”
in the Office of Science budget justification, DOE notes the America COMPETES
Act and mentions many DOE STEM educational programs, but it does not identify
any of them as either new America COMPETES Act initiatives or specify if some of
the existing programs have been modified to accommodate the act. In addition, the
DOE Office of Science does not mention the Early Career Awards for Science,
Engineering, and Mathematics Researchers program.
In congressional testimony, however, the Administration has identified two
DOE STEM education programs and the early career researcher program from the
act as included in the FY2009 budget request. The DOE Summer Institutes
authorization in the act is $20 million in FY2009. According to the testimony,
funding for these institutes is requested for $6 million in FY2009, through DOE’s
existing Academies Creating Teacher Scientists (ACTS) Program.19 The Protecting
America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Graduate Fellowship Program is requested for
$19 million in FY2009, above the act authorization level of $12 million in FY2009.20
The Early Career Awards for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Researchers
program is authorized for $25.0 million in FY2009; the testimony requests FY2009
funding of $10 million.
Some of the COMPETES Act programs have additional requirements that may
be beyond those that may be part of existing programs. For example, the America
COMPETES Act’s DOE summer institutes programs has prioritization criteria
focused on teachers from a wide range of school districts, high-need school districts,
and underrepresented groups; coordination and consultation requirements with DOE
and NSF; and evaluation and accountability plan requirements, which may or may
not be an element of the existing DOE ACTS program.
The FY2009 budget request does not mention either establishing a DOE STEM
Education fund or appointing a DOE STEM education program director.
Department of Education
The ED’s mission is to “promote student achievement and preparation for
global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal
19 Attachment 4 in Testimony of Dr. John Marburger, III, Director, White House Office of
Science and Technology Policy, House Committee on Science and Technology, Funding for
the America COMPETES Act in the FY2009 Administration Budget Request
, hearing, 110th
Congress, 2nd session, February 14, 2008 at [http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/
Commdocs/hearings/2008/Full/14feb/Marburger_Testimony.pdf].
20 Ibid.

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access.”21 Among its activities, ED establishes policies on and distributes and
monitors federal financial aid for education.22
The America COMPETES Act authorizes the establishment of several new
STEM education programs, including Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow, the
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Program, Math Now, and the
Advancing America Through Foreign Language Partnership Program.
Congress appropriated FY2008 funding for the Teachers for a Competitive
Tomorrow program, which supports the development and implementation of higher
education programs including a STEM baccalaureate degree with concurrent teacher
certification, a part-time master’s degrees in STEM or critical foreign languages for
current teachers, and programs for professional scientists and engineers to pursue
master’s degrees that enable teacher certification. The FY2009 ED budget summary
proposes to eliminate this program, indicating that these “activities can be funded
under other Federal programs.”23
The FY2009 ED budget summary indicates that the America COMPETES Act’s
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Program would provide a new
vision for the existing ED Advanced Placement Incentive Program (API) authorized
under Title I, Part G, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This
new direction includes increasing access to classes and tests for low-income students,
preparation of teachers in high-need schools, and non-federal organizations
contributing funds to the program. The America COMPETES Act authorizes $75.0
million for the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Program in
FY2009. The President’s FY2009 budget requests $70.0 million. Approximately
$22.0 million would support previously existing API activities, while approximately
$47.0 million would support America COMPETES Act activities.
The Math Now program is part of the President’s ACI. The ED FY2009 budget
summary proposes funding it at its full authorization level, $95 million.
The Advancing America Through Foreign Language Partnership Program funds
partnerships between higher education institutions and school districts to enhance
postsecondary level language learning. For this program, the act authorizes $28.0
million in FY2008 and such sums as may be necessary for FY2009. The President’s
FY2009 budget requests $24.0 million to support 24 new awards in languages such
as Arabic, Chinese, Indic, Iranian, and Turkic. This program supports the President’s
National Security Language Initiative.
21 U.S. Department of Education, “About ED,” at [http://www.ed.gov/about/
landing.jhtml?src=gu].
22 For more information on STEM Education activities, see CRS Report 98-871, Science,
Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Status and Issues,
by Christine M. Matthews, and
CRS Report RL33434, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action
, by Jeffrey J. Kuenzi.
23 ED FY2009 Budget Summary, section on programs proposed for elimination at
[http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget09/summary/edlite-section3.html].

