Federal Research and Development (R&D)
August 3, 2021
Funding: FY2022
John F. Sargent Jr.,
President Biden’s budget request for FY2022 includes approximately $171.3 billion for research
Coordinator
and development (R&D), $13.5 billion (8.5%) above the FY2021 estimated level of $157.8
Specialist in Science and
billion. In constant FY2022 dollars, the FY2022 R&D request represents an increase of $10.6
Technology Policy
billion (6.6%) above the FY2021 estimated level.

Funding for R&D is concentrated in a few federal departments and agencies. In FY2021, five

agencies received 93.0% of total federal R&D funding, with the Department of Defense (DOD,
40.1%) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 27.6%) combined accounting for more than two-thirds of
all federal R&D funding. In the FY2022 request, the top five R&D agencies would account for 92.4%, with DOD accounting
for 36.7% and HHS for 29.9%.
Under the President’s FY2022 budget request, nearly all federal
Federal Research and Development
agencies would see their R&D funding increase relative to FY2021.
Funding, FY2020-FY2022
The only exception is DOD, which would decrease by $550 million
In bil ions of dol ars
(0.9%) in FY2022 to $62.8 billion. The largest dollar increases in R&D
funding would be made to HHS (up $7.7 billion, 17.8%), the
Department of Energy (up $2.1 billion, 11.1%), and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (up $1.3 billion, 10.1%). The
largest percentage increases in R&D funding would be at the
Department of the Interior (up 30.8%), the Department of Commerce
(up 29.3%), and the Department of Agriculture (up 21.7%).
The President’s FY2022 budget request would increase funding for
basic research by $4.4 billion (10.2%), applied research by $6.3 billion
(14.0%), development by $2.4 billion (3.6%), and R&D facilities and
equipment by $380 million (9.0%).
Several multiagency R&D initiatives continue under the President’s
FY2022 budget request. Some activities supporting these initiatives are

discussed in agency budget justifications. However, comprehensive
Source: CRS analysis of data from OMB, Analytical
aggregate budget information on these initiatives will likely not be
Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government,
available until budget supplements for each are released later in the
Fiscal Year 2022, Research and Development, May 28, year.
2021.
The request represents the President’s R&D priorities. Congress may opt to agree with none, part, or all of the request, and it
may express different priorities through the appropriations process. Congress provides annual R&D appropriations through 9
of the 12 regular appropriations bills.
In recent years, Congress has completed the annual appropriations process after the start of the fiscal year. Completing the
process after the start of the fiscal year and the accompanying use of continuing resolutions can affect agencies’ execution of
their R&D budgets, including the delay or cancellation of planned R&D activities and acquisition of R&D-related equipment.

Congressional Research Service

link to page 57 link to page 62 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Introduction
The 117th Congress continues its interest in U.S. research and development (R&D) and in
evaluating support for federal R&D activities. The federal government has played an important
role in supporting R&D efforts that have led to scientific breakthroughs and new technologies,
from jet aircraft and the internet to communications satellites, shale gas extraction, and defenses
against disease. In recent years, federal budget caps have driven executive and legislative branch
decisions about the prioritization of R&D, both in the context of the entire federal budget and
among competing needs within the federal R&D portfolio.
The U.S. government supports a broad range of scientific and engineering R&D. Its purposes
include addressing national defense, health, safety, the environment, and energy security;
advancing knowledge generally; developing the scientific and engineering workforce; and
strengthening U.S. innovation and competitiveness in the global economy. Most of the R&D
funded by the federal government is performed in support of the unique missions of individual
funding agencies.
The federal R&D budget is an aggregation of the R&D activities of these agencies. There is no
single, centralized source of R&D funds. Agency R&D budgets are developed internally as part
of each agency’s overall budget development process. R&D funding may be included either in
accounts that are entirely devoted to R&D or in accounts that also include funding for non-R&D
activities. Agency budgets are subjected to review, revision, and approval by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and become part of the President’s annual budget submission to
Congress. The federal R&D budget is then calculated by aggregating the R&D activities of each
federal agency.
Congress plays a central role in defining the nation’s R&D priorities as it makes decisions about
the level and allocation of R&D funding—overall, within agencies, and for specific programs. As
Congress acts to complete the FY2021 appropriations process, it faces two overarching issues: the
amount of the federal budget to be spent on federal R&D and the prioritization and allocation of
the available funding.
This report begins with a discussion of the overall level of R&D in President Biden’s FY2022
budget request, followed by analyses of R&D funding in the request from a variety of
perspectives and for selected multiagency R&D initiatives. The remainder of the report discusses
and analyzes the R&D budget requests of selected federal departments and agencies that,
collectively, account for approximately 99% of total federal R&D funding.
Selected terms associated with federal R&D funding are defined in the text box on the next page.
Appendix A provides a list of acronyms and abbreviations. Appendix B lists the primary CRS
experts on R&D funding for the agencies covered in this report.
Congressional Research Service

1

link to page 8 link to page 11 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Definitions Associated with Federal Research and Development Funding
Two key sources of definitions associated with federal research and development funding are the White House
Office of Management and Budget and the National Science Foundation.
Office of Management and Budget. The Office of Management and Budget provides the fol owing definitions
of R&D-related terms in OMB Circular No. A-11, “Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget.”1 This
document provides guidance to agencies in the preparation of the President’s annual budget and instructions on
budget execution. In 2017, OMB adopted a refinement to the categories of R&D, replacing “development” with
“experimental development,” which more narrowly defines the set of activities to be included. This definition is
used in the President’s FY2022 budget. The new definition has resulted in lower reported R&D by some agencies,
including the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). For
FY2022, OMB has also opted to exclude DOD budget activity 6.6 (“Management Support”) funding from its R&D
calculations; historically, this funding has been included in the DOD R&D total and federal R&D total figures. DOD
R&D funding in Table 1 and Table 3 reflect this change for FY2020 and FY2021 (applied retroactively), as well as
for FY2022. OMB and DOD are currently evaluating whether budget activity 6.6 may be categorized as
experimental development in the future.
Conduct of R&D. Research and experimental development (R&D) activities are defined as creative and
systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge—including knowledge of people,
culture, and society—and to devise new applications using available knowledge.
Basic Research. Basic research is defined as experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to
acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts. Basic research may
include activities with broad or general applications in mind, such as the study of how plant genomes change,
but excludes research directed towards a specific application or requirement, such as the optimization of the
genome of a specific crop species.
Applied Research. Applied research is defined as original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new
knowledge. Applied research is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental Development. Experimental development is defined as creative and systematic work,
drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new
products or processes or improving existing products or processes. Like research, experimental development
wil result in gaining additional knowledge.
R&D Equipment. R&D equipment includes amounts for major equipment for research and development. It
includes acquisition, design, or production of major movable equipment, such as mass spectrometers, research
vessels, DNA sequencers, and other major movable instruments for use in R&D activities. It includes programs
of $1 mil ion or more that are devoted to the purchase or construction of major R&D equipment.
R&D Facilities. R&D facilities includes amounts for the construction of facilities that are necessary for the
execution of an R&D program. This may include land, major fixed equipment, and supporting infrastructure
such as a sewer line or housing at a remote location.
National Science Board/National Science Foundation. The National Science Board/National Science
Foundation (NSB/NSF) provides the fol owing definitions of R&D-related terms in its report Science and
Engineering Indicators: 2020.2
Research and Development (R&D): Research and experimental development comprise creative and
systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge—including knowledge of humankind, culture,
and society—and its use to devise new applications of available knowledge.
Basic Research: Experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied Research: Original investigation undertaken to acquire new knowledge—directed primarily,
however, toward a specific, practical aim or objective.
Development (or Experimental Development): Systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from
research and practical experience and producing additional knowledge, which is directed to producing new
products or processes or to improving existing products or processes.

1 The White House, Office of Management and Budget, Circular No. A-11, “Preparation, Submission, and Execution of
the Budget,” April 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/a11.pdf.
2 National Science Board/National Science Foundation, Science and Engineering Indicators 2020, January 2020,
https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20201/glossary.
Congressional Research Service

2

link to page 8 link to page 8 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

The President’s FY2022 Budget Request
On May 28, 2021, President Biden released his proposed FY2022 budget. President Biden is
proposing $171.3 billion for R&D for FY2022, an increase of $13.5 billion (8.5%) above the
FY2021 level of $157.8 billion. Adjusted for inflation to FY2022 dollars, the President’s FY2022
R&D request represents a constant-dollar increase of 6.6% above the FY2021 actual level.3
The President’s request includes continued R&D funding for existing single-agency and
multiagency programs and activities, as well as new initiatives. This report provides government-
wide, multiagency, and individual agency analyses of the President’s FY2022 request as it relates
to R&D and related activities. More information will become available as the House and Senate
act on the President’s budget request through appropriations bills.
Factors Affecting Analysis of the FY2022 Budget Request
Several factors complicate the analysis of changes in R&D funding for FY2022, both in aggregate and for selected
agencies:

R&D included in President’s Biden’s proposed American Jobs Plan is not included in his FY2022 budget
request. The American Jobs Plan includes $50 bil ion for the National Science Foundation, $30 bil ion for
R&D at other agencies, and $40 bil ion to upgrade research infrastructure.

Inconsistency among agencies in the reporting of R&D and the inclusion of R&D activities in accounts with
non-R&D activities may result in different figures being reported by OMB and the White House Office of
Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), including those shown in Table 1, and those in agency budget
analyses that appear later in this report.
Federal R&D Funding Perspectives
Federal R&D funding can be analyzed from a variety of perspectives that provide different
insights. The following sections examine the data by agency, by the character of the work
supported, and by a combination of these two perspectives.
Federal R&D by Agency
Congress makes decisions about R&D funding through the authorization and appropriations
processes primarily from the perspective of individual agencies and programs. Table 1 provides
data on R&D funding by agency for FY2020 (actual), FY2021 (estimate), and FY2022 (request).4
Under the request, eight federal agencies would receive 97% of total federal R&D funding in
FY2022: the Department of Defense (DOD), 36.7%; Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS), primarily the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 29.9%; Department of Energy (DOE),
12.5%; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 8.5%; National Science
Foundation (NSF), 4.8%; Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2.1%; Department of Commerce
(DOC), 1.6%; and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 0.9%. This report provides an analysis of
the R&D budget requests for these agencies, as well as for the Department of Homeland Security

3 As calculated by CRS using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (chained) price index for FY2021-FY2022 in Table
10.1, “Gross Domestic Product and Deflators Used in the Historical Tables: 1940–2026,” Budget of the United States
Government, Fiscal Year 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/hist10z1_fy22.xlsx.
4 EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2022, Research and
Development, May 28, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ap_14_research_fy22.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

3

link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

(DHS), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Transportation (DOT), and
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
With the exception of DOD, all federal agencies would see their R&D funding increase under the
President’s FY2022 request compared to their FY2021 estimated levels. The agencies with the
largest R&D funding increases (measured in dollars) in the FY2022 request compared to FY2021
estimated levels are HHS (up $7.738 billion), DOE (up $2.140 billion), and NASA (up $1.339
billion). DOD R&D funding would decline by $550 million (down 0.9%). See Table 1.
The agencies with the largest percentage increases in R&D funding in the FY2022 request
compared to the FY2021 estimated level are DOT (up 30.8%), DOC (up 29.3%), USDA (up
21.7%), DOI (up 18.2%), and HHS (up 17.8%). See Table 1.
Table 1. Federal Research and Development Funding by Agency, FY2020-FY2022
(budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)

FY2021-FY2022
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
Dollar
Percent
Department/Agency
Actual
Estimate
Request
Change
Change
Department of Defense
62,438a
63,350a
62,800
-550
-0.9%
Dept. of Health and Human Services
44,455
43,494
51,232
7,738
17.8%
Department of Energy
19,476
19,312
21,452
2,140
11.1%
NASA
14,801
13,226
14,565
1,339
10.1%
National Science Foundation
6,800
7,408
8,173
765
10.3%
Department of Agriculture
2,989
2,965
3,609
644
21.7%
Department of Commerce
1,953
2,122
2,743
621
29.3%
Department of Veterans Affairs
1,366
1,420
1,498
78
5.5%
Department of Transportation
1,043
1,024
1,339
315
30.8%
Department of the Interior
1,094
1,033
1,221
188
18.2%
Department of Homeland Security
532
590
627
37
6.3%
Smithsonian Institution
516
524
585
61
11.6%
Environmental Protection Agency
237
445
473
28
6.3%
Department of Education
344
322
346
24
7.5%
Other
582
563
597
34
6.0%
Total
158,626
157,798
171,260
13,462
8.5%
Source: CRS analysis of data from EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal
Year 2022, Research and Development, May 28, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
ap_14_research_fy22.pdf.
Note: Components may not sum to totals due to rounding.
a. DOD R&D in this table does not include funding for budget activity (BA) 6.6 and BA 6.7. OMB considers
BA 6.6 to be “non-investment activities” and BA 6.7 to be considered non-experimental development.
Combined BA 6.6 and BA 6.7 funding is $46.2 bil ion in FY2021 and $48.0 bil ion for FY2022.
Federal R&D by Character of Work, Facilities, and Equipment
Federal R&D funding can also be examined by the character of work it supports—basic research,
applied research, or development—and by funding provided for construction of R&D facilities
Congressional Research Service

4

link to page 9 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

and acquisition of major R&D equipment. (See Table 2.) President Biden’s FY2022 request
includes $47.387 billion for basic research, up $4.402 billion (10.2%) from the FY2021 estimated
level; $51.126 billion for applied research, up $6.283 billion (14.0%); $68.136 billion for
development, up $2.397 billion (3.6%); and $4.611 billion for R&D facilities and equipment, up
$380 million (9.0%).
Table 2. Federal R&D Funding by Character of Work and Facilities and Equipment,
FY2020-FY2022
(budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)

Change, FY2021-FY2022
Character of Work, Facilities,
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
and Equipment
Actual
Estimated
Request
Dollars
Percent
Basic research
44,290
42,985
47,387
4,402
10.2%
Applied research
45,992
44,843
51,126
6,283
14.0%
Development
62,124
65,739
68,136
2,397
3.6%
Facilities and Equipment
6,220
4,231
4,611
380
9.0%
Total
158,626
157,798
171,260
13,462
8.5%
Source: CRS analysis of data from EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal
Year 2022, Research and Development, May 28, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
ap_14_research_fy22.pdf.
Note: Components may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Federal Role in U.S. R&D by Character of Work
A primary policy justification for public investments in basic research and for incentives (e.g., tax
credits) for the private sector to conduct research is the view, widely held by economists, that the
private sector will, left on its own, underinvest in basic research from a societal perspective. The
usual argument for this view is that the social returns (i.e., the benefits to society at large) exceed
the private returns (i.e., the benefits accruing to the private investor, such as increased revenues or
higher stock value). Other factors that may inhibit corporate investment in basic research include
long time horizons for achieving commercial applications (diminishing the potential returns due
to the time value of money), high levels of technical risk and uncertainty, shareholder demands
for shorter-term returns, and asymmetric and imperfect information.
The federal government is the nation’s largest supporter of basic research, funding 41% of U.S.
basic research in 2019 (the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available).
Business funded 31% of U.S. basic research in 2019, with state governments, universities, and
other nonprofit organizations funding the remaining 29%.5 For U.S. applied research, business is
the primary funder, accounting for an estimated 55% in 2019, while the federal government
accounted for an estimated 33%. State governments, universities, and other nonprofit
organizations funded the remaining 12%. Business also provides the vast majority of U.S.
funding for development. Business accounted for 86% of development funding in 2019, while the

5 Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Congressional Research Service

5

link to page 10 link to page 11 link to page 11

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

federal government provided 13%. State governments, universities, and other nonprofit
organizations funded the remaining 2% (see Figure 1).6
Figure 1. Composition of U.S. Basic Research, Applied Research, and Development
by Funding Sector, 2019

