Order Code RL34396
The America COMPETES Act
and the FY2009 Budget
Updated October 17, 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 engineering 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.
FY2008 appropriations met neither the Administration’s ACI target nor America
COMPETES Act authorized levels. An issue for Congress is whether FY2009
appropriations will. The Presidents’s Office of Science and Technology Policy
reports that the FY2009 budget request includes funding for America COMPETES
Act initiatives at 88% of the FY2009 authorization level. In June 2008, the House
and Senate approved the Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report
(S.Con.Res. 70), which provides a sense of the Congress on the America
COMPETES Act, stating “the Congress should provide sufficient funding so that our
Nation may continue to be the world leader in education, innovation and economic
growth.†For FY2009, the federal agencies that manage America COMPETES Act
programs are funded through an interim continuing resolution until March 6, 2009.
Funding for the remainder of FY2009 and all of FY2010 remains to be determined.
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. Both the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations
recommended funding for NSF authorized at $7.3 billion, while $6.9 billion was
requested by the Administration. For NIST, both the Senate and House committees
provided funding for programs the Administration requested eliminated, the
Technology Innovation Program (TIP), and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
(MEP). The DOE Office of Science authorized level is $5.2 billion. The President
requested $4.7 billion. The Senate committee reported $4.6 billion, and the House
committee reported $4.8 billion. The act also establishes within DOE the Advanced
Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), designed to support transformational
energy technology research projects. The President’s FY2009 budget does not request
appropriations for ARPA-E. The House committee recommended $15 million for
ARPA-E, while the Senate committee did not include any funding in its report.
In STEM education, the act authorizes Department of Education (ED) and NSF
programs to encourage STEM degree majors and professionals to become K-12
STEM teachers. At ED, the Administration requests the elimination of the act’s
Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow program authorized at 151.2 million. The
Senate committee included $2 million for this program, while the House
subcommittee did not fund the program. At NSF, the America COMPETES Act
increased the authorization level for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program
to 115.0 million. The Administration requested funding of $11.6 million for this
program. The Senate committee recommended $55 million in its report, and the
House committee $50 million.
Contents
Overview of the America COMPETES Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Agency Programs and the America COMPETES Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
National Institute of Standards and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Department of Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
National Science Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Congressional Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
List of Tables
Table 1. Comparison of America COMPETES Act Programs, the
FY2008 Appropriation, and the President’s FY2009 Budget Request, the
House of Representatives FY2009 Appropriations, the Senate
FY2009 Appropriations, and the America COMPETES Act FY2008,
FY2009, and FY2010 Authorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
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 is the first time Congress has debated
funding for America COMPETES Act programs from 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
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
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]
7 For more information on NIST, see CRS Report 95-30, The National Institute of Standards
(continued...)
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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.â€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
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
7 (...continued)
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].
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,
(continued...)
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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
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
12 (...continued)
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.â€
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
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]. In additional e-mail
correspondence on October 14, 2008, between CRS, OMB, and OSTP, OMB contends that
the three organizations specified above respond to the authorization of the Discovery
Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes in the act.
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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 of the three Discovery Science and Engineering
Innovation Institutes 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
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 Scientistsâ€
in the Office of Science budget justification, DOE notes the America COMPETES
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.â€
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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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.19 OMB contends that the following
DOE programs correspond to programs authorized by the America COMPETES Act:
! Summer Institutes (§5003) corresponds to the pre-existing DOE
Academies Creating Teacher Scientists program (DOE ACTS);
! Early Career Awards for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
Researchers (§5006) corresponds to pre-existing High Energy
Physics Outstanding Junior Investigator, Nuclear Physics
Outstanding Junior Investigator, Fusion Energy Sciences Plasma
Physics Junior Faculty Development; Advanced Scientific
Computing Research Early Career Principle Investigator; and the
Office of Science Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award
programs; and
! Protecting America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Graduate
Fellowship Program (§5009) corresponds to pre-existing Computer
Science Graduate Fellowships; Graduate Research Environmental
Fellowships; American Meteorological Society/Industry/
Government Graduate Fellowships; Spallation Neutron Source
Instrumentation Fellowships, and the Fusion Energy Sciences
Graduate Fellowships.20
The DOE Summer Institutes authorization in the act is $20 million in FY2009.