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No funding is mentioned in the ED budget summary for the following America
COMPETES Act authorized programs: the Summer Term Education Program, the
P-16 Alignment of Secondary School Graduate Requirements with the Demands of
21st Century Postsecondary Endeavors and Support for P-16 Education Data Systems,
or the Mathematics and Science Partnership Bonus Grants. As noted previously, this
may or may not mean that the programs will be funded, as some are below the
organizational level specified in the budget documents.
National Science Foundation
The NSF supports science and engineering in general and funds basic research
across many disciplines by supporting investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed,
competitively selected awards, state-of-the-art tools, and instrumentation and
facilities, primarily at U.S. colleges and universities.24
The America COMPETES Act authorizes $5,742.0 million for NSF’s research
and related activities (R&RA) account. The President’s FY2009 budget requests
funding of $5,594.0 million. In some cases, such as the Major Research
Instrumentation (MRI) and Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) programs,
the requested levels are close to those authorized in the act. Other R&RA programs
have been funded below the authorized levels, including the Experimental Programs
to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), which the President’s budget requests
funding at $113.5 million rather than the authorized level of $133.2 million, and the
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT), for which the
request is $38.8 million rather than authorized level of $52.5 million.
In the Education and Human Resources (EHR) directorate, the America
COMPETES Act authorization is $995.0 million, while the President’s FY2009
budget requests $790.0 million. Programs with requested funding well below that
authorized include the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program25 (at $11.6 million
compared with an authorization of $115.0 million) and the Mathematics and Science
Education Partnership26 (at $51.0 million compared with an authorization of $111.0
million). In contrast, the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) program is proposed
for $116.7 million, more than the authorization of $107.2 million.

The two new NSF programs authorized in the America COMPETES Act have
no funding requested for them. These are the Professional Science Master’s Degree
24 For more information on NSF, see CRS Report 95-307, U.S. National Science
Foundation: An Overview
, by Christine M. Matthews.
25 The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program encourages science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and
science teachers by providing funds to institutions of higher education to support
scholarships, stipends, and programs for students who commit to teaching in high-need K-12
school districts.
26 The Math and Science Partnership program provides grants to teams composed of
institutions of higher education, local K-12 school systems, and their supporting partners to
develop and implement pioneering ways of advancing mathematics and science education
for students.

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Program and the Laboratory Science Pilot Program. NSF has a working group that
is looking at options, suggestions, and recommendations for implementation of the
NSF-related provisions in the act.27 Thus, a lack of funding for these new programs
in the FY2009 budget should not be presumed to indicate a lack of interest in them
as a final decision regarding these programs has not yet been made.
27 Email from Teresa Davies, Director, Legislative Affairs, NSF, to Deborah Stine on
February 13, 2008.

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Table 1. Comparison of the America COMPETES Act Authorizations, FY2008 Appropriations, and FY2009 Requests
($ millions)
FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
(Sec. 3001)
— Scientific & Technical Research and
$502.1
$440.5a
$541.9
$535.0a
Services (STRS) (Sec. 3001)
— Construction & Maintenance (Sec. 3001)
150.9
160.5
86.4
99.0
— Technology Innovation Program (TIP)
100.0
65.2b
131.5
0.0
(Sec. 3001/3012)
— Manufacturing Extension Partnership
110.0
89.6
122.0
4.0
(MEP) (Sec. 3001/3003)
Department of Energy
DOE Science, Engineering and
Mathematics Programs
(Sec. 5003)
— Pilot Program of Grants to Specialty
14.0
Not Included
22.5
Not Included
Schools for Science and Mathematics (Sec.
5003) [NEW]

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FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
— Experiential Based Learning
7.5
Not Included
7.5
Not Included
Opportunities (Sec. 5003) [NEW]
— Summer Institutes (Sec. 5003) [NEW]
15.0
Not Included
20.0
Not Included
Nuclear Science Talent Expansion
Program
(Sec. 5004)
— Nuclear Science Program Expansion
3.5
Not Included
6.5
Not Included
Grants for Institutions of Higher Education
(Sec. 5004) [NEW]
— Nuclear Science Competitiveness Grants
3.0
Not Included
5.5
Not Included
for Institutions of Higher Education (Sec.
5004) [NEW]
Hydrocarbon Systems Science Talent
Expansion Program
(Sec. 5005)
— Hydrocarbon Systems Science Program
3.5
Not Included
6.5
Not Included
Expansion Grants for Institutions of Higher
Education (Sec. 5005) [NEW]
— Hydrocarbon Systems Science
3.0
Not Included
5.5
Not Included
Competitiveness Grants for Institutions of
Higher Education (Sec. 5005) [NEW]