Source: CRS analysis of National Science Foundation, National Patterns of R&D Resources: 2018–19 Data Update,
NSF 21-325, Tables 7-9, April 9, 2021.
Notes: Components may not add to total due to rounding. Data are preliminary and may be revised.
Federal R&D by Agency and Character of Work Combined
Federal R&D funding can also be viewed from the combined perspective of each agency’s
contribution to basic research, applied research, development, and facilities and equipment. Table
3 lists the three agencies with the most funding in each of these categories as proposed in the
President’s FY2022 budget. The overall federal R&D budget reflects a wide range of national
priorities, including supporting advances in spaceflight, developing new and affordable sources of
energy, and understanding and deterring terrorist groups. These priorities and the mission of each
individual agency contribute to the composition of that agency’s R&D spending (i.e., the
allocation of R&D funding among basic research, applied research, development, and facilities
and equipment).
In President Biden’s FY2022 budget request, the Department of Health and Human Services,
primarily NIH, would account for more than half (50.7%) of all federal funding for basic
research. HHS would also be the largest federal funder of applied research, accounting for about
52.5% of all federally funded applied research in the President’s FY2022 budget request. DOD
would be the primary federal funder of experimental development, accounting for 80.5% of total
federal development funding in the President’s FY2022 budget request. DOE would be the
primary federal funder of R&D facilities and equipment, accounting for 58.2% of total federal
R&D facilities and equipment funding in the President’s FY2022 budget request.7

6 CRS analysis of National Science Foundation, National Patterns of R&D Resources: 2018–19 Data Update, NSF 21-
325, Tables 6-9, April 9, 2021. Data are preliminary and may be revised. Components may not add to total due to
rounding.
7 CRS analysis of data from EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year
2021, Research and Development, February 10, 2020, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/
ap_17_research_fy21.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

6

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 3. Selected R&D Funding Agencies by Character of Work, Facilities,
and Equipment, FY2020 Actual, FY2021 Estimated, and FY2022 Request
(budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)

Change, FY2021-FY2022
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
Character of Work/Agency
Actual
Estimate
Request
Dollars
Percent
Basic Research

Health and Human Services
21,826
21,872
24,022
2,150
9.8%
NSF
5,437
5,966
6,532
566
9.5%
Energy
5,494
5,519
5,892
373
6.8%
Applied Research

Health and Human Services
22,081
21,297
26,835
5,538
26.0%
Energy
8,444
7,395
7,669
274
3.7%
Defense
6,274
6,654
5,559
-1,095
-16.5%
Experimental Development

Defense
51,764
54,045
54,859
814
1.5%
NASA
5,430
5,990
5,915
-75
-1.3%
Energy
3,060
3,715
5,206
1,491
40.1%
Facilities and Equipment

Energy
2,478
2,683
2,685
2
0.1%
Commerce
366
352
657
305
86.6%
NSF
529
594
594
0
0.0%
Source: CRS analysis of data from EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal
Year 2022, Research and Development, May 28, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
ap_14_research_fy22.pdf.
Note: This table shows only the top three funding agencies in each category, based on the FY2022 request.
Multiagency R&D Initiatives
For many years, presidential budgets have reported on multiagency R&D initiatives. Often, they
have also provided details of agency funding for these initiatives. Some of these efforts have a
statutory basis—for example, the Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development (NITRD) program, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), and the U.S.
Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). These programs generally produce annual budget
supplements identifying objectives, activities, funding levels, and other information, usually
published shortly after the presidential budget release. Other multiagency R&D initiatives have
operated at the discretion of the President, without a specific statutory mandate, and may be
eliminated at the discretion of the President. President Biden’s FY2022 budget is largely silent on
funding levels for these efforts and whether any or all of the nonstatutory initiatives will continue.
Some activities related to these initiatives are discussed in agency budget justifications and may
be addressed in the agency analyses later in this report. This section provides available
multiagency information on these initiatives and will be updated as additional information
becomes available.
Congressional Research Service

7

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Networking and Information Technology Research
and Development Program8
Established by the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-194), the Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development Program is the primary mechanism by which
the federal government coordinates its unclassified networking and information technology R&D
investments in areas such as supercomputing, high-speed networking, cybersecurity, software
engineering, and information management. The NITRD National Coordination Office (NCO)
coordinates the information technology R&D activities of 24 federal agency members and more
than 45 other participating agencies with program interests and activities in IT R&D. NITRD
efforts are further coordinated by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) NITRD
Subcommittee.9
P.L. 102-194, as reauthorized by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (P.L.
114-329), requires the director of the NITRD NCO to prepare an annual report to be delivered to
Congress along with the President’s budget request. This annual report, often referred to as a
budget supplement, is to include, among other things, detailed information on the program’s
budget for the current and previous fiscal years and the proposed budget for the next fiscal year
(FY). The latest annual report was published in August 2020 and related to the FY2021 budget
request. For additional information on the NITRD program, see CRS Report RL33586, The
Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program:
Background, Funding, and Activities, by Patricia Moloney Figliola. Additional information on the
NITRD Program can be obtained at https://www.nitrd.gov.
Table 4. Networking and Information Technology Research and Development
Program Funding, FY2019-FY2022
(budget authority, in millions of current dollars)

FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
Actual
Enacted
Request
Request
Total, NITRD
6,472.1
6,692.2a
6,505.0
n/a
Source: EOP, NSTC, The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Supplement to
the President’s FY2021 Budget, August 14, 2020.
Note: n/a = not available.
a. Includes $6,666.5 mil ion in regular appropriations and additional $25.7 mil ion in supplemental
appropriation.

8 For additional information on the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development program,
please contact Patricia Moloney Figliola, Specialist in Internet and Telecommunications Policy.
9 The NSTC was established by Executive Order 12881 in 1993. According to the White House, “This Cabinet-level
Council is the principal means within the Executive Branch to coordinate science and technology policy across the
diverse entities that make up the Federal research and development enterprise. Chaired by the President, the
membership of the NSTC is made up of the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries and Agency Heads with significant
science and technology responsibilities, and other White House officials. In practice, the Assistant to the President for
Science and Technology Policy oversees the NSTC’s ongoing activities.” (Source: EOP, Office of Science and
Technology Policy, “NSTC,” https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc/.) For more information on the NSTC, see CRS
Report R43935, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview, by John F. Sargent Jr. and
Dana A. Shea; and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc/.
Congressional Research Service

8

link to page 13 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

U.S. Global Change Research Program10
The U.S. Global Change Research Program coordinates and integrates federal research and
applications to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes
of global change. The program seeks to advance global climate change science and to “build a
knowledge base that informs human responses to climate and global change through coordinated
and integrated Federal programs of research, education, communication, and decision support.”11
In FY2019, 10 departments and agencies received appropriations for their USGCRP participation.
USGCRP efforts are coordinated by the NSTC Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Each
agency develops and carries out its activities as its contribution to the USGCRP, and funds are
appropriated to each agency for those activities; those activities may or may not be identified as
associated with the USGCRP in agency budget justifications or other program materials available
publicly. Complementing USGCRP activities are many federal climate change or global change-
related activities with programmatic missions, not predominantly scientific. These are reported
separately in budget justifications.
The Global Change Research Act of 1990 (GCRA, P.L. 101-606) requires each federal agency or
department involved in global change research to report annually to Congress on each element of
its proposed global change research activities, as well as the portion of its budget request
allocated to each element of the program.12 The President is also required to identify those
activities and the annual global change research budget in the President’s annual budget request.
The President’s budget requests for years later than FY2017 do not report these budget data
required by the GCRA, although some agencies report their contributions in their budget
justifications to Congress.
In addition, in the 20 years prior to FY2018, language in appropriations laws required the
President to submit a comprehensive report to the appropriations committees “describing in detail
all Federal agency funding, domestic and international, for climate change programs, projects,
and activities … including an accounting of funding by agency….”13 As these are no longer
reported by OMB, Table 5 presents data compiled by CRS from communications with
departments and agencies that participated in the USGCRP in FY2018.
For additional information on the USGCRP, see CRS Report R43227, Federal Climate Change
Funding from FY2008 to FY2014, by Jane A. Leggett, Richard K. Lattanzio, and Emily Bruner.
Additional USGCRP information can be obtained at http://www.globalchange.gov.
Table 5. U.S. Global Change Research Program Funding, FY2019-FY2022
(budget authority, in millions of current dollars)
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022

Enacted
Request
Request
Request
Total, USGCRP
2,436
1,943
n/a
n/a
Source: GlobalChange.gov, https://www.globalchange.gov/about.

10 For additional information on the U.S. Global Change Research Program, please contact Jane A. Leggett, Specialist
in Energy and Environmental Policy.
11 U.S. Global Change Research Program website, http://www.globalchange.gov/about/mission-vision-strategic-plan.
12 Directives to report annually to Congress on budget requests and spending occur in several sections of P.L. 101-606,
including Sections 105(b) and (c) on Budget Coordination, and Section 107, Annual Report.
13 See, most recently, P.L. 115-31, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, Section 416.
Congressional Research Service

9

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Notes: n/a = not available. Funding for activities that contribute to the USGCRP has been appropriated to more
than a dozen federal departments and agencies in the past, and some spending of it is transferred or coordinated
through interagency agreements. Almost all of the funding is spent directly by agencies on research and related
activities; a small percentage is spent for interagency coordination and communications in the USGCRP program
office.
National Nanotechnology Initiative14
Launched in FY2001, the National Nanotechnology Initiative is a multiagency R&D initiative to
advance understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, where the physical, chemical, and
biological properties of materials differ in fundamental and sometimes useful ways from the
properties of individual atoms or bulk matter.15 In 2003, Congress enacted the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (P.L. 108-153), providing a legislative
foundation for some of the activities of the NNI. NNI efforts are coordinated by the NSTC
Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET). For FY2020, the
President’s request included NNI funding for 15 federal departments and independent agencies
and commissions with budgets dedicated to nanotechnology R&D. The NSET includes other
federal departments and independent agencies and commissions with responsibilities for health,
safety, and environmental regulation; trade; education; intellectual property; international
relations; and other areas that might affect or be affected by nanotechnology.
P.L. 108-153 requires the NSTC to prepare an annual report to be delivered to Congress at the
time the President’s budget request is sent to Congress. This annual report, often referred to as a
budget supplement, is to include detailed information on the program’s budget for the current
fiscal year and the program’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, as well as additional
information and data related to the performance of the program. The latest annual report was
published in October 2020 and related to the FY2021 budget request. President Trump requested
$1.723 billion for NNI research in FY2021, a decrease of $117 million (6.3%) from the enacted
FY2020 level.16
For additional information on the NNI, see CRS Report RL34401, The National Nanotechnology
Initiative: Overview, Reauthorization, and Appropriations Issues, by John F. Sargent Jr.
Additional NNI information can be obtained at http://www.nano.gov.

14 For additional information on the National Nanotechnology Initiative, please contact John F. Sargent, Jr., Specialist
in Science and Technology Policy.
15 In the context of the NNI and nanotechnology, the nanoscale refers to lengths of 1 to 100 nanometers. A nanometer
is one-billionth of a meter, or about the width of 10 hydrogen atoms arranged side by side in a line.
16 EOP, NSTC, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Supplement to the President’s 2020 Budget, August 2019.
Congressional Research Service

10

link to page 15 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 6. National Nanotechnology Initiative Funding, FY2019-FY2022
(budget authority, in millions of current dollars)

FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
Estimated
Enacted
Request
Request
Total, NNI
1,858.3
1,839.7
1,723.2
n/a
Source: EOP, NSTC, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Supplement to the President’s 2021 Budget, October
2020.
FY2022 Appropriations Status
The remainder of this report provides a more in-depth analysis of R&D in 12 federal departments
and agencies that, in aggregate, receive nearly 99% of total federal R&D funding. Agencies are
presented in order of the size of their FY2020 R&D budget requests, with the largest presented
first.
Annual appropriations for these agencies are provided through 9 of the 12 regular appropriations
bills. For each agency covered in this report, Table 7 shows the corresponding regular
appropriations bill that provides primary funding for the agency, including its R&D activities.
Because of the way that agencies report budget data to Congress, it can be difficult to identify the
portion that is R&D. Consequently, R&D data presented in the agency analyses in this report may
differ from R&D data in the President’s budget or otherwise provided by OMB.
Funding for R&D is often included in appropriations line items that also include non-R&D
activities; therefore, in such cases, it may not be possible to identify precisely how much of the
funding provided in appropriations laws is allocated to R&D specifically. In general, R&D
funding levels are known only after departments and agencies allocate their appropriations to
specific activities and report those figures.
As of the date of this report, the House has acted on six of the appropriations bills that provide
R&D funding; the Senate has not acted on any of the appropriations acts.
In addition to this report, CRS produces individual reports on each of the appropriations bills and
for a number of federal agencies. These reports can be accessed via the CRS website at
http://www.crs.gov/iap/appropriations. Also, the status of each appropriations bill is available on
the CRS web page “Appropriations Status Table,” available at http://www.crs.gov/
AppropriationsStatusTable/Index.
Table 7. Alignment of Agency R&D Funding and Regular Appropriations Bills
Department/Agency
Regular Appropriations Bill
Department of Defense
Department of Defense Appropriations Act
Department of Health and Human Services
(1) Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services,
- National Institutes of Health
and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
(2) Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of Energy
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act
Congressional Research Service

11

link to page 18 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Department/Agency
Regular Appropriations Bill
National Science Foundation
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act
Department of Agriculture
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of Commerce
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- National Institute of Standards and Technology
Appropriations Act
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of the Interior
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of Transportation
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act
Source: CRS Report R40858, Locate an Agency or Program Within Appropriations Bills, by Justin Murray.
Department of Defense17
The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide “the military forces needed to deter war
and ensure our nation’s security.”18 Congress supports research and development activities at
DOD primarily through the department’s Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E)
funding. These funds support the development of the nation’s future military hardware and
software and the science and technology base upon which those products rely. This section
includes funding for budget activities 6.6 and 6.7 which OMB no longer counts as R&D.
Most of what DOD spends on RDT&E is appropriated in Title IV of the annual defense
appropriations bill. (See Table 8.) Title IV RDT&E funds support activities such as R&D
performed by academic institutions, DOD laboratories, and companies, as well as test and
evaluation activities at specialized DOD facilities, among other things.
However, RDT&E funds are also appropriated in other parts of the bill. For example, RDT&E
funds are appropriated as part of the Defense Health Program, the Chemical Agents and
Munitions Destruction Program, and the National Defense Sealift Fund.
 The Defense Health Program (DHP) supports the delivery of health care to DOD
personnel and their families. DHP funds (including the RDT&E funds) are requested
through the Defense-wide Operations and Maintenance appropriations request. The
program’s RDT&E funds support congressionally directed research on breast, prostate,
and ovarian cancer; traumatic brain injuries; orthotics and prosthetics; and other medical
conditions. Congress appropriates funds for this program in Title VI (Other Department
of Defense Programs) of the defense appropriations bill.