Based on the information provided in DOE’s budget request for the programs
identified above, funding for these institutes is requested for $6 million in FY2009.
The Early Career Awards program is authorized for $25 million in FY2009; the
testimony states that FY2009 funding of $10 million is requested for the programs
specified above. For the PACE fellowships, DOE requests $19 million, above the
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 Email communication between CRS and the Office of Management and Budget and the
Office of Science and Technology Policy received on October 14, 2008. According to
OMB, the reason that the information above is not included in DOE’s FY2009 budget
request is that DOE did not reorganize its budget structure to match the America
COMPETES Act categories.
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act authorization level of $12 million in FY2009, based on the programs listed above
and the DOE budget request.21
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 mentoring program, 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
access.â€22 Among its activities, ED establishes policies on and distributes and
monitors federal financial aid for education.23
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.â€24
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
21 Ibid.
22 U.S. Department of Education, “About ED,†at [http://www.ed.gov/about/
landing.jhtml?src=gu].
23 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.
24 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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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.25 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.
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.26
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
25 The title for this program in the America COMPETES Act is the Foreign Language
Partnership Program. The report uses the title for this program from the ED FY2009
congressional budget justification to help distinguish it from other ED foreign language
programs such as the existing Foreign Language Assistance program.
26 For more information on NSF, see CRS Report 95-307, U.S. National Science
Foundation: An Overview, by Christine M. Matthews.
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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 program27 (at $11.6 million
compared with an authorization of $115.0 million) and the Mathematics and Science
Education Partnership28 (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
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.29 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.
Congressional Activities
FY2008 appropriations met neither the Administration’s ACI target nor America
COMPETES Act authorized levels. An issue for Congress is whether FY2009
appropriations will. The White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy
reports that the FY2009 budget request includes funding for America COMPETES
Act initiatives at 88% of the FY2009 authorization level.30
Congress’ initial response to the President’s budget request was to develop a
budget resolution that sets the budget spending amounts for each functional category
27 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.
28 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.
29 Email from Teresa Davies, Director, Legislative Affairs, NSF, to Deborah Stine on
February 13, 2008.
30 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, available at [http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/
Commdocs/hearings/2008/Full/14feb/Marburger_Testimony.pdf].
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of the budget.31 The budget resolution did not allocate funds among specific
programs or accounts. Major program assumptions underlying the functional
amounts, however, are often discussed in the reports accompanying the resolution.
These program assumptions and budget functions are not binding.32 In June 2008,
the House and Senate approved the Conference Report on S.Con.Res. 70, The
Concurrent Budget Resolution for 2009. Section 522 of the report provides a sense
of the Congress on the Innovation Agenda and the America COMPETES Act, stating
“the Congress should provide sufficient funding so that our Nation may continue to
be the world leader in education, innovation and economic growth.†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 in Function 250 (General Science, Space and
Technology) and other functions.†The resolution also states that “additional
increases for scientific research and education are included in Function 270 (Energy),
Function 300 (Environment and Natural Resources), Function 500 (Education,
Employment, Training and Social Services), and Function 550 (Health), all of which
receive more funding than the President’s budget provides.â€
The budget resolution also included agreeing to an allocation to the House
Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriations. These
committees then subdivided the amounts they received from the House and Senate
Budget committees among the appropriations committees’ 12 subcommittees.33 The
committee’s jurisdictions34 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.
Each of these Senate and House Appropriations subcommittees have approved
and reported the bills for which they are responsible, with an accompanying report,
31 CRS Report 97-684, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, by
Sandy Streeter.
32 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.
33 These allocations for FY2009 are available at [http://www.cbo.gov/budget/approps/
approps.pdf]. For additional information on the appropriations process, see CRS Report
97-684, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, by Sandy Streeter.