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FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
Early Career Awards for Science,
25.0
Not Included
25.0
Not Included
Engineering, and Mathematics
Researchers
(Sec. 5006) [NEW]
Office of Science (Sec. 5007) (as amends
4,586.0c
3,973.1
5,200.0c
4,721.9
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for FY2010)

Discovery Science and Engineering
10.0-30.0d Not
Included
10.0-30.0d
Not Included
Innovation Institutes (Sec. 5008) [NEW]
Protecting America’s Competitive Edge
7.5
Not Included
12.0
Not Included
(PACE) Graduate Fellowship Program
(Sec. 5009) [NEW]
Distinguished Scientist Program (Sec.
15.0
Not Included
20.0
Not Included
5011) [NEW]
Advanced Research Projects Agency —
300.0
Not Included
Such sums as are
Not Included
Energy [ARPA-E] (Sec. 5012) [NEW]
necessary

CRS-13
FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
Department of Education
Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow:
151.2
* 1.0
151.2
0.0
Baccalaureate Degrees in Science,
Technology, Engineering, Mathematics,
or Critical Foreign Languages, with
Concurrent Teacher Certification
(Sec.
6113, 6115, 6116) [NEW]
Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow:
125.0
* 1.0
125.0
0.0
Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics, or
Critical Foreign Language Education
(Sec. 6114-6116) [NEW]
Advanced Placement and International
75.0
Not Included
Such sums as may be
70.0e
Baccalaureate Programs (Sec. 6121-6123)
necessary
Promising Practices in Science,
1.2
Not Included
0.0f
Not Included
Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Teaching
(Sec. 6131) [NEW]
Math Now (Sec. 6201) [NEW]
95.0
* 0.0
Such sums as may be
95.0
necessary
Summer Term Education Programs (Sec.
Such sums as may be
Not Included
Such sums as may be
Not Included
6202) [NEW]
necessary
necessary

CRS-14
FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
Advancing America Through Foreign
28.0
Not Included
Such sums as may be
24.0
Language Partnership Program (Sec.
necessary
6301-6304) [NEW]
P-16 Alignment of Secondary School
120.0
Not Included
Such sums as may be
Not Included
Graduate Requirements with the
necessary
Demands of 21st Century Postsecondary
Endeavors and Support for P-16
Education Data Systems
(Sec. 6401)
[NEW]
Mathematics and Science Partnership
Such sums as may be
Not Included
Such sums as may be
Not Included
Bonus Grants (Sec. 6501) [NEW]
necessary
necessary
National Science Foundation (Sec. 7002)
6,600.0
6,065.0
7,326.0
6,854.1
Research and Related Activities
5,156.0
4,821.5
5,742.3
5,594.0
— Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
115.0
Not Included
123.1
115.0
(Sec. 7002/Sec. 7036)
— Faculty Early Career Development
165.4
Not Included
183.6
181.9
(CAREER) (Sec.7002)
— Research Experiences for
61.6
Not Included
68.4
61.6
Undergraduates (REU) (Sec.7002)

CRS-15
FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
— Experimental Programs to Stimulate
120.0
* 115.0
133.2
113.5
Competitive Research (EPSCoR) (Sec.7002)
— Integrative Graduate Education and
47.3
Not Included
52.5
38.8
Research Traineeship/R&RA (IGERT)
(Sec.7002)g
— Graduate Research Fellowship/R&RA
9.0
Not Included
10.0
8.1
(GRF) (Sec.7002)h
— Professional Science Master’s Degree
10.0
Not Included
12.0
Not Included
Program (Sec. 7002/7034) [NEW]
Education and Human Resources
896.0
725.6
995.0
790.4
— Mathematics and Science Education
100.0
Not Included
111.0
51.0
Partnership (MSP) (Sec.7002/7028)
— Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship
89.8
* 15.0
115.0
11.6
Program (Sec.7002/7030)
— Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and
40.0
Not Included
50.0
29.7
Technology Talent Expansion
(Sec.7002/7025)
— Advanced Technological Education
52.0
Not Included
57.7
51.6
(ATE) (Sec.7002)