17 This section was written by John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources,
Science, and Industry Division.
18 Department of Defense, https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/.
Congressional Research Service

12

link to page 18 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

 The Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program supports activities to destroy
the U.S. inventory of lethal chemical agents and munitions to avoid future risks and costs
associated with storage. Funds for this program are requested through the Defense-wide
Procurement appropriations request. Congress appropriates funds for this program also in
Title VI.
 The National Defense Sealift Fund supports the procurement, operation and maintenance,
and research and development associated with the nation’s naval reserve fleet and
supports a U.S. flagged merchant fleet that can serve in time of need. In some fiscal
years, RDT&E funding for this effort is requested in the Navy’s Procurement request and
appropriated in Title V (Revolving and Management Funds) of the appropriations bill.
For more than a decade, RDT&E funds also have been requested and appropriated as part of
DOD’s separate funding to support efforts in what the George W. Bush Administration termed the
Global War on Terror (GWOT) and what the Obama and Trump Administrations referred to as
Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). In appropriations bills, the term Overseas Contingency
Operations/Global War on Terror (OCO/GWOT) was used. Typically, the RDT&E funds
appropriated for OCO activities were directed toward specified Program Elements (PEs) in Title
IV. President Biden’s FY2022 request does not include separate OCO/GWOT funding.
For FY2022, the Biden Administration is requesting $111.964 billion for DOD’s Title IV RDT&E
PEs, $4.509 billion (4.2%) above the estimated FY2021 level. (See Table 8.) In addition, the
FY2022 request includes $630.7 million in RDT&E through the Defense Health Program (DHP;
down $1.762 billion, 73.6% from FY2021), $1.001 billion in RDT&E through the Chemical
Agents and Munitions Destruction program (up $58.7 million, 6.2% from FY2021), and $2.4
million for the Inspector General for RDT&E-related activities (up $1.3 million, 118.2% from
FY2021). The FY2022 budget includes no RDT&E funding via the National Defense Sealift
Fund, the same as the FY2021 estimated level.
RDT&E funding can be analyzed in different ways. RDT&E funding can be characterized
organizationally. Each military department requests and receives its own RDT&E funding. So,
too, do various DOD agencies (e.g., the Missile Defense Agency and the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency), collectively aggregated within the Defense-wide account. RDT&E
funding also can be characterized by budget activity (i.e., the type of RDT&E supported). Those
budget activities designated as 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 (basic research, applied research, and advanced
technology development, respectively) constitute what is called DOD’s Science and Technology
(S&T) program and represent the more research-oriented part of the RDT&E program. Budget
activities 6.4 and 6.5 focus on the development of specific weapon systems or components for
which an operational need has been determined and an acquisition program established. Budget
activity 6.6 provides management support, including support for test and evaluation facilities.19
Budget activity 6.7 supports the development of system improvements in existing operational
systems.20 A new budget activity, 6.8, was added in the FY2021 budget and supports software and
digital technology pilot programs.21
Many congressional policymakers are particularly interested in DOD S&T program funding,
since these funds support the development of new technologies and the science that underlies
them. Some in the defense community see ensuring adequate support for S&T activities as

19 Beginning in FY2022, budget activity 6.6 is no longer counted as research and development funding by OMB.
20 Beginning in FY2018, budget activity 6.7 is no longer counted as research and development funding by OMB.
21 For additional information on the structure of Defense RDT&E, see CRS Report R44711, Department of Defense
Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E): Appropriations Structure, by John F. Sargent Jr.
Congressional Research Service

13

link to page 19 link to page 19 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

imperative to maintaining U.S. military superiority into the future. The knowledge generated at
this stage of development may also contribute to advances in commercial technologies.
The FY2022 request for Title IV S&T funding is $14.685 billion, $2.131 billion (12.7%) below
the FY2021 estimated level. Within the S&T program, basic research (6.1) receives special
attention, particularly by the nation’s universities, as over half of DOD’s basic research budget is
spent at universities. The Biden Administration is requesting $2.283 billion for DOD basic
research for FY2022, $342.9 million (13.1%) below the FY2021 estimated level. The proposed
FY2022 cuts in S&T are spread across a variety of program elements in the Army, Navy, and Air
Force accounts. The Army would see the largest cut in both dollars and percentage ($1.3 billion,
33%), followed by the Air Force ($560 million, 18.1%), and the Navy ($309 million, 11.6%).
Among the proposed FY2022 program element cuts are the University Research Initiatives
program elements in the Army ($18 million, 20.9%), Navy ($27 million, 18.5%), and Air Force
($34 million, 17.4%). Increases in S&T funding would be provided to the Space Force ($36
million, 16.4%) and Defense-wide accounts ($29 million, 0.4%).
While DOD is not the largest federal funder of basic research, it is a substantial source of federal
funds for university R&D in certain fields, such as aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical
engineering (65%); electrical, electronic, and communications engineering (58%); industrial and
manufacturing engineering (58%); mechanical engineering (49%); computer and information
sciences (48%); materials science (44%); and metallurgical and materials engineering (41%).22
Table 8. Department of Defense RDT&E
(total obligational authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
F2022
FY2022
Budget Account
Estimatea
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Army
14,144.9
12,799.6

Navy
20,138.4
22,639.4

Air Force
36,360.8
39,184.3

Space Force
10,540.1
11,266.4

Defense-wide
26,013.5
25,857.9

Director, Operational Test and
257.1
216.6

Evaluation
Total Title IV—By Account
107,454.8
111,964.2

Budget Activity

6.1 Basic Research
2,625.8
2,282.9

6.2 Applied Research
6,436.3
5,508.9

6.3 Advanced Technology
7,754.4
6,893.5

Development
6.4 Advanced Component
27,997.3
31,255.3

Development and Prototypes
6.5 Systems Dev. and
15,748.0
15,760.8

Demonstration
6.6 Management Supportb
7,626.8
7,387.3

22 CRS analysis of data from NSF, Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Fiscal Year 2019, Table 13,
January 2021, https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21314 /.
Congressional Research Service

14

link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 8 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
F2022
FY2022
Budget Account
Estimatea
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
6.7 Operational Systems
38,602.8
40,591.5

Developmentc
6.8 Software and Digital
663.4
2,284.1

Technology Pilot Projects
Total Title IV—by Budget
107,454.8
111,964.2

Activity
Title V—Revolving and

Management Funds
National Defense Sealift Fund
0.0
0.0

Title VI—Other Defense

Programs
Defense Health Program
2,392.6
630.7

Chemical Agents and Munitions
942.5
1,001.2

Destruction
Inspector General
1.1
2.4

Grand Total, RDT&Ed
110,790.9
113,598.5

Source: CRS analysis of Department of Defense Budget, Fiscal Year 2022, RDT&E Programs (R‑1), May 2021.
Notes: n/a = not available. Figures for the columns currently blank may become available as action is completed.
Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. According to DOD, “Total Obligation
Authority (TOA) is the sum of (1) all budget authority (BA) granted (or requested) from the Congress in a given
year, (2) amounts authorized to be credited to a specific fund, (3) BA transferred from another appropriation,
and (4) Unobligated balances of BA from previous years which remain available for obligation. In practice, this
term is used primarily in discussing the DOD budget, and most often refers to TOA as the ‘direct program,’
which equates to only (1) and (2) above.” DOD defines “budget authority” as “the authority becoming available
during the year to enter into obligations that result in immediate or future outlays of Government funds.” See
DOD 7000.14-R, “Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation,” http://comptrol er.defense.gov/
fmr.aspx.
a. Includes funding provided in Division C, Title IX and Division J, Title IV of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260).
b. Includes funding for Director of Test and Evaluation.
c. Includes funding for Classified Programs.
d. The Grand Total, RDT&E amounts for FY2021 and FY2022 include funding for budget activities 6.6 and 6.7
that OMB no longer counts as R&D. For these and other reasons, these amounts do not align with the
DOD totals in Table 1.
Department of Health and Human Services
The mission of the Department of Health and Human Services is “to enhance and protect the
health and well-being of all Americans ... by providing for effective health and human services
and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.”23 This section focuses on
HHS research and development funded through the National Institutes of Health, an HHS agency
that accounts for nearly 97% of total HHS R&D funding.24 Other HHS agencies that support
R&D include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and

23 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “About,” http://www.hhs.gov/about.
24 Unpublished data provided to CRS by the Office of Management and Budget. Email communication, May 28, 2021.
Congressional Research Service

15

link to page 23 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and
Administration for Children and Families (ACF); additional R&D funding is attributed to
departmental management.25
National Institutes of Health26
NIH is the primary agency of the federal government charged with performing and supporting
biomedical and behavioral research. It also has major roles in training biomedical researchers and
disseminating health information. The NIH mission is “to seek fundamental knowledge about the
nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health,
lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.”27 The agency consists of the NIH Office of the
Director (OD) and 27 institutes and centers (ICs), 25 of which manage research programs. Each
IC plans and manages its own research programs in coordination with OD. According to NIH,
about 10% of the NIH budget supports intramural research projects conducted by the nearly 6,000
NIH federal scientists, most of whom are located on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. All 25
research ICs have an intramural research program of varying sizes. More than 80% of NIH’s
budget goes to the extramural research community in the form of grants, contracts, and other
awards. This funding supports research performed by more than 300,000 nonfederal scientists and
technical personnel who work at more than 2,500 universities, hospitals, medical schools, and
other research institutions.28
Funding for NIH comes primarily from the annual Labor, HHS, and Education (LHHS)
appropriations act, with an additional amount for Superfund-related activities from the
Interior/Environment appropriations act.29 Those two appropriations acts provide NIH’s
discretionary budget authority. In addition, NIH has received mandatory funding of $150 million
annually that is provided in Public Health Service Act (PHSA) Section 330B, for the Special
Diabetes Program for type 1 diabetes, most recently extended through FY2023 with an annual
funding level of $150 million by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260;
Division BB, Title III). As shown in Table 9, separate appropriations are provided to 24 of the 27
ICs, as well as to OD, the Innovation Account (established by the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016,
P.L. 114-255), and an intramural Buildings and Facilities account. The other three centers, which
perform centralized support services, are funded through transfers from the other ICs. Some
funding is also pursuant to the PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, also known as the PHS Evaluation Tap
transfer authority, under Section 241 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. §238j). This provision allows the

25 Ibid.
26 This section was written by Kavya Sekar, Analyst in Health Policy, CRS Domestic Social Policy Division, with
support from Isaac Nicchitta, Research Assistant, CRS Domestic Social Policy Division. For background information
on NIH, see CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues, by
Judith A. Johnson and Kavya Sekar.
27 HHS, National Institutes of Health, “About NIH, What We Do, Mission and Goals,” http://www.nih.gov/about-nih/
what-we-do/mission-goals.
28 NIH, “What We Do: Budget,” https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/budget.
29 The Superfund program was created to carry out the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA; P.L. 96-510), which authorized the federal government to prioritize contaminated
sites in the United States for cleanup in coordination with the states in which the sites are located and to make the
“potentially responsible parties” connected to those sites financially liable for the cleanup costs. The Superfund
program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. For more information on the Superfund program,
see CRS Report R41039, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: A Summary of
Superfund Cleanup Authorities and Related Provisions of the Act, by David M. Bearden.
Congressional Research Service

16

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Secretary of HHS, with the approval of appropriators, to redistribute a portion of eligible PHS
agency appropriations across HHS for program evaluation purposes.30 Although the PHS Act
limits the tap to no more than 1% of eligible appropriations, in recent years, annual LHHS
appropriations acts have specified a higher amount (2.5% in FY2021, P.L. 116-260, Division
H).31 Those acts also have typically directed specific amounts of funding from the tap for transfer
to a number of HHS programs, including at NIH—particularly for the National Institute of
General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Readers should note that funding amounts in this report
show amounts “transferred in” to NIH under the PHS evaluation set-aside, but do not show
amounts “transferred out” under the same authority.
NIH also receives funding through LHHS appropriations that is subject to different budget
enforcement rules than the rest of the NIH funding in the act—appropriations to the NIH
Innovation Account created by the 21st Century Cures Act (“the Cures Act,” P.L. 114-255) to fund
programs authorized by that act. Appropriations of funds in this account are, in effect, not subject
to discretionary spending limits.32 The NIH Director may transfer these amounts from the NIH
Innovation Account to other NIH accounts but only for the purposes specified in the Cures Act. If
the NIH Director determines that the funds for any of the four Innovation Projects are not
necessary, the amounts may be transferred back to the NIH Innovation Account. All amounts
authorized by the Cures Act have been fully appropriated to the Innovation Account since
FY2017, including $404 million for FY2021. For FY2022, $496 million is authorized to be
appropriated.33
On December 27, 2020, Congress and the President enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2021 (P.L. 116-260), which included final FY2021 LHHS appropriations in Division H,
Interior/Environment appropriations in Division G, and full year mandatory type 1 diabetes
funding in Division BB. The enacted FY2021 NIH program level (as shown in budget request
documents) is $42.935 billion and is made up of the following:34
 $41.432 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (non-transfer);
 $1.272 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer and a $225 million
transfer from the HHS non-recurring expenses fund (NEF; this amount is not reflected in
the program level total shown above);35

30 For more information on the PHS evaluation tap, or PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, see discussion in CRS Report
R44916, Public Health Service Agencies: Overview and Funding (FY2016-FY2018), coordinated by C. Stephen
Redhead and Agata Dabrowska.
31 Specifically, P.L. 116-260, Division H, Title II, Sec. 204.
32 See section on 21st Century Cures Act in CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background
and Congressional Issues.
33 P.L. 114-255, Sec. 1001.
34 FY2021 enacted amounts in the budget request reflect adjustments and accounting decisions made following enacted
appropriations in the NIH FY2022 budget justification. These amounts are used in this report to reflect actual fund
availability to NIH ICs. See NIH, Congressional Justification: FY2022, May 28, 2021, p. 89-91, at
https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Volume%20May%2028.pdf.
35 The nonrecurring expenses fund (NEF) permits HHS to transfer unobligated balances of expired discretionary funds
from FY2008 and subsequent years into the NEF account. The uses of funds include capital acquisitions such as
information technology (IT) and facilities infrastructure (42 U.S.C. §3514a). Congress may direct uses of NEF in
appropriations laws. The NIH FY2022 budget request does not reflect the FY2021 NEF transfer in program level totals,
but does reflect the transfer (as directed in P.L.160-260, Division H) elsewhere in the congressional justification. See
“NEF Narrative,” in NIH, Congressional Justification: FY2022, May 28, 2021, p. 85-87, at
https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Volume%20May%2028.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

17

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

 $81.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from
Interior/Environment appropriations; and
 $150 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program.
President Biden’s FY2022 budget request proposes that NIH be provided with a total program
level of $51.953 billion, an increase of $9.017 billion (21.0%) from FY2021-enacted levels. The
proposed FY2022 program level would be made up of36
 $50.456 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (non-transfer);
 $1.272 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer;
 $83.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from
Interior/Environment appropriations; and
 $141 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research
program.37
Under the President’s FY2022 request, all existing IC accounts would receive an increase
compared to FY2021 funding levels. In addition, the full amount ($496 million) authorized by the
Cures Act for FY2021 would be appropriated to the Innovation Account. The Buildings and
Facilities (B&F) account would receive an increase of $50 million (25%) in LHHS discretionary
budget authority, but an overall decrease of $175 million (-41%) when accounting for the
additional NEF transfer of $225 million directed to the B&F account in FY2021 appropriations.38
The FY2022 budget request also proposes the creation of an Advanced Research Projects Agency
for Health (ARPA-H) within NIH. The budget request includes $6.5 billion for ARPA-H “to build
platforms and capabilities to deliver cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and other
diseases.”39 The $6.5 billion for ARPA-H would account for 72% of the FY2022 budget request’s
$9.017 billion increase from FY2021 enacted levels. The creation of a new NIH component may
require amendments to the PHSA, especially Section 401(d), which specifies that “[i]n the
National Institutes of Health, the number of national research institutes and national centers may
not exceed a total of 27.” Further information on the ARPA-H proposal is provided below.