34 It is important to note that the House and Senate Parliamentarians are the sole definitive
authorities on questions relating to the jurisdiction of congressional committees and should
be consulted for a formal opinion on any specific jurisdictional question.
CRS-11
to the full committee. The Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Committee (S. 3182; S.Rept. 110-397), the Senate Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Committee (S. 3258; S.Rept. 110-416), and the Senate
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (S. 3230;
S.Rept. 110-410) have all reported their bills to the full Senate. The House
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee, and
the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee have reported
their bills to the full House. The House Labor, Health and Human Services,
Education, and Related Agencies has not yet reported its bill. At this time, the House
Appropriations Committee bills and reports are available in draft form.
Table 1 summarizes the America COMPETES Act programs and authorizations
for FY2008, FY2009, and FY2010; the FY2008 appropriation; and Senate and House
activities regarding these programs in the FY2009 budget process.35 Some highlights
include
National Institute of Standards and Technology
! The Senate and House committees include funding for TIP
authorized at $541.9 million, and the MEP authorized at $131.5
million. Both were proposed for elimination by the Administration.
! While the Administration requested $535 million for STRS,
authorized at $541.9 million, the Senate committee approved $489.5
million and the House committee $500.7 million.
Department of Energy
! The DOE Office of Science authorized level is $5.2 billion. The
President requested $4.7 billion. The Senate committee approved
$4.6 billion, and the House committee $4.9 billion.
! The House committee approved $15 million for ARPA-E, while the
Senate committee does not include any funding. The President’s
FY2009 budget does not request an appropriation.
Department of Education
! The Senate committee recommended $2 million for the Teachers for
a Competitive Tomorrow program, while the House subcommittee
does not provide any funding. The Administration requests its
elimination in FY2009. The authorized level is $125 million.
! The Senate committee supports the Administration’s request to
transition the existing Advanced Placement Incentive (API) program
35 The table includes programs for which the America COMPETES Act authorized funding.
Not all the programs addressed by the America COMPETES Act had an enumerated
authorization of appropriation level. Further, not all of the authorized programs will
necessarily be at a sufficient programmatic level to have a line item within their agency’s
budget in the President’s request, the appropriations bills, or the agency budgets. Therefore,
a lack of an enumerated appropriation does not necessarily mean that a given program is not
funded.
CRS-12
to the new Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate
(AP/IB) program authorized by the America COMPETES Act. The
Senate committee recommends $43.5 million total, with $20.5
million in funding for the act portion of the funding and the
remainder to phase out the existing program. The House
subcommittee also recommends $43.5 million, but only for the
existing API program. The subcommittee recommends not funding
the America COMPETES Act AP/IB program, stating that the “2 to
1 match from non-Federal sources would preclude low-income
schools from participating.â€
! Both the Senate and House committee recommend Congress not
fund two new programs authorized by the act, where the
Administration requested funding: Math Now and the Advancing
America Through Foreign Language Partnership Program.
National Science Foundation
! Both the Senate and House committees provide funding for NSF at
the level requested by the Administration, $6.9 billion. The
authorized level is $7.3 billion.
! The Senate committee reported $55 million for the Robert Noyce
Teacher Scholarship program, and the House committee $50 million.
The Administration requested $11.6 million.
For FY2009, federal government programs related to the America COMPETES
Act are funded from October 1, 2008, until March 6, 2009, through an interim
continuing resolution (H.R. 2638; P.L. 110-329).36 The resolution funds these
programs at the FY2008 level, but does not include funding from the Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-252) in determining the level of funding during
this time.37 Funding for the remainder of FY2009 and all of FY2010 remains to be
determined. This report will be updated on a regular basis as Congress takes action
throughout the appropriations process.
36 For more information, see CRS Report RL34700, Interim Continuing Resolutions (CRs):
Potential Impacts on Agency Operations, by Clinton T. Brass.
37 For additional details, see Office of Management and Budget, Apportionment of the
Continuing Resolution(s) for Fiscal Year 2009, OMB Bulletin No. 08-02, September 30,
2008 at [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2008/b08-02.pdf].