CRS-16
FY2008 Appropriation
FY2008 Authorization
FY2009 Authorization
FY2009
(Consolidated
Programs
(America COMPETES
(America COMPETES
Request
Appropriations Act,
Act, P.L. 110-69)
Act, P.L. 110-69)
(President’s Budget)
2008, P.L. 110-161)
— Integrative Graduate Education and
27.1
Not Included
30.1
25.0
Research Traineeship/EHR (IGERT)
(Sec.7002)g
— Graduate Research Fellowship/EHR
96.6
Not Included
107.2
116.7
(GRF) (Sec.7002)h
Major Research Equipment and Facilities
245.0
220.7
262.0
147.5
Construction (Sec.7002)
Agency Operations and Award
285.6
281.8
309.8
305.1
Management (Sec.7002)
National Science Board (Sec.7002)
4.1
4.0
4.2
4.0
Inspector General (Sec.7002)
12.4
11.4
12.8
13.1
Laboratory Science Pilot Program (Sec.
5.0
Not Included
Such sums as may be
Not Included
7026) [NEW]
necessary
Sources: America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-161) and joint explanatory statement; Congressional Record, December 17, 2007.
The FY2009 request information is based on FY2009 Congressional Budget Request documents from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The Department
of Education FY2009 information is based on its Budget Summary. The NIST FY2009 request information is from the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget of the U.S. Government.
Notes: Section numbers refer to the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69). [NEW] = a program that was not authorized prior to the America COMPETES Act. Not Included =
programs not specifically identified in the President’s budget request or an agency’s budget estimate. * = number was in report language. All other appropriations are numbers from
bill language.

CRS-17
a. The President’s budget request for STRS includes not only research activities, but also almost $8 million in the FY2008 President’s budget request and $9 million in the FY2009
President’s budget request for the Baldrige National Quality Award Program. According to NIST, “ The Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to
businesses — manufacturing and service, small and large — and to education, health care and nonprofit organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas:
leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results.” For
more information, see [http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/baldfaqs.htm].
b. The following statement is made regarding TIP in the Consolidated Appropriations Act joint explanatory statement: “Of the amounts provided to ITS [Industrial Technology
Services], $65,200,000 is for the Technology Innovation Program as authorized by Public Law 110-69 [the America COMPETES Act]. TIP is structured to fund high-risk, high
reward research focused on broad national needs such as advanced automotive batteries, aquaculture, novel lightweight materials, and other emerging technologies. The funding
provided for TIP will address mortgage obligations relating to projects created under the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). The amended bill also includes language to allow
the TIP immediate access to an additional $5,000,000 from deobligations and prior-year recoveries from ATP.”
c. The America COMPETES Act amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58), Section 971(b), for FY2010. The authorization numbers provided here for FY2008 and FY2009
are from the Energy Policy Act (P.L. 109-58).
d. The Secretary of Energy can decide to establish up to three institutes for each fiscal year. Each institute could receive $10 million per year for three fiscal years.
e. In the Department of Education FY2009 budget request, the Department states that the America COMPETES Act program, the Advanced Placement and International
Baccalaureate Program, would provide a new “vision” for the existing Advanced Placement Incentive Program (API) authorized under Title I, Part G, of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The request states that, “Of the requested amount [$70 million], roughly $12 million would be required to fund State applications for the
Test Fees Program and approximately $11 million would fund API continuation grants under the ESEA program, leaving an estimated $47 million for new grants under the
COMPETES Act authority. Funds available for new awards will support projects expanding AP offerings and participation in mathematics, science, and critical languages.”
f. The America COMPETES Act only authorizes funding for this activity, a study at the National Academy of Sciences, for FY2008.
g. Two directorates of the National Science Foundation manage the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program — the Education and Human Resources
Directorate (EHR) and the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) directorate. The America COMPETES Act and the NSF budget request both identify the allocations for
each directorate.
h. Two directorates of the National Science Foundation manage the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) program — the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) and
the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) directorate. The America COMPETES Act and the NSF budget request both identify the allocations for each directorate.