36 NIH, Congressional Justification: FY2022, May 28, 2021, p. 89-91, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/
br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Volume%20May%2028.pdf.
37 This proposed amount for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program differs from the already enacted amount
for FY2022 of $150 million in PHSA Sec. 330B, as amended by P.L. 116-260, Division BB. According to the budget
request, the FY2022 amount reflects sequestration of $8.55 million. See “Budget Mechanism Table,” p. 92 in
https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Supplementary%20Tables.pdf.
38 Accounting for the directed NEF transfer, the Buildings and Facilities account has a total FY2021 funding level of
$425 million.
39 NIH, Congressional Justification: FY2022, May 28, 2021, p. 10, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/br/
2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Volume%20May%2028.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

18

link to page 24 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) in the FY2022 Budget
Request
The budget request includes $6.5 bil ion for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) “to
build platforms and capabilities to deliver cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and other diseases.”
Funding was requested for a period of three years to “allow for both scale-up in FY 2022 and redeployment of
resources in the next two years if projects fail to meet performance milestones.” The vast majority of funding
would support extramural research, with a small amount of funding reserved for staffing and administrative
functions. Unlike extant NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), ARPA-H would not have its own intramural research
program.
ARPA-H would be modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and would have
several “DARPA model” characteristics, including a flat and nimble organizational structure, tenure-limited
program managers with a high degree of autonomy to select and fund projects, and a milestone-based contract
approach. While this organizational structure would be “operationally unique” from NIH ICs, ARPA-H would stil
coordinate research and activities with NIH ICs and other HHS agencies.
The FY2022 budget request describes four broad project areas that ARPA-H would fund:

tackling bold challenges requiring large scale, sustained, cross-sector coordination;

creating new capabilities (e.g., technologies, data resources, disease models);

supporting high-risk exploration that could establish entirely new paradigms; and

overcoming market failures through critical solutions, including financial incentives.
Most ARPA-H awards would be given to industry, universities, and non-profit research institutions, and could
involve some agreements with other federal agencies. ARPA-H would make use of some of NIH’s flexible hiring
and funding authorities, such as its Other Transaction Authority mechanisms.40
For further information and analysis regarding ARPA-H, see CRS Insight IN11674, Advanced Research Projects
Agency for Health (ARPA-H): Considerations for Congress.
Table 9. National Institutes of Health Funding
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Institutes/Centers
Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Final
Cancer Institute (NCI)
6,559
6,733

Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
3,665
3,846

Dental/Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
485
516

Diabetes/Digestive/Kidney (NIDDK)a
2,132
2,219

Neurological Disorders/Stroke (NINDS)
2,511
2,783

Allergy/Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
6,067
6,246

General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)b
1,720
1,825

Child Health/Human Development
1,838
1,942

(NICHD)c
National Eye Institute (NEI)
836
859

Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)d
815
937

National Institute on Aging (NIA)
3,900
4,036

40 NIH, Congressional Justification: FY2022, May 28, 2021, pp. 10-11, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/
br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Volume%20May%2028.pdf and HHS, “FY2022 Budget in Brief,” pp. 59-60, at
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2022-budget-in-brief.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

19

link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 23 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Institutes/Centers
Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Final
Arthritis/Musculoskeletal/Skin Diseases
634
680

(NIAMS)
Deafness/Communication Disorders
498
512

(NIDCD)
National Institute of Mental Health
2,106
2,214

(NIMH)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
1,480
1,853

Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism (NIAAA)
555
570

Nursing Research (NINR)
175
200

Human Genome Research Institute
616
633

(NHGRI)
Biomedical Imaging/Bioengineering (NIBIB)
411
422

Minority Health/Health Disparities
392
652

(NIMHD)
Complementary/Integrative Health
154
184

(NCCIH)
Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
855
879

Fogarty International Center (FIC)
84
96

National Library of Medicine (NLM)
462
475

Office of Director (OD)e
2,175
2,245

Innovation Accountf
109
150

Buildings and Facilities (B&F)g
200
250

Advanced Research Projects Agency for
—
6,500

Health (ARPA-H)
Subtotal, NIH (LHHS Discretionary
41,432
50,456

BA)
PHS Program Evaluation (provided to
1,272
1,272

NIGMS)
Superfund (Interior approp. to NIEHS)h
82
84

Nonrecurring Expenses Fund (NEF)
(225)
—

Transfer (to Buildings and Facilities)i
Mandatory type 1 diabetes funds (to
150
141k

NIDDK)j
NIH Program Level
42,936
51,953

Source: NIH, “FY2022 Budget Request by IC (Summary Table),” at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY22/
br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Supplementary%20Tables.pdf, p. 89, except as noted below.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed. Amounts in table may differ from actuals in many cases. By
convention, budget tables such as Table 9 do not subtract the amount of transfers to the evaluation tap from
the agencies’ appropriation. In general, amounts provided to NIH for emergency requirements are excluded
from these totals (e.g., FY2020 amount does not include the amounts provided in the coronavirus supplemental
appropriations acts).
a. Amounts for the NIDDK do not include mandatory funding for type 1 diabetes research (see note h).
Congressional Research Service

20

link to page 26 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

b. Amounts for NIGMS do not include funds from PHS Evaluation Set-Aside (§241 of the PHS Act).
c. FY2021 amount for NICHD adjusted for comparability in FY2022 NIH budget request tables to reflect the
proposed transfer of the ECHO and INCLUDE programs from OD to NICHD.
d. Amounts for NIEHS do not include Interior/Environment Appropriations amount for Superfund research
(see note f).
e. Includes $12.6 mil ion transfer from the Pediatric Research Initiative Fund (PRIF) as authorized by the
Gabriella Mil er Kids First Research Act. FY2021 amount for this account adjusted for comparability to
reflect the proposed transfer of ECHO and INCLUDE programs from OD to NICHD in the FY2022
request.
f.
The amount shown for the NIH Innovation Account in each column represents only a portion of the total
appropriation to the account ($404 mil ion for the FY2021; $496 mil ion for FY2022). The remaining funds
for this account are reflected, where applicable, in the totals for other ICs. For FY2022, this includes $194
to NCI for cancer research and $76 mil ion to each of NINDS and NIMH for the BRAIN Initiative ($152
mil ion total).
g. FY2021 amount for Buildings and Facilities does not reflect directed nonrecurring expenses fund transfer in
FY2021 appropriations. See note i.
h. This is a separate account in the Interior/Environment appropriations for National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) research activities related to Superfund research.
i.
The nonrecurring expenses fund permits HHS to transfer unobligated balances of expired discretionary
funds from FY2008 and subsequent years into the NEF account. Congress and the President authorized use
of the funds for capital acquisitions including information technology (IT) and facilities infrastructure (42
U.S.C. §3514a). Recent LHHS appropriations, including FY2021 appropriations, have directed that specific
NEF funding amounts be transferred to the NIH Buildings and Facilities account. Amount for FY2021 is
shown as a non-add, as this funding level was not reflected in FY2022 budget request tables.
j.
Mandatory funds are available to NIDDK for type 1 diabetes research under PHSA Sec. 330B, which was
most recently extended through FY2023 by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260,
Division BB, Title III).
k. FY2022 proposed amount for the type I diabetes research program ($141 mil ion) is lower than enacted
funding level for FY2022 ($150 mil ion). According to the budget request, the FY2022 amount reflects
sequestration of $8.55 mil ion. See “Budget Mechanism Table,” p. 92 in https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/
pdfs/FY22/br/2022%20CJ%20Overview%20Supplementary%20Tables.pdf.
Department of Energy41
The Department of Energy was established in 1977 by the Department of Energy Organization
Act (P.L. 95-91), which combined energy-related programs from a variety of agencies,
particularly defense-related nuclear programs that dated back to the Manhattan Project. Today,
DOE conducts basic scientific research in fields ranging from nuclear physics to the biological
and environmental sciences; basic and applied R&D relating to energy production and use; and
R&D on nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, and defense nuclear reactors. The department
has a system of 17 national laboratories around the country, mostly operated by contractors, that
together account for about 40% of all DOE expenditures.
The Administration’s FY2022 budget request for DOE includes about $20.518 billion for R&D
and related activities, including programs in three broad categories: science, national security, and
energy. This request is about 16.1% more than the comparable enacted FY2021 amount of
$17.677 billion. (See Table 10 for details.)
The request for the DOE Office of Science is $7.440 billion, an increase of 5.9% from the
FY2021 appropriation of $7.026 billion. Funding would increase for all six of the office’s major
research programs. In the largest program, Basic Energy Sciences, requested increases of $109

41 This section was written by Daniel Morgan, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science,
and Industry Division.
Congressional Research Service

21

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

million for research and $30 million for operations and equipment at scientific user facilities
would be partially offset by a requested decrease of $85 million for facility construction. In
Biological and Environmental Research, funding for the Earth and Environmental Systems
Sciences subprogram would increase by $71 million (20.3%), with a focus on Earth system
modeling. In Fusion Energy Sciences, the U.S. contribution to construction of the International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a fusion energy demonstration and research facility
in France, would be $221 million (down from $242 million in FY2021). Following a
reorganization of the Office of Science in FY2020, a new program in Isotope R&D and
Production ($90 million requested) would support activities previously funded in Nuclear Physics
($75 million in FY2021), while a new program in Accelerator R&D and Production ($24 million
requested) would support activities previously funded in High Energy Physics ($17 million in
FY2021).
The request for DOE national security R&D is $5.252 billion, an increase of 1.5% from $5.175
billion in FY2021. In the Weapons Activities account, funding for Stockpile Research,
Technology, and Engineering would decrease by 4.4%. The bulk of this decrease would be for
Assessment Science ($690 million, down from $769 million in FY2021) and Inertial
Confinement Fusion ($529 million, down from $575 million in FY2021). Funding for Naval
Reactors would increase by $177 million (10.5%), including increases for operations and
infrastructure (up $63 million), development (up $73 million) and construction (up $61 million).
The request for DOE energy R&D is $7.826 billion, an increase of 42.9% from $5.477 billion in
FY2021. Funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy R&D would increase by 57.9%,
with increases in all major research areas and a priority on reducing emissions in the near term (in
contrast to Trump Administration budgets, which proposed a focus on early-stage R&D). An
18.7% increase for the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management account (formerly Fossil Energy
R&D) would be focused on climate-centric activities such as carbon capture, utilization, and
storage (up $117 million, 62.0%) and environmental- and emissions-related natural gas
technologies (up $73 million, 128.1%). Funding for nuclear energy R&D would increase by $343
million (22.7%), including increases of $120 million (48.1%) for advanced reactor demonstration
and $100 million (222.2%) for the Versatile Test Reactor project. The Advanced Research
Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), which is intended to advance high-impact energy
technologies that have too much technical and financial uncertainty to attract near-term private-
sector investment, would receive $500 million (up 17.1%), while a proposed new Advanced
Research Projects Agency–Climate (ARPA-C) would receive $200 million.
Table 10. Department of Energy R&D and Related Activities
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Science
7,026
7,440

Basic Energy Sciences
2,245
2,300

High Energy Physics
1,046
1,061

Biological and Environmental Research
753
828

Nuclear Physics
713
720

Advanced Scientific Computing Research
1,015
1,040

Fusion Energy Sciences
672
675

Isotope R&D and Production
—
90

Congressional Research Service

22

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 25 link to page 29 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Accelerator R&D and Production
—
24

Other
582
702

National Security
5,175
5,252

Weapons Activities Stockpile RT&E
2,814
2,691

Naval Reactors
1,684
1,861

Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&Da
642
673

Def. Environmental Cleanup Technol. Devel.
35
28

Energy
5,477
7,826

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energyb
2,484
3,924

Fossil Energy and Carbon Managementg
750
890

Nuclear Energy
1,508
1,851

Electricity
212
327

Cybersec., En. Secy., and Emerg. Respon. R&D
96
135

Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy
427
500

Advanced Research Projects Agency–Climate
—
200

DOE, Total
17,677
20,518

Source: FY2021 enacted from P.L. 116-260 and explanatory statement, Congressional Record, December 21,
2020, Book IV. FY2022 request from DOE FY2022 congressional budget justification, https://www.energy.gov/
cfo/articles/fy-2022-budget-justification.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed.
a. Including National Technical Nuclear Forensics R&D.
b. Excluding Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities.
c. Fossil Energy R&D in FY2021.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration42
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in 1958 by the National
Aeronautics and Space Act (P.L. 85-568) to conduct civilian space and aeronautics activities.
NASA has research programs in planetary science, Earth science, heliophysics, astrophysics, and
aeronautics, as well as development programs for future human spacecraft and for multipurpose
space technology such as advanced propulsion systems. In addition, NASA operates the
International Space Station (ISS) as a facility for R&D and other purposes.
The Administration has requested about $21.751 billion for NASA R&D in FY2022. This would
be 7.0% more than the FY2021 level of about $20.324 billion. For a breakdown of these amounts,
see Table 11. NASA R&D funding comes through five accounts: Science; Aeronautics; Space
Technology; Exploration (called Deep Space Exploration Systems in the Administration’s budget
request); and the ISS, Commercial Crew, and Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Development
portions of Space Operations.

42 This section was written by Daniel Morgan, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science,
and Industry Division.
Congressional Research Service

23

link to page 8 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

The OMB figures presented in Table 1 indicate a substantially smaller amount for NASA R&D
than the figures presented in this section. One reason for this is that OMB treats about half of the
Exploration account as R&D. As systems being developed under that account move from R&D to
testing and ultimately operations, the share of the account spent on R&D has decreased. To allow
consistent tracking as Congress acts on FY2022 appropriations legislation, this section treats the
entirety of the Exploration account as R&D.
The FY2022 request for Science is $7.931 billion, an increase of 8.6% from FY2021. The request
for Earth Science includes funding for the Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and Ocean Ecosystem (PACE)
and Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder missions
($119 million and $19 million, respectively). It also includes funding to initiate the development
of a system of future satellites known as the Earth System Observatory. The request for
Astrophysics includes $502 million for the Roman Space Telescope (formerly the Wide Field
Infrared Space Telescope, WFIRST) but no funds for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared
Astronomy (SOFIA, $85 million in FY2021). PACE, CLARREO Pathfinder, WFIRST, and
SOFIA were all proposed for termination in previous budgets. A requested reduction in funding
for the James Webb Space Telescope in FY2022 reflects that mission’s planned launch in
November 2021. The Planetary Science request includes $653 million (up from $246 million in
FY2021) for a Mars sample return mission and $472 million (up from $435 million in FY2021)
for a mission to orbit Jupiter’s moon Europa.
The FY2022 request for Aeronautics is $915 million, an increase of 10.4% from $829 million in
FY2021. The budget proposes to initiate a Sustainable Flight National Partnership, including the
development of a full-scale demonstrator aircraft with an electrified powertrain ($91 million in
FY2022).
The FY2022 request for Space Technology is $1.425 billion, an increase of 29.5% from $1.100
billion in FY2021. The bulk of the requested increase would be for the Technology Maturation
program ($491 million, up from $227 million). No funds are requested for nuclear propulsion, but
the request for Technology Demonstration includes $34 million for nuclear surface power
systems for the Moon and Mars. The combined RESTORE/SPIDER mission to demonstrate in-
space satellite servicing and robotic manufacturing would receive $227 million, the same as in
FY2021. In recent years, appropriations report language has directed NASA to focus Space
Technology on broad technology goals that can serve all of NASA, not just its human exploration
activities. The FY2022 budget justification states, “The Space Technology portfolio is broadening
to develop technologies that can benefit other NASA Directorates, the commercial space sector
and other government agencies, as appropriate.”
The FY2022 request for Deep Space Exploration Systems (currently Exploration) is $6.880
billion, an increase of 5.6% from $6.517 in FY2021. Within this account, the request for
Exploration Systems Development includes $1.407 billion for the Orion crew capsule (up from
$1.404 billion in FY2021) and $2.487 billion for the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket
(SLS, down from $2.561 billion). The proposed 21.5% increase for Exploration R&D reflects a
request for $1.195 billion (up from $928 million) for development of a Human Landing System
(HLS) for lunar exploration. NASA’s decision to award a single HLS contract on the grounds of
limited funding was protested by the unselected vendors and remains controversial in Congress.
NASA has suggested that additional funds (beyond those requested in the budget) might be
needed to enable selection of a second HLS contractor.
In the Space Operations account, the request includes $1.328 billion for the ISS in FY2022 (up
from $1.322 in FY2021); $155 million for the Commercial Crew program (down from $300
million); and $101 million for Commercial LEO Development (up from $17 million).
Commercial crew activities are transitioning from development to operations (which is funded
Congressional Research Service

24

link to page 30 link to page 30 link to page 30 link to page 30 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

separately). SpaceX launched its first post-certification crewed flight to the ISS in November
2020; certification of Boeing’s competing commercial crew system is anticipated in 2022. The
Commercial LEO Development program, intended to stimulate a commercial space economy in
low Earth orbit, was initiated in the FY2019 budget. The Trump Administration requested $150
million for it each year from then through FY2021; Congress has so far appropriated a total of
$72 million.
Table 11. National Aeronautics and Space Administration R&D
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Op. Plan
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Science
7,301
7,931