CRS-13
Table 1. Comparison of America COMPETES Act Programs, the FY2008 Appropriation, and the President’s FY2009
Budget Request, the House of Representatives FY2009 Appropriations, the Senate FY2009 Appropriations, and the
America COMPETES Act FY2008, FY2009, and FY2010 Authorization
(in millions of dollars)
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Department of Commerce
National Institute of
Standards and Technology
(Sec. 3001)
— Scientific & Technical
$502.1
$440.5
$541.9
$535.0a
** $500.7
* $489.5
$584.8
Research and Services
(STRS) (Sec. 3001)
— Construction &
150.9
160.5
86.4
99.0
** 129.0
* 149.0
49.7
Maintenance (Sec. 3001)
— Technology Innovation
100.0
65.2b
131.5
0.0
** 65.2
* 65.0
140.5
Program (TIP) (Sec.
3001/3012)
CRS-14
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
— Manufacturing Extension
110.0
89.6
122.0
4.0
** 89.6
* 110.0
131.8
Partnership (MEP) (Sec.
3001/3003)
Department of Energy
DOE Science, Engineering
and Mathematics Programs
(Sec. 5003)
— Pilot Program of Grants
14.0
Not Included
22.5
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
30.0
to Specialty Schools for
Science and Mathematics
(Sec. 5003) [NEW]
— Experiential Based
7.5
Not Included
7.5
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
7.5
Learning Opportunities (Sec.
5003) [NEW]
— Summer Institutes (Sec.
15.0
Not Included
20.0
6.4
**6.4
* 6.4
25.0
5003) [NEW]c
— National Energy
0.5
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
Such sums as
Education Development
necessary
necessary
(Sec. 5003) [NEW]
CRS-15
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Nuclear Science Talent
Expansion Program (Sec.
5004)
— Nuclear Science Program
3.5
Not Included
6.5
Not Included
Not Included
*3.0d
9.5
Expansion Grants for
Institutions of Higher
Education (Sec. 5004)
[NEW]
— Nuclear Science
3.0
Not Included
5.5
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
8.0
Competitiveness Grants for
Institutions of Higher
Education (Sec. 5004)
[NEW]
Hydrocarbon Systems
Science Talent Expansion
Program (Sec. 5005)
— Hydrocarbon Systems
3.5
Not Included
6.5
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
9.5
Science Program Expansion
Grants for Institutions of
Higher Education (Sec.
5005) [NEW]
CRS-16
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
— Hydrocarbon Systems
3.0
Not Included
5.5
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
8.0
Science Competitiveness
Grants for Institutions of
Higher Education (Sec.
5005) [NEW]
Early Career Awards for
25.0
Not Included
25.0
10.0
**10.0
* 10.0
25.0
Science, Engineering, and
Mathematics Researchers
(Sec. 5006)[NEW]c
Office of Science (Sec.
4,486.0e 4,035.6
5,200.0e
4,721.9
**4,861.7
* 4,640.5
5,814.0
5007) (as act amends the
(3,973.1
Energy Policy Act of 2005
consolidated
for FY2010)
+62.5
supplemental)
Discovery Science and
10.0-30.0f Not
Included
10.0-30.0f
182.2
**182.2
* 82.2g
10.0-30.0f
Engineering Innovation
Institutes (Sec. 5008)
[NEW]c
CRS-17
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Protecting America’s Edge
7.5
Not Included
12.0
19.0
**19.0
* 19.0
20.0
(PACE) Graduate
Fellowship Program (Sec.