CRS-18
Congressional Activities
Congress’ initial response to the President’s budget request is to develop a
budget resolution that sets the budget spending amounts for each functional category
of the budget.28 It does not allocate funds among specific programs or accounts. The
programs authorized in the America COMPETES Act fall into several budget
functions such as 250 (General Science, Space and Technology),29 270 (Energy), 370
(Commerce and Housing Credit), and 500 (Education, Employment, Training and
Social Services).30
On March 13, 2008, the House passed its version of the FY2009 budget
resolution (H.Con.Res. 312). On March 14, 2008, the Senate passed its version of
the FY2009 budget resolution (S.Con.Res. 70). Major program assumptions
underlying the functional amounts are often discussed in the reports accompanying
the resolution. These program assumptions and budget functions, however, are not
binding. The final step in the FY2009 budget resolution process is for Congress to
reconcile the Senate and House budget resolutions in a conference report.31
Section 601 of the FY2009 House budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 312) includes
a sense of the House on the innovation agenda and America COMPETES Act. It
states that the resolution supports the efforts authorized in the America COMPETES
Act by providing in Function 250 and Function 270 increased funding above that
requested by the President for FY2009. In addition, the House budget resolution
provides more funding than the President’s budget requests for scientific research and
education included in Function 370, Function 500, Function 550 (Health), and
Function 300 (Environment and Natural Resources). The resolution also states that
the increased funding in the resolution will support initiatives within the America
COMPETES Act for STEM education initiatives, doubling NSF funding, physical
sciences basic research, collaborative research partnerships, and research directed
toward achieving energy independence through the development of clean and
sustainable alternative energy technologies.
The Senate approved an amendment (S.Amdt. 4173) to the reported version of
the FY2009 Senate budget resolution (S.Con.Res. 70) “to provide additional
resources in FY2009 for investments in innovation and education in order to improve
the competitiveness of the United States.” In a committee print, the Senate Budget
Committee states, “The Committee-reported resolution rejects elimination of MEP
28 CRS Report 97-684, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, by
Sandy Streeter.
29 Note that the DOE Office of Science is in budget function 250, not budget function 270.
30 For more information on budget functions, see CRS Report 98-280, Functional Categories
of the Federal Budget
, by Bill Heniff Jr.
31 CRS Report 98-721, Introduction to the Federal Budget Process, by Robert Keith. This
process is set forth in the Congressional Budget Act, Titles I-IX of the Congressional Budget
and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-344; July 12, 1974; 88 Stat. 297-339), as
amended and codified at 2 U.S.C. 621-692.

CRS-19
funding and restores the funding to this vital program to the level authorized in the
America COMPETES Act.”32
Funding decisions on an agency and program basis are made during the
appropriations process. The House and Senate are to resolve differences in the budget
resolution. The Conference Report on S.Con.Res. 70, The Concurrent Budget
Resolution for 2009, includes in Section 522, a sense of the Congress on the
Innovation Agenda and the America COMPETES Act. The resolution “supports the
efforts authorized in the America COMPETES Act, providing substantially increased
funding above the President’s requested level for 2009, and increased amounts after
2009.” The budget resolution also includes agreeing to an allocation to the House
Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Once
these allocations are received, the next step in the FY2009 budget process is for the
House and Senate Appropriations Committees to subdivide the amounts they receive
from the budget committee among the appropriations committees’ 12
subcommittees.33
The Appropriations Committees jurisdiction for the federal agencies that have
programs authorized by the America COMPETES Act programs are divided among
at least three Appropriations subcommittees:
! Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: NSF, NIST,
NASA, and OSTP;
! Energy and Water Development: DOE;
! Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related
Agencies: ED.
The CRS FY2009 Status Table of Appropriations is updated on a regular basis as
Congress takes action throughout the appropriations process.34
32 U.S. Senate, Committee on the Budget, Concurrent Resolution on the Budget, FY 2009,
Committee Print to Accompany, S.Con.Res. 70 Together with Additional Views and Minority
Views
, S. Prt. 110 — 039, March 2008.
33 For additional information on the appropriations process, see CRS Report 97-684, The
Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction
, by Sandy Streeter.
34 This table is available at [http://www.crs.gov/products/appropriations/appover.shtml].