Earth Science
2,000
2,250

Planetary Science
2,700
3,200

Astrophysics
1,356
1,400

James Webb Space Telescope
415
175

Heliophysics
751
797

Biological and Physical Sciences
79
109

Aeronautics
829
915

Space Technology
1,100
1,425

Exploration / Deep Space Expl. Systems
6,517
6,880

Exploration Systems Development
4,545
4,484

Exploration R&D
1,973
2,397

Space Operationsa
1,638
1,583

International Space Station
1,322
1,328

Commercial Crew
300
155

Commercial LEO Development
17
101

Subtotal R&D
17,385
18,735

Non-R&D Programsb
2,521
2,627

Safety, Security, and Mission Services
2,937
3,049

Associated with R&Dc
2,565
2,674

Construction & Environmental C&R
429
390

Associated with R&Dc
374
342

NASA, Total (R&D)
20,324
21,751

NASA, Total
23,271
24,801

Sources: FY2021 operating plan and FY2022 request from NASA FY2022 congressional budget justification,
http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/.
Notes: FY2021 operating plan amounts reflect enacted appropriations adjusted for transfers and
reprogramming. Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. LEO = Low Earth Orbit.
C&R = Compliance and Remediation. Figures for the columns currently blank may become available as action is
completed.
Congressional Research Service

25

link to page 34 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

a. Excluding non-R&D activities: Space and Flight Support and Space Transportation other than Commercial
Crew.
b. Non-R&D activities in Space Operations (see note a); STEM Engagement; and Inspector General.
c. CRS estimates the allocation between R&D and non-R&D in proportion to the underlying program amounts
in order to allow calculation of a total for R&D.
National Science Foundation43
The National Science Foundation supports basic research and education in the nonmedical
sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation as an independent federal agency
in 1950 to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and
welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes.”44 The NSF is a major source of
federal support for U.S. university research, especially in the social sciences, mathematics, and
computer science. It is also responsible for significant shares of the federal science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program portfolio and federal STEM student
aid and support.
NSF has six appropriations accounts: Research and Related Activities (RRA, the main research
account), Education and Human Resources (EHR, the main education account), Major Research
Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), Agency Operations and Award Management
(AOAM), the National Science Board (NSB), and the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
Appropriations are generally provided at the account level, while program-specific direction may
be included in appropriations acts, or accompanying conference reports or explanatory
statements.
Funding for R&D is included in the RRA, EHR, and MREFC accounts. (The RRA and EHR
accounts also include non-R&D funding.) Together, these three accounts comprise over 95% of
the total requested funding for NSF. Actual R&D obligations for each account are known after
NSF allocates funding appropriations to specific activities and reports those figures.45 The budget
request specifies R&D funding for the conduct of research, including basic and applied research,
and for physical assets, including R&D facilities and major equipment. Funding amounts for
FY2021 enacted (or estimated, for subaccount and R&D amounts as noted) and FY2022
requested levels are reported by account, including amounts for R&D conduct and physical assets
where applicable, in Table 12.
Funding for NSF for FY2021 was enacted on December 27, 2020.46 Additionally, NSF received
$600 million in supplemental two-year appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
(P.L. 117-2) “to fund or extend new and existing research grants, cooperative agreements,
scholarships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, and related administrative expenses to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.”47 Funding details below the account level were not

43 This section was written by Laurie Harris, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
44 The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (P.L. 81-507).
45 R&D actual (FY2020), estimated (FY2021), and requested (FY2022) amounts are reported in the “Quantitative Data
Tables” section of the NSF FY2022 Budget Request to Congress, May 28, 2021, pp. QDT-1–QDT-7.
46 The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260); and Explanatory Statement, Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021, Division B (Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021),
Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 218—Book III (December 21, 2021), pp. H7947-H7948.
47 These funds are not included in the FY2021 enacted/estimated funding amounts because they are two-year funds that
will not be fully allocated in FY2021; for further information, see NSF FY2022 Budget Request to Congress, p.
Performance and Management-12.
Congressional Research Service

26

link to page 34 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

available at the time the FY2022 budget request was prepared. Therefore, at the account level, the
FY2022 request amounts are compared to the FY2021 enacted amounts in this analysis; below
the account level, the FY2022 request amounts are compared to FY2021 estimated amounts for
subaccounts and R&D amounts. FY2021 enacted/estimated and FY2022 requested amounts are
reported by account and for R&D conduct and facilities and equipment in Table 12.
Overall. The Administration is requesting $10.2 billion for the NSF in FY2022, $1.68 billion
(19.8%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount. The request would increase budget authority in
all three of the R&D accounts relative to the FY2021 enacted level: RRA by $1.23 billion
(17.8%), EHR by $319 million (33.0%), and MREFC by $8.0 million (3.3%). Overall, NSF
estimates that, under the FY2022 request, agency-wide funding rates for competitive awards (i.e.,
the percentage of submitted proposals that are successfully awarded funding after competitive
review) would increase slightly from 27% to 29%, with an estimated 13,800 awards.
For FY2022, $8.17 billion is requested for R&D activities, a $1.29 billion increase from FY2021
estimated funding for R&D. R&D activities account for approximately 80% of NSF’s total
funding. The total request for R&D activities includes $7.58 billion (93%) for the conduct of
R&D, and $595 million (7%) for R&D facilities and major equipment. Of funding requested for
the conduct of R&D, 86% is requested for basic research, and 14% for applied research. Overall
funding for R&D facilities and major equipment supports not only the construction and
acquisition phases, funded through MREFC ($249 million requested), but also planning, design,
and post-construction operations and maintenance, funded through RRA ($346 million
requested).
Research. The Administration seeks $8.14 billion for RRA in FY2022, a $1.23 billion (17.8%)
increase compared to the FY2021 enacted funding. Within the RRA account, the FY2022 request
includes $7.30 billion for R&D, an increase of $1.13 billion (18.3%) compared to the FY2021
estimated amount. Of this amount, the majority ($6.96 billion, 95%) is requested for the conduct
of research, including $6.30 billion for basic research and $659 million for applied research.
Compared to the FY2021 estimated levels, the FY2022 request includes increases for all 11 RRA
subaccounts.48 This includes a request of $865 million for a proposed new Directorate for
Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP), meant to support crosscutting programs and
activities, accelerate the translation of research to market, and catalyze partnerships across
academia, industry, government, investors, and civil society.49 The FY2022 request also includes
$240 million for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program,
a $39.6 million (19.8%) increase compared to FY2021 estimated funding.
Education. The FY2022 request for the EHR account is $1.29 billion, $319 million (33%) more
than the FY2021 enacted amount. By program division, in terms of both dollars and percent, the
Division of Human Resource Development would receive the largest increase, $92.5 million
(43%) over the FY2021 estimated level. EHR programs of particular interest to congressional
policymakers include the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) and National Research
Traineeship (NRT) programs. The FY2022 request for GRFP is $318 million, an increase of $34.0

48 The RRA funding table in the budget request seems to show a decrease for the IA subaccount. As noted in the IA
summary funding table, this is because two programs previously in the IA subaccount are moved to other accounts: the
Graduate Research Fellowship program is consolidated into the EHR account, and the Convergence Accelerator
(discussed below) is moved to the TIP subaccount; NSF FY2022 Budget Request to Congress, p. IA-1.
49 For more information on the TIP Directorate, see NSF, FY2022 Budget Request to Congress, pp. TIP-1 – TIP-8,
https://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2022/pdf/52_fy2022.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

27

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

million (12%) from the FY2021 estimated level.50 The FY2022 request for NRT is $58 million,
equal to the FY2021 estimated level.
Within EHR, requested funding for R&D is $620 million, which is $154 million (33%) more than
the FY2021 estimated funding amount and accounts for approximately 7.6% of the agency’s total
R&D request. Nearly all of the requested funding would support the conduct of R&D, including
$232 million for basic research and $388 million for applied research.
Construction. The MREFC account supports large construction projects and larger mid-scale
research infrastructure, with all of the funding supporting R&D facilities. The construction phases
of such large-scale projects tend to span multiple years; therefore, NSF provides out-year
estimates of funding for major facilities for the duration of the anticipated timeline, which are
updated annually. This section of the analysis includes comparisons to FY2021 estimated
funding, based on these projections. The Administration is seeking $249 million for MREFC in
FY2022, $8.0 million (3.3%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount.
Requested MREFC funding would support continued construction of the Vera C. Rubin
Observatory ($40.8 million requested, equal to the FY2021 estimate)—previously called the
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)—and the Antarctic Infrastructure Recapitalization
program (AIR, $90.0 million requested, equal to the FY2021 estimate).51 The request includes
$36.0 million for upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, which would represent
the third year of a five-year project. Additionally, $76.2 million is requested for Mid-scale
Research Infrastructure projects (those projects with funding amounts in the $20 million to $100
million range); this was a new funding line-item in the MREFC account as of FY2020, meant to
manage support for upgrades to major facilities and stand-alone projects in this range as a
portfolio.
Other Initiatives. The FY2022 NSF budget request includes funding for multiple agency-wide
investments, including the Big Ideas and Convergence Accelerator (CA), as well as three
multiagency initiatives. This funding is included in multiple NSF appropriations accounts, and
R&D amounts are not separately provided.
For FY2022, NSF requests funding for eight Big Ideas, including five Research and three
Enabling Big Ideas. The Big Ideas were first proposed in 2016 as an “endeavor to break down the
silos of conventional scientific research … to define and push the frontiers of global science and
engineering leadership and to invest in fundamental research.”52 Requested funding amounts for
each of the Big Ideas compared to the FY2021 estimated amounts include the following:53
 Harnessing the Data Revolution for 21st-Century Science and Engineering
(HDR): $180 million requested, up $5.8 million (3.3%) from FY2021.
 The Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier (FW-HTF): $173 million
requested, up $11 million (6.8%) from FY2021.
 Navigating the New Arctic (NNA): $37.2 million requested, up $1.0 million
(2.8%) from FY2021.

50 The subset of GRFP funds provided through RRA in prior years would be consolidated into EHR in FY2022.
51 The FY2022 funding for AIR is requested as part of re-baselining of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernization for
Science (AIMS) program, which encountered significant disruptions and delays due to COVID-19 restrictions as field
work and on-ice construction work was in the early stages; NSF, FY2022 Budget Request to Congress, pp. MREFC-8 –
MREFC-13.
52 NSF, FY2021 Budget Request to Congress, February 10, 202, pp. Overview-9 – Overview-10.
53 Starting in FY2021, activities of the Quantum Leap Big Idea are to be managed within NSF’s broader Quantum
Information Science (QIS) portfolio.
Congressional Research Service

28

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

 Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype: $113 million
requested, up $30 million (36%) from FY2021.
 Windows on the Universe (WoU): $66.8 million requested, up $2.6 million
(4.1%) from FY2021.
 Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented
Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES): $46.5 million
requested, up $26.5 million (132%) from FY2021.
 Growing Convergence Research at NSF (GCR): $24.2 million requested, up $8.2
million (51%) from FY2021.
 Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure: $126 million requested, up $17.3 million
(16%) from FY2021.54
The Convergence Accelerator
is an organizational framework that stands separately from the NSF research directorates,
with its own budget, staff, and initiatives. Each CA research track will be a time-limited
entity focused on specific research topics and themes. Therefore, CA research tracks will
evolve over time and will be informed by external stakeholder input. The CA will reward
high-risk, innovative thinking by multidisciplinary teams of researchers who want to
accelerate discovery and innovation. The CA is a way of achieving rapid lab-to-market or
research outcomes.55
While the initial CA research tracks focused on a subset of the Big Ideas, the FY2022 request is
intended to support new research tracks informed by responses to a Request for Information,
current national priorities, and other external stakeholder input. NSF has requested $70 million
for the CA in FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimated amount.
The budget request also includes three multi-agency initiatives. The National Nanotechnology
Initiative would receive $471 million, $29.0 million (6.6%) more than the FY2021 estimate. The
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development program would receive
$2.07 billion, an increase of $484 million (31%). The U.S. Global Change Research Program
would receive $762 million, $241 million (46%) more than the FY2021 estimate.56 These figures
represent funding within agency budgets for those agencies involved in these interagency
activities. The coordination offices for these initiatives have much smaller budgets.

54 This total includes Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1, funded through RRA, for projects costing $6 million-$20
million, as well as Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2, funded through MREFC, for projects costing $20 million-$100
million.
55 NSF, FY2021 Budget Request to Congress, February 10, 2020, p. Overview-10.
56 For additional information on these initiatives, see “NSF-Wide Investments.”
Congressional Research Service

29

link to page 25 link to page 34 link to page 34 link to page 34 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 12. National Science Foundation Funding
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
Enacted/
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Account
Estimatedg
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Research and Related
6,909.8
8,139.7

Activities (RRA)
R&D, RRA Total
6,174.7
7,304.7

Conduct of R&D
5,882.3
6,958.9

R&D Facilities and Major Equipment
292.4
345.9

Education and Human
968.0
1,287.3

Resources (EHR)
R&D, EHR Total
465.9
619.6

Conduct of R&D
465.8
619.5

R&D Facilities and Major Equipment
0.1
0.1

Major Research Equipment
241.0
249.0

and Facilities Construction
(MREFC)
R&D, MREFC Total
241.0
249.0

Conduct of R&D
0.0
0.0

R&D Facilities and Major Equipment
241.0
249.0

Agency Operations and
345.6
468.3

Award Management
(AOAM)b
Office of the Inspector
17.9
20.4

General (OIG)b
National Science Board
4.5
4.6

(NSB)b
NSF, Total Discretionaryc
8,486.8 10,169.3

R&D, NSF Total
6,881.6
8,173.3

Total, Conduct of R&D
6,348.2
7,578.4

Total, R&D Facilities & Major
533.4
595.0

Equipment
Sources: Data in the columns titled “FY2021 Enacted/Estimated” and “FY2022 Request” are from P.L. 116-260
and the NSF FY2022 Budget Request to Congress.
Notes: Appropriations accounts are in bold. NSF total may differ from the sum of the accounts due to rounding.
Nonbold R&D funding amounts are a subset of funding for the specified accounts. Figures for the columns
currently blank may become available as action is completed. The term “n/a” = not available.
a. FY2021 account funding amounts (bold) are as enacted (P.L. 116-260); FY2021 R&D funding amounts
(nonbold) are as estimated by NSF. These amounts do not include $600 mil ion in two-year appropriations
for NSF as enacted in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) “to fund or extend new and
existing research grants, cooperative agreements, scholarships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, and related
administrative expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.”
b. The AOAM, NSB, and OIG accounts have no reported R&D funding.
c. In addition to discretionary funding, NSF reports mandatory funding from H-1B visa and donation sources,
which are not included in this total.
Congressional Research Service

30

link to page 40 link to page 43 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Department of Agriculture57
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was created in 1862 to support agricultural research in an
expanding, agriculturally dependent country. Today, USDA conducts intramural research at
federal facilities with federally employed scientists, and supports extramural research at
universities and other facilities through competitive grants and capacity (formula-based) funding.
The breadth of contemporary USDA research spans traditional agricultural production practices,
as well as organic and sustainable agriculture, bioenergy, nutritional needs and food composition,
food safety, animal and plant health, pest and disease management, economic decisionmaking,
and other social sciences affecting consumers, farmers, and rural communities.
The four agencies of USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area carry out
the Department’s research and education activities.58 These agencies are the Agricultural
Research Service (ARS), the principal intramural research agency; the National Institute of Food
and Agriculture (NIFA), the principal extramural research agency; the National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS), which undertakes a variety of surveys to capture relevant data; and the
Economic Research Service (ERS), which applies economic analysis to a wide range of topics
related to food and agriculture. In addition to the four REE agencies, the Office of the Chief
Scientist (OCS), a staff office within the Office of the Under Secretary of REE, coordinates
science activities across the department.
FY2021 enacted appropriations in the onsolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260
provide a total of $3,366.9 million in discretionary spending for the REE agencies through
Division A (Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021).59 The Administration is requesting a total of $4,135.1
million for these agencies in FY2022, a 22.8% increase ($768.2 million), which is mostly for an
increase of $367.5 million for ARS and $385.8 million for NIFA. USDA’s FY2021 enacted
discretionary appropriations and the Administration’s FY2022 request for the four research
agencies and OCS are discussed below, with funding amounts presented in Table 13.
For FY2021, the REE agencies and OCS also received certain funding in addition to those
amounts provided through P.L. 116-260, Division A, Title I. Funding from these other sources is
discussed separately in the text, and is not presented in Table 14. Within the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021, Title VII (General Provisions) of Division A provided an additional
$31.7 million, and Division M (Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
Act, 2021) provided $140.5 million of supplementary discretionary funding, and $20 million of
annual mandatory funding, for certain REE programs. Separately, the American Rescue Plan Act
of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) provided additional appropriations for USDA, some of which may be