5009)[NEW]c
Distinguished Scientist
15.0
Not Included
20.0
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
30.0
Program (Sec. 5011) [NEW]
Advanced Research
300
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
**15.0
Not Included
Such sums as
Projects Agency — Energy
are necessary
are necessary
[ARPA-E] (Sec. 5012)
[NEW]
Department of Education
Teachers for a Competitive
151.2
* 0.98
151.2
0.0
* 0.0
* 0.98
151.2
Tomorrow: Baccalaureate
Degrees in Science,
Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics, or Critical
Foreign Languages, with
Concurrent Teacher
Certification (Sec. 6113,
6115, 6116) [NEW]
CRS-18
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Teachers for a Competitive
125.0
* 0.98
125.0
0.0
** 0.0
* 0.98
125.0
Tomorrow: Master’s
Degrees in Science,
Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics, or
Critical Foreign Language
Education (Sec. 6114-6116)
[NEW]
Advanced Placement and
75.0
Not Included
Such sums as
70.0/47.0h
** 43.5/0.0h
*43.5/20.5h
Such sums as
International
may be
may be
Baccalaureate Programs
necessary
necessary
(Sec. 6121-6123)h [NEW]
Math Now (Sec. 6201)
95.0
* 0.0
Such sums as
95.0
**0.0i
* 0.0i
Such sums as
[NEW]
may be
may be
necessary
necessary
Summer Term Education
Such sums as
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
Such sums as
Programs (Sec. 6202)
may be
may be
may be
[NEW]
necessary
necessary
necessary
CRS-19
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Math Skills for Secondary
95.0
Not Included
95.0
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
95.0
School Students (Sec. 6203)
[NEW]
Advancing America
28.0
Not Included
Such sums as
24.0
**0.0
* 0.0
Such sums as
Through Foreign Language
may be
may be
Partnership Program (Sec.
necessary
necessary
6301-6304) [NEW]j
P-16 Alignment of
120.0
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
Such sums as
Secondary School Graduate
may be
may be
Requirements with the
necessary
necessary
Demands of 21st Century
Postsecondary Endeavors
and Support for P-16
Education Data Systems
(Sec. 6401) [NEW]
Mathematics and Science
Such sums as
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
Such sums as
Partnership Bonus Grants
may be
may be
may be
(Sec. 6501) [NEW]
necessary
necessary
necessary
CRS-20
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
National Science
6,600.0
6,127.5
7,326.0
6,854.1
** 6,854.1
* 6,854.1
8,132.0
Foundation (Sec. 7002)
(6,065.0
consolidated
+62.5
supplemental)
Research and Related
5,156.0
4,844.0k
5,742.3
5,594.0
** 5,544.1
* 5,594.0
6,401.0
Activities
(4,821.5
consolidated
+22.5
supplemental)
— Major Research
115.0
Not Included
123.1
115.0
Not Included
Not Included
131.7
Instrumentation (MRI) (Sec.
7002/Sec. 7036)
— Faculty Early Career
165.4
Not Included
183.6
181.9
Not Included
Not Included
203.8
Development (CAREER)
(Sec.7002)
— Research Experiences for
61.6
Not Included
68.4
61.6
Not Included
Not Included
75.9
Undergraduates (REU)
(Sec.7002)
CRS-21
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
— Experimental Programs
120.0
* 120.0
133.2
113.5
** 133.0
* 125.0
147.8
to Stimulate Competitive
(115.0
Research (EPSCoR)
consolidated
(Sec.7002)
+5.0l
supplemental)
— Integrative Graduate
47.3
Not Included
52.5
38.8
Not Included
Not Included
58.3
Education and Research
Traineeship/R&RA (IGERT)
(Sec.7002)m
— Graduate Research
9.0
Not Included
10.0
8.1
Not Included
Not Included
11.1
Fellowship/R&RA (GRF)
(Sec.7002)
— Professional Science
10.0
Not Included
12.0
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
15.0
Master’s Degree Program
(Sec. 7002/7034) [NEW]
CRS-22
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Education and Human
896.0
765.6
995.0
790.4
** 840.3
* 790.4
1,104.0
Resources
(725.6
consolidated
+40.0
supplemental)
— Mathematics and Science
100.0
Not Included
111.0
51.0
** 61.0
Not Included
123.2
Education Partnership (MSP)
(Sec.7002/7028)
— Robert Noyce Teacher
89.8
* 55.0
115.0
11.6
** 50.0j
* 55.0n
140.5
Scholarship Program
(15.0
(Sec.7002/7030)
consolidated
+40.0
supplemental)
— Science, Mathematics,
40.0
Not Included
50.0
29.7
Not Included
Not Included
55.0
Engineering, and Technology
Talent Expansion
(Sec.7002/7025)
— Advanced Technological
52.0
Not Included
57.7
51.6
Not Included
Not Included
64.0
Education (ATE) (Sec.7002)
CRS-23
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
— Integrative Graduate
27.1
Not Included
30.1
25.0
Not Included
Not Included
33.4
Education and Research
Traineeship/EHR (IGERT)
(Sec.7002)m
— Graduate Research
96.6
Not Included
107.2
116.7
**107.0
Not Included
119.0
Fellowship/EHR (GRF)
(Sec.7002)
Major Research Equipment
245.0
220.7
262.0
147.5
** 147.5
* 152.0
280.0
and Facilities Construction
(Sec.7002)
Agency Operations and
285.6
281.8
309.76
305.1
**305.1
* 300.6
329.45
Award Management
(Sec.7002)
National Science Board
4.05
3.97
4.19
4.0
**4.0
* 4.0
4.34
(Sec.7002)
Inspector General
12.35
11.4
12.75
13.1
**13.1
* 13.1
13.21
(Sec.7002)
CRS-24
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Appropriation
Programs with Specific
(Consolidated
Authorized Budgets
Appropriations
House
Senate
Authorization
in the America
Act, 2008 (P.L.
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Appropriation
Authorization
(America
COMPETES Act
110-161);
(America
(President’s
(as reported*
(as reported*
(America
COMPETES
Supplemental
COMPETES
Budget)
or in draft bill
or in draft bill
COMPETES
Act)
Appropriations
Act)
or report**)
or report**)
Act)
Act, 2008 (P.L.
110-252))
Laboratory Science Pilot
5.0
Not Included
Such sums as
Not Included
Not Included
Not Included
Such sums as
Program (Sec. 7026) [NEW]
may be
may be
necessary
necessary
Sources: America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69); For FY2008, information is from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-161) and joint explanatory statement;
Congressional Record, December 17, 2007; Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-252); H.Rept. 110-240; S.Rept. 110-124; H.Rept. 110-231; and S.Rept. 110-107. 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. Senate
Committee on Appropriations FY2009 information is from the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee (S. 3182; S.Rept. 110-397), the
Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee (S. 3258; S.Rept. 110-416), and the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
(S. 3230; S.Rept. 110-410), as reported to the full Senate. House Committee on Appropriations information is based on draft bills and subcommittee reports as provided on the
Congressional Quarterly website as of July 18, 2008.
Notes: Section numbers refer to the America COMPETES Act. “[NEW]†means a program that was not authorized prior to the America COMPETES Act. “Not Included†means
that these programs were not specifically identified in the budget request, bill, act, or report. * = as reported. ** = as in draft bill or report language. All other appropriations are numbers
from bill language.
a. The President’s budget request for STRS includes almost $8 million for the Baldrige National Quality Award Program. The TIP/ATP program Senate appropriation does not include
the $30.8 million directed away from the ATP appropriation for use by other non-NIST related programs.
b. The following statement is 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.â€
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c. According to an email communication between CRS and the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy received on October 14, 2008,
OMB contends that the following DOE programs correspond to programs authorized by the America COMPETES Act:
! DOE Summer Institutes (§5003) corresponds to the pre-existing DOE Academies Creating Teacher Scientists program (DOE ACTS);
! DOE Early Career Awards (§5006) corresponds to pre-existing High Energy Physics Outstanding Junior Investigator, Nuclear Physics Outstanding Junior
Investigator, Fusion Energy Sciences Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development; Advanced Scientific Computing Research Early Career Principle Investigator;
and the Office of Science Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award programs;
! Discovery Science and Engineering Innovation Institutes (§5008) correspond with pre-existing Bioenergy Research Centers, SciDAC Institutes, and the proposed
Energy Frontier Research Centers; and the
! Protecting America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Fellowship program (§5009) corresponds to pre-existing Computer Science Graduate Fellowships; Graduate
Research Environmental Fellowships; American Meteorological Society/Industry/Government Graduate Fellowships; Spallation Neutron Source Instrumentation
Fellowships, and the Fusion Energy Sciences Graduate Fellowships.