57 This section was written by Genevieve K. Croft, Analyst in Agricultural Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
58 For additional information, see CRS Report R40819, Agricultural Research: Background and Issues, by Genevieve
K. Croft.
59 FY2021 enacted appropriations and related congressional directives presented in this report section derive from P.L.
116-260; the accompanying Explanatory Statement, Division A – Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021; H.Rept. 116-446 (to accompany the House FY2021
agriculture appropriations bill, H.R. 7610, 116th Congress); and the Senate explanatory statement to accompany the
Senate agriculture appropriations draft bill, both available at https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/committee-
releases-fy21-bills-in-effort-to-advance-process-produce-bipartisan-results. For P.L. 116-260, Division A’s Title I,
Agricultural Programs, provides regular appropriations for USDA, including the REE agencies and OCS. In this report
section, unless otherwise noted, funds provided outside of this division and title are discussed separately from FY2021
discretionary funding totals.
Congressional Research Service

31

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

administered through REE. In addition to discretionary appropriations, agricultural research is
funded by certain mandatory funding authorized by the 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334P.L. 116-260,
as well as state matching contributions and private donations or grants.60
Agricultural Research Service
ARS is USDA’s in-house basic and applied research agency, and has major responsibilities for
conducting and leading the national agricultural research effort. ARS operates approximately 90
laboratories, with about 5,000 permanent employees, including approximately 2,000 research
scientists. ARS laboratories include a focus on efficient and sustainable food and fiber
production, development of new products and uses for agricultural commodities, development of
effective controls for pest management, and support of USDA regulatory and technical assistance
programs. ARS also operates the National Agricultural Library (NAL). NAL is the world’s largest
agricultural research library, and is a primary information repository for food, agriculture, and
natural resource sciences.
For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $1,491.8 million for ARS salaries and expenses, and $35.7
million for buildings and facilities. In addition to these sums, P.L. 116-260 (Division M, Title VII,
§756) provides $20 million in mandatory funding for human nutrition research for FY2021 and
each fiscal year thereafter.
For FY2022, the Administration is requesting $1,849.6 million for ARS salaries and expenses, an
increase of $357.8 million (24.0%) above the FY2021 discretionary appropriation. This request
includes $92 million for climate science, $5 million for the USDA climate hubs, and $95 million
for an agreement with the Department of Energy for the Administration’s proposed Advanced
Research Projects Agency–Climate (ARPA-C). The FY2022 request for buildings and facilities is
$45.4 million, an increase of $9.7 million (27.2%) over the FY2021 appropriation.
ARS continues to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security on the new National Bio
and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which DHS is constructing to replace the outdated Plum
Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC).61 In January 2019, USDA and DHS signed a
Memorandum of Agreement to govern the transition of NBAF from DHS to USDA, with
ownership to transfer upon its completion and commissioning.62 USDA projects the transfer of
operations from PIADC to NBAF will be completed by December 2023, a date delayed from
earlier projections due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.63 FY2021
enacted appropriations for ARS provide funding for NBAF operations and maintenance
consistent with FY2020 levels,64 and also provide $8.0 million for NBAF research. For FY2022,
the Administration is requesting a total of $118.7 million within ARS salaries and expenses for
NBAF, which includes increases of $37.4 million for operations and maintenance and $11.6

60 For additional information, see CRS Report R40819, Agricultural Research: Background and Issues, by Genevieve
K. Croft.
61 For additional information, see CRS In Focus IF11492, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility: Purpose and Status,
by Genevieve K. Croft.
62 USDA and DHS, Memorandum of Agreement Between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Marketing and
Regulatory Programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research, Education, and Economics, and the Department
of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, June 20, 2019, at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
documents/usda-dhs-moa.pdf.
63 USDA, “USDA and DHS S&T Revise NBAF Project Timeline,” Press Release, December 15, 2020,
https://www.usda.gov/nbaf/media/press-releases/2020/usda-dhs-st-revise-nbaf-project-timeline.
64 According to USDA, these FY2021 appropriations were $81.1 million (USDA, “Agricultural Research Service,”
2022 USDA Budget Explanatory Notes for Committee on Appropriations, 2021, p. 20-18).
Congressional Research Service

32

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

million for research. The Administration also requests an increase of $10.6 million for NBAF
capital improvement and maintenance ($0 provided in FY2021 enacted appropriations) within the
ARS buildings and facilities account.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is USDA’s principal extramural research agency.
It provides federal funding for research, education, and extension projects conducted in
partnership with land-grant colleges and universities (LGUs), State Agricultural Experiment
Stations, the Cooperative Extension System, other research and education institutions, private
organizations, and individuals. NIFA partnerships include the three types of LGUs—1862
(original) Institutions, 1890 (historically Black) Institutions, and 1994 (tribal) Institutions—as
well as other higher education institutions.65 Federal funds awarded through NIFA capacity
(formula-based) and competitive grants enhance research capacity at these institutions.66 While
NIFA is headquartered in Washington, DC, USDA relocated the majority of NIFA staff positions
to Kansas City, MO, in 2019.67
For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $1,570.0 million in discretionary funds for NIFA activities.
For FY2022, the Administration requests $1,955.8 million, an increase of $385.8 million (24.6%).
In the explanatory notes for NIFA, the Administration proposes a change in appropriations
language that would combine three separate NIFA funding accounts—for research and education,
extension, and integrated activities—into one agency account that includes all programs.68 The
Administration argues that consolidating the accounts would “mirror the organization as a
National Institute with a unified mission and offer opportunities to streamline administration of
funds.”69 Further, the Administration proposes $91 million for climate change research, and also
proposes no-year spending authority70 for certain programs, including several that provide funds
to minority-serving institutions.
Research and Education. Hatch Act and Evans-Allen Act funds support capacity grants for
research and education activities at 1862 and 1890 Institutions, respectively. For Hatch Act
programs, the enacted FY2021 bill provides $259.0 million, and the Administration is requesting
$329.4 million for FY2022, a 27.2% increase. For Evans-Allen programs, the FY2021
appropriation provides $73.0 million, and for FY2022 the Administration is requesting $92.8
million, a 27.1% increase. The McIntire-Stennis program provides capacity funds for forestry
research. For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $36.0 million for this program, and for FY2022 the
Administration is requesting $45.8 million, a 27.2% increase.

65 1862, 1890, and 1994 refer to the years of enactment of the laws that created these institutional classifications. For
more information on LGUs and other NIFA-funded institutions, see CRS Report R45897, The U.S. Land-Grant
University System: An Overview, by Genevieve K. Croft, and CRS In Focus IF11847, 1890 Land-Grant Universities:
Background and Selected Issues, by Genevieve K. Croft.
66 The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 designated USDA as the lead
federal agency for higher education in the food and agricultural sciences.
67 For further information, see CRS In Focus IF11527, Relocation of the USDA Research Agencies: NIFA and ERS, by
Genevieve K. Croft.
68 Similar consolidations in NIFA were also proposed by the Obama and Trump Administrations, but were not adopted
by Congress.
69 USDA, “National Institute of Food and Agriculture,” 2022 USDA Budget Explanatory Notes for Committee on
Appropriations, 2021, p. 21-27.
70 No-year spending authority refers to authority that does not expire, unlike regular appropriations that are typically for
the one year of the appropriation.
Congressional Research Service

33

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is USDA’s flagship competitive research
grants program, and currently represents about 28% of NIFA’s total discretionary budget. The
FY2021 enacted bill provides $435.0 million for AFRI, and the Administration is requesting
$700.0 million for FY2022, a 60.9% increase and the full amount authorized by the 2018 farm
bill. NIFA also funds the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. For
FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $40.0 million for SARE, and the Administration requests $60.0
million for FY2022, a 50% increase.
Extension. Smith-Lever Act 3(b) and 3(c) programs provide capacity grants to 1862 Institutions
to support cooperative extension. The FY2021 enacted appropriation provides $315.0 million for
these programs, and the Administration requests the same funding level for FY2022. For
extension capacity grants for 1890 Institutions, FY2021 appropriations provide $62.0 million, and
the Administration requests the same funding level for FY2022.
Smith-Lever Act 3(d) programs provide competitive grants to LGUs to support cooperative
extension. These programs include grants for food and nutrition education; new technologies for
agricultural extension; federally recognized tribes; children, youth, and families at risk; and farm
safety education. For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $90.1 million for Smith-Lever 3(d)
programs. For FY2022, the Administration is requesting $89.6 million, a reduction of 0.6%. Of
this total, $70.0 million would support the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
(EFNEP), and $3.2 million would support the Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program.
Integrated Activities. Integrated activities are those activities that include some combination of
teaching, education, and research. The Administration is requesting $39.0 million for integrated
activities in FY2022, the same as the FY2021 appropriation.
Other appropriations. In addition to those sums discussed above, general provisions of the
enacted FY2021 agriculture appropriations bill include $31.3 million for certain NIFA programs
and activities. These include appropriations for a pilot program to enhance farming and ranching
activities for military veterans ($5.0 million), to support the 1890 Centers of Excellence ($10.0
million), and to establish a business innovation center at an 1890 Institution ($2.0 million).
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act includes $140.5 million
for NIFA programs, including $75.0 million for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive
Program, $37.5 million for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and $28.0
million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. NIFA may also administer some
portion of the $1.01 billion provided to USDA for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2, §1006).
National Agricultural Statistics Service
The National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts the quinquennial Census of Agriculture and
provides official statistics on agricultural production and farm sector indicators. It is one of the 13
principal statistical agencies of the U.S. Federal Statistical System.
For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $183.9 million to NASS, of which up to $46.3 million is
reserved to support the Census of Agriculture. The Administration is requesting $193.7 million
for NASS in FY2022, of which up to $46.9 million is to support the Census of Agriculture. The
Administration’s request for FY2022 proposes increases for some programs, including an
additional $7 million for climate change work within the Agricultural Estimates Program. It
proposes a decrease of $2.5 million to eliminate the Local Food Marketing Practices Survey from
the Census of Agriculture program.
Congressional Research Service

34

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Economic Research Service
The Economic Research Service supports economic and social science analysis about agriculture,
rural development, food, commodity markets, and the environment. It also collects and
disseminates data concerning USDA programs and policies. Like NASS, ERS is one of the
principal statistical agencies of the U.S. Federal Statistical System. While ERS is headquartered
in Washington, DC, USDA relocated the majority of ERS staff positions to Kansas City, MO, in
2019.71
For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $85.5 million for ERS activities. The Administration is
requesting $90.6 million for FY2022, a 6.0% increase. This includes a proposed increase of $4
million for climate science activities.
Office of the REE Under Secretary and Office of the Chief Scientist
Congress created the Office of the Chief Scientist in 2008 when it established the dual role of the
Under Secretary for REE as the USDA Chief Scientist (7 U.S.C. §6971). OCS coordinates
research programs and activities across USDA. Administratively, it is a component of the Office
of the Under Secretary of REE.
In recent years, congressional appropriations for the Office of the Under Secretary of REE have
included funds for the Under Secretary and a partial staff.72 Congress has not provided direct
appropriations for OCS since its establishment. As such, OCS has been funded via interagency
agreement among the REE agencies. The President’s budget request for FY2021 included for the
first time a separate request for OCS, in the amount of $6.0 million and 29 staff years; however,
FY2021 enacted appropriations did not provide the requested funds.
The President’s budget request for FY2022 includes $6.3 million for the Office of the Under
Secretary REE, of which $5.0 million is for OCS. These OCS funds are not requested to replace
USDA interagency funding of the office, but rather to support the Agriculture Advanced Research
and Development Authority (AGARDA). The 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334, §7132) establishes
AGARDA as a pilot project within OCS to target long-term and high-risk research and
development that private industry would be unlikely to undertake. The 2018 farm bill authorized
$50 million in annual appropriations through FY2023 and required OCS to issue an AGARDA
strategic plan by December 2019. To date, AGARDA has not received appropriations, USDA has
not established the pilot program, and USDA has not publicly issued a strategic plan. The joint
explanatory statement accompanying P.L. 116-260, Division A, directs OCS to complete the
AGARDA strategic plan within 180 days of enactment.
In addition to those funds provided through Title I (Agricultural Programs), Title VII (General
Provisions) provides $400,000 for pollinator research coordination within OCS.

71 See CRS In Focus IF11527, Relocation of the USDA Research Agencies: NIFA and ERS, by Genevieve K. Croft.
72 For example, Table OSEC-5 of USDA’s FY2021 explanatory notes identifies $800,000 and three staff years for the
Office of the Under Secretary for REE. USDA, “Office of the Secretary,” 2021 USDA Budget Explanatory Notes for
Committee on Appropriations, 2020, p. 1-9.
Congressional Research Service

35

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 13. U.S. Department of Agriculture R&D
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
Enacted
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Agency or Major Program
P.L. 116-260
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

Salaries and Expenses
1,491.8
1,849.6

Buildings and Facilities
35.7
45.4

Subtotal, ARS
1,527.5
1,895.0

National Institute of Food and

Agriculture (NIFA)
Research and Education

AFRI (competitive grants)
435.0
700.0

Hatch Act (1862 Institutions)
259.0
329.4

Evans-Allen (1890 Institutions)
73.0
92.8

McIntire-Stennis (forestry)
36.0
45.8

Other
189.6
210.4

Subtotal, Research and Education
992.6
1,378.4

Extension

Smith-Lever 3(b) and 3(c)
315.0
315.0

Smith-Lever 3(d)
90.1
89.6

1890 Extension Activities
62.0
62.0

1994 Extension Activities
8.5
8.5

Other
62.8
63.3

Subtotal, Extension
538.4
538.4

Integrated Activities
39.0
39.0

Subtotal, NIFA
1,570.0
1,955.8

National Agricultural Statistics
183.9
193.7

Service (NASS)
Economic Research Service (ERS)
85.5
90.6

Total, USDA Research, Education,
3,366.9
4,135.1

and Economics Agencies
Office of the Under Secretary of REE
0.8
6.3

Office of the Chief Scientist
-
5.0

Sources: CRS, compiled from P.L. 116-260 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, FY2021 Explanatory Statement,
Division A; and FY2022 USDA Budget Justification Notes.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed. FY2021 enacted amounts do not include $31.7 mil ion in
discretionary appropriations for various REE and OCS programs al ocated via P.L. 116-260, Division A, Title VII
(General Provisions), or $160.5 mil ion provided through Division M (Coronavirus Response and Relief
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021). They also do not include appropriations for “USDA assistance and
support for socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, forest land owners and operators, and groups,” made
through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2, §1006). Section 1006 provides $1.01 bil ion, of which
not less than 5% is intended to supplement agricultural research, education, and extension. As of the writing of
this report, USDA has not announced how it intends to allocate these funds.
Congressional Research Service

36

link to page 43 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Department of Commerce
Two agencies of the Department of Commerce have major R&D programs: the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA).
National Institute of Standards and Technology73
The mission of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is “to promote U.S. innovation
and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in
ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.”74 NIST research provides
measurement, calibration, and quality assurance methods and techniques that support U.S.
commerce, technological progress, product reliability, manufacturing processes, and public safety.
NIST’s responsibilities include the development, maintenance, and custodial retention of the
national standards of measurement; providing the means and methods for making measurements
consistent with those standards; and ensuring the compatibility of U.S. national measurement
standards with those of other nations.75
Regular appropriations for NIST are provided through the annual Commerce, Justice, Science,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (CJS Act). President Biden is requesting $1,497.2
million for NIST in FY2022, an increase of $462.7 million (44.7%) from the FY2021 enacted
appropriation of $1,034.5 million. (See Table 14.)
NIST discretionary funding is provided through three accounts: Scientific and Technical Research
and Services (STRS), Industrial Technology Services (ITS), and Construction of Research
Facilities (CRF).
The President’s FY2022 request includes $915.6 million for laboratory R&D programs, corporate
services, and standards coordination and special programs in the STRS account, an increase of
$127.6 million (16.2%) from the FY2021 enacted level.76 Program increases include:
 Climate and Energy Measurements, Tools, and Testbeds, $54.8 million (up $18.0
million);77
 Quantum Information Science, Engineering, and Metrology, $61.8 million (up
$15.0 million);78
 Partnerships, Research, and Standards to Advance Trustworthy Artificial
Intelligence, $45.4 million (up $15.0 million);79