Note that the information above is not included in DOE’s FY2009 budget request as, according to OMB, DOE did not reorganize its budget structure to match the America
COMPETES Act categories. The FY2009 budget request information provided in the table is from 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].
d. The committee recommends this action as part of its congressionally directed science projects stating $3 million should be appropriated for the Center for Advanced Energy Studies
at Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls “to conduct a pilot program to demonstrate the Nuclear Science Talent Expansion Program.â€
ec. The America COMPETES Act amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58), Section 971(b), for FY2010. The FY2008 and FY2009 authorization number provided here
are from the Energy Policy Act.
f. The Secretary of Energy can decide to establish up to three institutes per fiscal year. Each institute could receive $10 million per year for three fiscal years.
g. The Senate report did not specify an appropriation for the Energy Frontier Research Centers (ERFCs). The report did specify a reduction in the Office of Science Basic Energy
Sciences funding of $152.8 million. Of this decrease, the Senate directs $59.4 million to move from the Office of Science to another office within DOE. According to OMB,
DOE does not plan to fund the ERFCs in response to the remaining reduction of $93.3 million. (Source: Personal communication between CRS and OMB on October 15, 2008.)
h. There is a similarly-named existing ED program called the Advanced Placement Incentive Program (API), authorized under Title I, Part G of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA). In its FY2009 congressional budget justification, the Department of Education proposes merging the ESEA API and the America COMPETES Advanced
Placement and International Baccalaureate Program(AP/IB) to provide a new “vision†for API. 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.†This is represented in the table as “70.0/47.0,†with the first number in the table providing the total for both the
existing Advanced Placement Incentive Program (API), and, if funded, the new America COMPETES Act Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) program;
the second number is the Administration estimated portion of the total that would be used for the AP/IB program. A similar notation is used for the congressional recommendations
and estimates. The Senate committee and House subcommittee both recommended $43.5 million for this program, but the Senate committee recommended $20.5 million for
the AP/IB program, while the House subcommittee recommended not funding the COMPETES Act program stating that the “2 to 1 match from non-Federal sources would
preclude low-income schools from participating.â€
i. The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations each reported they did not wish to appropriate funds for this program.
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j. The title for this program in the America COMPETES Act is the Foreign Language Partnership Program. The table uses the title for this program from the ED FY2009 congressional
budget justification to help distinguish it from other ED foreign language programs such as the existing Foreign Language Assistance program.
k. The following statement is in the Consolidated Appropriations Act joint explanatory statement: “ The Appropriations Committees strongly support increases for the math and physical
sciences, computer sciences, and engineering directorates in fiscal year 2008 for research and related activities (R&RA). However, the Committees also believe the Foundation
should maintain comparable growth in fiscal year 2008, to the extent possible, for the biological sciences and social, behavioral and economic sciences directorates. Each of the
science disciplines is valuable in maintaining U.S. competitiveness. The Committees urge NSF to provide each directorate with funding levels that are consistent with the goals
of the America COMPETES Act and look forward to the Foundation’s operating plan in addressing these concerns.â€
l. Although included in the FY2008 supplemental appropriation, the act specifies a section in the America COMPETES Act authorizing funding for the FY2009 EPSCoR program.
m. 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.
n. The House subcommittee recommends $20 million and the Senate committee recommends $45 million of the appropriated funding for the Noyce program be used for the “National
Science Foundation Teaching Fellowships and Master Teaching Fellowships†portion of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program. A description of this program is provided
in the America COMPETES Act Section 7030, which amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-368), providing a new Section 10A.