73 This section was written by John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources,
Science, and Industry Division.
74 NIST website, “General Information,” http://nist.gov/public_affairs/general_information.cfm.
75 15 U.S.C. §272.
76 CRS analysis of data from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National
Institute of Standards and Technology/National Technical Information Service, Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Submission to
Congress, p. NIST-3, https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/
fy2022_nist_congressional_budget_justification.pdf.
77 Ibid., p. NIST-64.
78 Ibid., p. NIST-37.
79 Ibid., p. NIST-42.
Congressional Research Service

37

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

 Supporting the American Bioeconomy, $34.3 million (up $13.8 million);80
 Advanced Communications Research and Standards, $36.4 million (up $11.5
million);81
 Next-Generation Semiconductor Research and Standards, $34.5 million (up
$10.0 million);82
 Measurements and Data to Enable the Circular Economy, $13.5 million (up $5.0
million);83 and
 Strengthening Equity and Diversity in the Standards Workforce, $13.6 million
(up $2.1 million).84
The FY2022 request would provide $441.6 million for the ITS account, up $275.1 million
(165.2%) from the FY2021 enacted level.85 Within the ITS account, the request would provide
$275.0 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, an increase of
$125.0 million (83.3%) from the FY2021 enacted level, and $166.6 million for Manufacturing
USA, $150.1 million (909.7%) higher than the FY2021 enacted level of $16.5 million.86
According to NIST, the funding requested for MEP would, among other things, strengthen the
performance of the existing network, assist growth oriented small- and medium-sized enterprises’
abilities to respond to critical national needs, and provide additional services to more companies
in critical supply chains and workforce development.87
Of the funds for Manufacturing USA, $10.0 million would support NIST’s first Manufacturing
USA institute, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals
(NIIMBL); $150.0 million would be for the establishment of two additional institutes; $5.0
million would be for support of the Manufacturing USA network; and $1.7 million would be for
grants to develop industrial technology roadmaps.88
The President is requesting $140.0 million for the CRF account for FY2022, up $60.0 million
(75.0%) from the FY2021 enacted level. This funding would support repair and revitalization of
facilities to address NIST’s major utility infrastructure maintenance backlog and to modernize its
IT networking infrastructure; no funding is requested for construction and major renovations.89

80 Ibid., p. NIST-52.
81 Ibid., p. NIST-47.
82 Ibid., p. NIST-56.
83 Ibid., p. NIST-61.
84 Ibid., p. NIST-69.
85 Ibid., p. NIST-3.
86 Ibid., p. NIST-105.
87 Ibid., p. NIST-112.
88 Ibid., pp. NIST-119-NIST-120.
89 Ibid., pp. NIST-3, NIST-138, NIST-147, NIST-149.
Congressional Research Service

38

link to page 43 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 14. National Institute of Standards and Technology Funding
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted

Scientific and Technical Research and Services
788.0
915.6

Laboratory Programs
687.1
806.0

Corporate Services
17.5
18.1

Standards Coordination and Special Programs
83.4
91.5

Industrial Technology Services
166.5
441.6

Manufacturing Extension Partnership
150.0
275.0

Manufacturing USA
16.5
166.6

Construction of Research Facilities
80.0
140.0

Construction & Major Renovations
6.1
0.0

Safety, Capacity, Maintenance and Major Repairs
73.9
140.0

NIST, Totala
1,034.5
1,497.2

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of
Standards and Technology/National Technical Information Service, Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Submission to
Congress, 2021, https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/
fy2022_nist_congressional_budget_justification.pdf.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed.
a. The NIST Public Safety Communications Research Fund (not included in the table) was established to help
develop wireless technologies for public safety users, as part of the National Wireless Initiative (WIN)
included in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96). The act provided
mandatory funds for NIST from spectrum auction proceeds to help industry and public safety organizations
conduct research and develop new standards, technologies, and applications to advance public safety
communications in support of the initiative’s efforts to build an interoperable nationwide broadband
network for first responders. The NIST FY2022 budget justification notes, “The [NIST Public Safety
Communications Research Fund’s] availability extends through 2022 and began to execute in FY 2015;
$92.7 mil ion was transferred to NIST in FY 2015, $7.3 million was released from sequester in FY 2016, an
additional $186.4 mil ion was transferred in FY 2016, and $13.6 mil ion was released from sequester in FY
2017. Currently, WIN has $108.7 mil ion in total resources with $71.9 mil ion available for obligation in FY
2021 and $36.8 mil ion to be available in FY 2022. Additional transfers to NIST from NTIA are possible as
proceeds from the spectrum auctions become available.”
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration90
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducts scientific research in areas such
as ecosystems, atmosphere, global climate change, weather, and oceans; collects and provides
data on the oceans and atmosphere; and manages coastal and marine species and environments.
NOAA was created in 1970 by Reorganization Plan No. 4.91
NOAA’s administrative structure is organized into six line offices: the National Environmental
Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS);
National Ocean Service (NOS); National Weather Service (NWS); Office of Oceanic and

90 This section was written by Eva Lipiec, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and Industry
Division.
91 “Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970,” 35 Federal Register 15627-15630, October 6, 1970.
Congressional Research Service

39

link to page 45 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Atmospheric Research (OAR); and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO). The
line offices are supported by an additional office, Mission Support, which provides cross-cutting
administrative functions related to education, planning, information technology, human resources,
and infrastructure. Congress provides most of the discretionary funding for the line offices and
Mission Support through two accounts: (1) Operations, Research, and Facilities, and (2)
Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction.
In 2010, NOAA published its Next Generation Strategic Plan.92 The strategic plan is organized
into four categories of long-term goals: (1) climate adaptation and mitigation, (2) a weather-ready
nation, (3) healthy oceans, and (4) resilient coastal communities and economies.93 The strategic
plan also lists three groups of enterprise objectives related to (1) stakeholder engagement, (2) data
and observations, and (3) integrated environmental modeling.94 The strategic plan serves as a
guide for NOAA’s R&D plan. The most recent R&D plan was published in June 2020, and
identifies R&D priorities within three vision areas: (1) reducing societal impacts from hazardous
weather and other environmental phenomena, (2) sustainable use and stewardship of ocean and
coastal resources, and (3) a robust and effective research, development, and transition
enterprise.95
For FY2022, President Biden requested $1.512 billion in direct obligations for NOAA R&D
funding, $486.9 million (47.5%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $1.025 billion.96 According
to Congress, direct obligations include annual appropriations, transfers, and recoveries from
prior-year obligations.97 The President’s budget request and NOAA’s estimate of R&D funding
amounts in the FY2021 appropriations act (P.L. 116-260) include discretionary direct obligations
and a relatively small amount of mandatory and other direct obligations.98 Table 15 provides
R&D amounts enacted in FY2021 and requested by the Administration for FY2022.
The President’s FY2022 request for NOAA R&D was 20.8% of the requested FY2022 NOAA
total direct obligations of $7.258 billion.99 The FY2022 request includes $832.7 million for
research (55.1% of the total requested for NOAA R&D), $198.1 million for development
(13.1%), and $481.0 million (31.8%) for R&D equipment and facilities.100

92 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA’s Next-Generation Strategic Plan, Silver Spring,
MD, December 2010, at https://www.performance.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/NOAA_NGSP.pdf. Hereinafter
NOAA, Strategic Plan, 2010.
93 According to NOAA, a weather-ready nation is envisioned as a society that is prepared for and responds to weather-
related events.
94 NOAA defines the enterprise objectives as “cross-cutting requirements for addressing NOAA’s strategic goals as a
whole” (NOAA, Strategic Plan, 2010, p. 32).
95 NOAA, NOAA Research and Development Vision Areas: 2020-2026, June 2020, at https://nrc.noaa.gov/
LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=z4iHSl3P4KY%3d&portalid=0.
96 Email correspondence with the NOAA Budget Office, June 9, 2021 and June 22, 2021.
97 For further descriptions of what types of obligations are direct versus reimbursable, see Office of Management and
Budget, Circular No. A-11, Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget, July 2020, p. 3 of Section 83, at
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/a11.pdf.
98 R&D funding amounts are estimated by NOAA because neither the legislative text nor the explanatory statement
provide a breakout of R&D funding and only include discretionary direct obligations. Telephone conversation with
NOAA Budget Office, September 3, 2020.
99 NOAA, Budget Estimates Fiscal Year 2022, 2021, at https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/
NOAA%20FY22%20CJ.pdf, p. Control Table-15. Hereinafter referred to as NOAA, Budget Estimates Fiscal Year
2022.
100 Email correspondence with the NOAA Budget Office, June 9, 2021.
Congressional Research Service

40

link to page 8 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

OAR accounts for the majority of NOAA R&D in most years, including FY2022. The
Administration requested $756.7 million for OAR R&D in FY2022, which is $184.1 million
(32.2%) above the FY2021 enacted funding level of $572.6 million.101 OAR conducts research in
three major areas: (1) weather and air chemistry; (2) climate; and (3) oceans, coasts, and the Great
Lakes. A significant portion of these efforts is implemented through OAR’s laboratories and
cooperative research institutes. The President requested $231.7 million for OAR labs and
cooperative institutes in FY2022, $34.2 million (17.3%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount
of $197.5 million.102
Another OAR program, the National Sea Grant College Program, is composed of 33 university-
based state programs and supports scientific research and stakeholder engagement to identify and
solve problems faced by coastal communities. The Administration’s FY2022 request would
provide $115.7 million to the National Sea Grant College Program, an increase of $40.7 million
(54.3%) from the FY2021 enacted amount, and $13.1 million to its related Aquaculture Research
program, an increase of $0.1 million (1.0%) from FY2021.103
Table 15. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration R&D
(direct obligations, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
National Environmental Satellite,
28.9
50.2

Data, and Information Service
(NESDIS)
National Marine Fisheries Service
75.8
75.4

(NMFS)
National Ocean Service (NOS)
102.9
138.5

National Weather Service (NWS)
24.2
36.8

Office of Marine and Aviation
205.6
416.3

Operations (OMAO)a
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
572.6
756.7

Research (OAR)
Mission Support
15.0
38.0

Total R&D
1,024.9
1,511.8

NOAA Total Direct Obligations,
5,649.5
7,258.0

Total R&D and Non-R&D
Sources: Line office amounts provided by the NOAA Budget Office via email correspondence on June 9, 2021,
and June 22, 2021. CRS calculated NOAA, Total R&D and non-R&D using amounts in P.L. 116-260 and NOAA,
Budget Estimates Fiscal Year 2022, 2021, at https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/
NOAA%20FY22%20CJ.pdf, p. Control Table-15.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed. Direct obligations include annual appropriations, transfers,
and recoveries from prior-year obligations. Congress and NOAA use several different budgetary terms, such as
direct obligations, budget authority, and appropriations. For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11518,

101 Email correspondence with the NOAA Budget Office, June 9, 2021, and June 22, 2021.
102 NOAA, Budget Estimates Fiscal Year 2022, and U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Committee
Print on H.R. 133/P.L. 116-260, Legislative Text and Explanatory Statement, Book 1 of 2, Divisions A-F, committee
print, 117th Cong., 1st sess., March 2021, p. 222. Hereinafter Committee Print on H.R. 133.
103 Committee Print on H.R. 133, p. 222, and NOAA, Budget Estimates Fiscal Year 2022.
Congressional Research Service

41

link to page 47 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) FY2021 Budget Request and Appropriations, by Eva
Lipiec. NOAA’s estimate of R&D funding in the FY2022 President’s budget request and the FY2021 enacted
amount include discretionary direct obligations and a relatively small amount of mandatory and other direct
obligations.
a. All Office of Marine Aviation Operations funding is for equipment related to R&D.
Department of Veterans Affairs104
The Department of Veterans Affairs operates and maintains a national health care delivery system
to provide eligible veterans with medical care, benefits, and social support. As part of the
agency’s mission, it seeks to advance medical R&D in areas most relevant to the diseases and
conditions that affect the health care needs of veterans.105
The President is requesting $1.631 billion for VA R&D in FY2022, an increase of $159 million
(11%) from FY2021 enacted levels. (See Table 16.) According to the President’s request,
FY2022 strategic priorities for VA R&D include increasing the access of veterans to clinical
trials; increasing the transfer and translation of VA R&D; and the effective use of VA data for
veterans. Additionally, crosscutting priorities for VA R&D include efforts to treat veterans at risk
of suicide and research to address chronic pain and opioid addiction, posttraumatic stress
disorder, traumatic brain injury, precision oncology, and Gulf War illness and military
exposures.106
VA R&D is funded through two accounts—the Medical and Prosthetic Research account and the
Medical Care Support account. The Medical Care Support account also includes non-R&D
funding, and the amount of funding that will be allocated to support R&D through appropriations
legislation is unclear unless Congress provides funding at the precise level of the request. In
general, R&D funding levels from the Medical Care Support account are known only after the VA
allocates its appropriations to specific activities and reports those figures.
The FY2022 request includes $882 million for VA’s Medical and Prosthetic Research account, an
increase of $87 million (11%) compared to FY2021 enacted levels. The request includes $750
million in funding for research supported by the agency’s Medical Care Support account, an
increase of $81 million (12%) compared to FY2021. The Medical Care Support account provides
administrative and other support for VA researchers and R&D projects, including infrastructure
maintenance.
The Medical and Prosthetics R&D program is an intramural program managed by the Veterans
Health Administration’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and conducted at VA
Medical Centers and VA-approved sites nationwide. According to ORD, the mission of VA R&D
includes “improv[ing] Veterans’ health and well-being via basic, translational, clinical, health
services, and rehabilitative research and apply[ing] scientific knowledge to develop effective
individualized care solutions for Veterans.”107 ORD consists of four main research services, each
headed by a director:

104 This section was written by Marcy E. Gallo, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science,
and Industry Division.
105 Department of Veterans Affairs, FY2018-2024 Strategic Plan, May, 31, 2019, p. 5, https://www.va.gov/oei/docs/
VA2018-2024strategicPlan.pdf.
106 Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume II: Medical Programs and Information Technology Programs,
Congressional Submission, FY2022, p. VHA-542.
107 Department of Veterans Affairs, “Office of Research and Development,” https://www.research.va.gov/about/
default.cfm.
Congressional Research Service

42

link to page 47 link to page 48 link to page 48 link to page 47 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

 Biomedical Laboratory R&D conducts preclinical research to understand life
processes at the molecular, genomic, and physiological levels.
 Clinical Science R&D supports clinical trials and other human subjects research
to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of new treatments such as drugs,
therapies, or devices; compare existing therapies; and improve clinical care and
practice.
 Health Services R&D conducts studies to identify and promote effective and
efficient strategies to improve the quality and accessibility of the VA health
system and patient outcomes, and to minimize health care costs.
 Rehabilitation R&D conducts research and develops novel approaches to
improving the quality of life of impaired and disabled veterans.
In addition to intramural support, VA researchers are eligible to obtain funding for their research
from extramural sources, including other federal agencies, private foundations and health
organizations, and commercial entities. According to the President’s FY2022 budget request,
these additional R&D resources are estimated at $540 million in FY2022. However, unlike other
federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, VA
does not have the authority to support extramural R&D by providing research grants to colleges,
universities, or other non-VA entities.
Table 16 summarizes R&D program funding for VA in the Medical and Prosthetic Research and
the Medical Care Support accounts. Table 17 details amounts to be spent in Designated Research
Areas (DRAs), which VA describes as “areas of importance to our veteran patient population.”108
Funding for research projects that span multiple areas may be included in several DRAs; thus, the
amounts in Table 17 total to more than the appropriation or request for VA R&D.
Table 16. Department of Veterans Affairs R&D
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
Account
Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Medical and Prosthetic Research
795.0a
882.0

Veterans Medical Care and Health Fund
9.0a
n/a

Medical Care Support
668.9
749.7

Veterans Affairs, Total R&D
$1,473.0
$1,631.7

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume II: Medical Programs and Information Technology Programs,
Congressional Submission, FY2022, p. VHA-541, https://www.va.gov/budget/docs/summary/
fy2022VAbudgetVolumeIImedicalProgramsAndInformationTechnology.pdf.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed. n/a = not applicable. VA researchers also receive grants from
other federal and non-federal resources, including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense,
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; these resources are estimated at $540 mil ion in FY2021
and $540 mil ion in FY2022. Additionally, the VA estimates reimbursements associated with agency R&D at $81
mil ion in FY2021 and $61 mil ion in FY2022, increasing the total amount of R&D performed at VA to $2.09
bil ion in FY2021 and $2.23 bil ion in the FY2022 request.
a. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-26) included a rescission of $20 mil ion from the
Medical and Prosthetic Research account; the enacted amount was $815 mil ion.

108 Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume II: Medical Programs and Information Technology Programs,
Congressional Submission, FY2022, p. VHA-585.
Congressional Research Service

43

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

b. The American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2, Section 8002) included $14.482 bil ion for medical care and
health needs; VA plans to use $9 mil ion of the provided funding for research under a new budget account,
the Veterans Medical Care and Health Fund.
Table 17. Department of Veterans Affairs R&D by Designated Research Area
(in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
Designated Research Area
Estimate
Request
Acute and Traumatic Injury
26.0
26.0
Aging
147.7
147.7
Autoimmune, Allergic, and Hematopoietic Disorders
38.9
38.9
Cancer
64.3
69.3
Central Nervous System Injury and Associated
107.1
127.1
Disorders
Degenerative Diseases of Bones and Joints
41.1
41.1
Dementia and Neuronal Degeneration
41.6
41.6
Diabetes and Major Complications
47.1
47.1
Digestive Diseases
26.1
26.1
Emerging Pathogens/Bio-Terrorism
3.0
3.0
Gulf War Veterans Il ness
15.5
15.5
Health Systems
69.9
69.9
Heart Disease/Cardiovascular Health
71.6
71.6
Infectious Disease
47.1
57.1
Kidney Disorders
18.2
18.2
Lung Disorders
27.9
27.9
Mental Il ness
121.6
121.6
Military Occupations and Environmental Exposures
23.4
30.4
Other Chronic Diseases
7.6
7.6
Prosthetics
25.5
25.5
Sensory Loss
23.2
23.2
Special Populations
42.8
42.8
Substance Abuse
29.9
29.9
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume II: Medical Programs and Information Technology Programs,
Congressional Submission, FY2022, pp. VHA-586-VHA-587, https://www.va.gov/budget/docs/summary/
fy2022VAbudgetVolumeIImedicalProgramsAndInformationTechnology.pdf.
Notes: Projects that span multiple areas may be included in several Designated Research Areas (DRAs);
therefore, the amounts depicted in this table total to more than the FY2021 amount and the FY2022 request for
Medical and Prosthetic Research. Columns for “FY2022 House,” “FY2022 Senate,” and “FY2022 Enacted” are
not included in this table as these figures wil only be available after Congress completes the appropriations
process and VA determines how much of the appropriated funds wil be allocated to each DRA.
Congressional Research Service

44

link to page 50 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Department of Transportation109
The Department of Transportation was established by the Department of Transportation Act (P.L.
89-670) on October 15, 1966. The primary purposes of DOT research and development activities
as defined by Section 6019 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (P.L. 114-94) are
improving mobility of people and goods; reducing congestion; promoting safety; improving the
durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure; preserving the environment; and
preserving the existing transportation system.
Funding for DOT R&D is generally included in appropriations line items that also include non-
R&D activities. The amount of funding provided by appropriations legislation that is allocated to
R&D is unclear unless funding is provided at the precise level of the request. In general, R&D
funding levels are known only after DOT agencies allocate their final appropriations to specific
activities and report those figures.
In FY2022, the Administration is requesting a total of $1.203 billion for DOT R&D activities and
facilities at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Office of the Secretary (OST), and the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) (see Table 18). In FY2021, three DOT
agencies—FAA, FHWA, and NHTSA—accounted for nearly 90% of DOT R&D funding.
Federal Aviation Administration
The President’s FY2022 request of $547.4 million for R&D activities and facilities at FAA would
be an increase of $68.8 million (14.4%) from the FY2021 enacted amount. The request includes
$258.5 million for the agency’s Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) account, an
increase of $60.5 million (30.6%) from FY2021. Funding within the RE&D account seeks to
improve aircraft safety through research in fields such as fire safety, advanced materials,
propulsion systems, aircraft icing, and continued airworthiness, in addition to safety research
related to unmanned aircraft systems and the integration of commercial space operations into the
national airspace. The RE&D account also supports research to reduce the environmental impacts
of aviation (i.e., noise and emissions). Much of the proposed increase to the RE&D account ($50
million) would support a Climate Aviation Program with the goal of enhancing and accelerating
research in the areas of sustainable aviation fuels for jet engines; unleaded fuel alternatives for
piston-engine aircraft; and alternate aircraft technologies, including electric propulsion.
Federal Highway Administration
According to the President’s budget request
FHWA’s contributions to researching and implementing transformative innovations and
technologies are changing the way roads, bridges, and other facilities are planned,
designed, built, managed, and maintained across the country to be more responsive to
current and future needs.110

109 This section was written by Marcy E. Gallo, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science,
and Industry Division.
110 Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, FHWA FY2022 Budget, p. I-4,
https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2021-06/fhwa-fy-2022_budget_508.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

45

link to page 50 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

The President’s request of $420 million for R&D activities and facilities at FHWA would be an
increase of $43.8 million (11.6%) from the FY2021 enacted amount. The request includes $125
million for FHWA’s Highway Research and Development program, which seeks to improve
safety, foster innovation, accelerate projects, enhance the design and construction of
transportation infrastructure, provide data and analysis for decisionmaking, and reduce
congestion. The request also includes $100 million for the deployment of technology to enhance
the safety, efficiency, and convenience of surface transportation under the agency’s Intelligent
Transportation Systems program.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The President is requesting $66.0 million in R&D and R&D facilities funding in FY2022 for
NHTSA, $16.0 million (32.1%) above the FY2021 enacted amount. NHTSA R&D focuses on
automation and the study of human machine interfaces, advanced vehicle safety technology,
improving vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance, and reducing unsafe driving behaviors.
Other DOT Components
R&D activities are also supported by several other DOT components or agencies (see Table 18).
The President’s FY2022 request includes DOT R&D activities and facilities funding for:
 the Federal Railroad Administration, totaling $58.8 million, $17.8 million
(43.5%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $41.0 million;
 the Federal Transit Administration, totaling $30 million, the same amount as
FY2021;
 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, totaling $24.5
million, $5.5 million (29%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $19.0 million;
 the Office of the Secretary, totaling $47.4 million, $21.6 million (83.5%) above
the FY2021enacted level of $25.8 million; and
 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, totaling $9.1 million, the same
amount as FY2021.
Table 18. Department of Transportation R&D Activities and Facilities
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Federal Aviation Administration
478.6
547.4

Research, Engineering, and
198.0
258.5

Development
Federal Highway Administration
376.2
420.0

Highway Research and
111.1
125.0

Development
Intelligent Transportation Systems
89.9
100.0

National Highway Traffic Safety
50.0
66.0

Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
41.0
58.8

Federal Transit Administration
30.0
30.0

Congressional Research Service

46

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
19.0
24.5

Safety Administration
Office of the Secretary
25.8
47.4

Federal Motor Carrier Safety
9.1
9.1

Administration
DOT, R&D Total
$1,029.6
$1,203.1

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation, Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Estimates, https://www.transportation.gov/
mission/budget/fiscal-year-2022-budget-estimates.
Notes: Amounts include R&D and R&D facilities. Components may not add to total due to rounding. Lines in
italics are components of the agency lines above them and are not counted separately in the total. Figures for the
columns currently blank may become available as action is completed.
Department of the Interior111
The Department of the Interior was created to conserve and manage the nation’s natural resources
and cultural heritage, to provide scientific and other information about those resources, and to
uphold “the nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper.” DOI has a wide range of
responsibilities, including, among other things, mapping; geological, hydrological, and biological
science; migratory bird, wildlife, and endangered species conservation; surface-mined lands
protection and restoration; and historic preservation.112 The Administration is requesting $17.4
billion in net discretionary funding for DOI in FY2022.113 Of that amount, $1.34 billion is
proposed for R&D, $315 million (31%) above the FY2021 estimated level of $1.02 billion.114
Funding for DOI R&D is generally included in appropriations line items that also include non-
R&D activities. How much of the funding provided in appropriations legislation is allocated to
R&D specifically is unclear unless funding is provided at the precise level of the request. In
general, R&D funding levels are known only after DOI components allocate their appropriations
to specific activities and report those figures.
U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey accounts for more than two-thirds of all DOI R&D funding. A single
appropriations account, Surveys, Investigations, and Research (SIR), provides all USGS funding.
USGS R&D is conducted under seven SIR activity/program areas: Ecosystems; Energy and
Mineral Resources; Natural Hazards; Water Resources; Core Science Systems; Science Support;
and Facilities.

111 This section was written by Laurie Harris, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
112 Department of the Interior, Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018-2022 and Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2014-
2018, available at https://www.doi.gov/performance/strategic-planning.
113 Department of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2022: The Interior Budget in Brief, May 2021, p. DH-3.
114 EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2022, Research and
Development, May 28, 2021, p. 178, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
ap_14_research_fy22.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

47

link to page 53 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

The President’s total FY2022 budget request for USGS is $1.6 billion, up $327 million (26%)
from the FY2021 enacted level.115 Of the proposed FY2022 total, $947 million would be for
R&D, an increase of $256 million (37%) from the FY2021 estimated level of $691 million.116
Other DOI Components
The President’s FY2022 request also includes R&D funding for the following DOI
components:117
 Bureau of Reclamation (BOR): $122 million for FY2022, down $11 million
(8.3%) from the FY2021 estimate.
 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM): $112 million for FY2022, up
$30 million (37%) from the FY2021 estimate.
 Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): $57 million for FY2022, up $24 million (73%)
from the FY2021 estimate.
 National Park Service (NPS): $34 million for FY2022, up $6 million (21%) from
the FY2021 estimate.
 Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE): $32 million for
FY2022, up $5 million (19%) from the FY2021 estimate.
 Bureau of Land Management (BLM): $21 million for FY2022, equal to the
FY2021 estimate.
 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): $5 million for FY2022, equal to the FY2021
estimate.
 Wildland Fire Management (WFM): $8 million for FY2022, up $5 million
(167%) from the FY2021 estimate.118
 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE): $1 million
for FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimate.
Table 19 summarizes FY2021 estimated R&D funding and the President’s FY2022 R&D funding
request for DOI components.

115 Department of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2022: The Interior Budget in Brief, May 2021, p. BH-59.
116 Email communications between CRS and OMB, May 26, 2021.
117 Ibid.
118 Ibid.
Congressional Research Service

48

link to page 54 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 19. Department of the Interior R&D
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Estimate
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
691
947

Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
133
122

Bureau of Ocean Energy
82
112

Management (BOEM)
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
33
57

National Park Service (NPS)
28
34

Bureau of Safety and Environmental
27
32

Enforcement (BSEE)
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
21
21

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
5
5

Wildland Fire Management (WFM)
3
8

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
1
1

and Enforcement (OSMRE)
Department of the Interior,
1,024
1,339

R&D Total
Source: EOP, OMB, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2022, Research and
Development, May 28, 2021, p. 178; and email communications between CRS and OMB, May 26, 2021.
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for the columns currently
blank may become available as action is completed.
Department of Homeland Security119
The Department of Homeland Security has identified five core missions: to prevent terrorism and
enhance security, to secure and manage the borders, to enforce and administer immigration laws,
to safeguard and secure cyberspace, and to ensure resilience to disasters. New technology
resulting from research and development can contribute to achieving all these goals. The
Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T) has primary responsibility for establishing,
administering, and coordinating DHS R&D activities. Other components, such as the Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security
Administration, conduct R&D relating to their specific missions.
The President’s FY2022 budget request for DHS includes $618 million for activities identified as
R&D. This would be an increase of 8.4% from $570 million in FY2021. The total includes
$503 million for the R&D account in the S&T Directorate and smaller amounts for five other
DHS components. See Table 20.
The S&T Directorate performs R&D in several laboratories of its own and funds R&D performed
by the DOE national laboratories, industry, universities, and others. It also conducts testing and
other technology-related activities in support of acquisitions by other DHS components. The
Administration’s FY2022 request of $503 million for the S&T Directorate R&D account would

119 This section was written by Daniel Morgan, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources, Science,
and Industry Division.
Congressional Research Service

49

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

be an increase of 13.4% from $444 million in FY2021. Within the R&D account, the Research,
Development, and Innovation budget line would increase by $53 million, including increases for
Cyber Security/Information Analysis (up $29 million); First Response/Disaster Resilience (up
$21 million); and Counter Terrorist (up $13 million); and a decrease for Border Security (down
$11 million). In the University Programs budget line, the request for university centers of
excellence is $46 million, up from $39 million in FY2021. The requested increase for centers of
excellence would support increased funding for continuing centers as well as the planned
selection of two new centers.
In addition to its R&D account, the S&T Directorate receives funding for laboratory facilities and
other R&D-related expenses through two other accounts (not shown in the table). The total
request for the directorate is $823 million, an increase of 7.5% from $766 million in FY2021. The
directorate’s Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account would receive $9 million
under the Administration’s request (versus $19 million in FY2021) for closure of the Plum Island
Animal Disease Center—which is being replaced by the National Bio and Agro-Defense
Facility—and for preparation of Plum Island itself for sale.120
Table 20. Department of Homeland Security R&D Accounts
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022

Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Science and Technology Directorate
444
503

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction
65
66

Office
Transportation Security Administration
30
36

U.S. Coast Guard
10
7

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security
9
4

Agency
U.S. Secret Service
12
2

Total, DHS R&D
570
618

Sources: FY2021 enacted from P.L. 116-260. FY2022 request from DHS congressional budget justification,
https://www.dhs.gov/publication/congressional-budget-justification-fy-2022.
Notes: Table includes accounts titled “Research and Development” in each DHS component. Some other
accounts may also fund R&D-related activities. Some amounts may not add to totals due to rounding. Figures for
the columns currently blank may become available as action is completed.
Environmental Protection Agency121
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the federal regulatory agency responsible for
administering multiple environmental pollution control laws, funds a broad range of R&D

120 The S&T Directorate is building NBAF using previously appropriated funds and is to transfer the facility to the
USDA once it becomes operational. For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11492, National Bio and Agro-Defense
Facility: Purpose and Status, by Genevieve K. Croft.
121 This section was written by Jerry H. Yen, Analyst in Environmental Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and Industry
Division. For an overview of FY2021 appropriations, President’s FY2021 budget request, and FY2020 enacted
appropriations for EPA, see CRS In Focus IF11563, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2021 Appropriations, by
Robert Esworthy and David M. Bearden.
Congressional Research Service

50

link to page 56 link to page 56 link to page 20 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

activities intended to provide scientific tools and knowledge that support decisions relating to
preventing, regulating, and abating environmental pollution. Since FY2006, Congress has funded
EPA’s discretionary budget through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies annual
appropriations acts.
Appropriations for EPA R&D are generally included in programs and activities that also include
non-R&D functions. Annual appropriations bills and the accompanying committee reports do not
identify precisely how much funding is allocated to EPA R&D alone. EPA determines R&D
funding levels for its operations through allocating the agency’s appropriations for authorized
activities and reporting those amounts.
The agency’s Science and Technology (S&T) appropriations account122 funds much of EPA’s
scientific research activities, which include R&D conducted by the agency at its own laboratories
and facilities, and R&D and related scientific research conducted by universities, foundations,
and other nonfederal entities that receive EPA grants. The S&T account receives a base
appropriation and a transfer from the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) account for
research on more effective methods for remediating contaminated sites.123
EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) is the primary manager of R&D at EPA
headquarters and laboratories around the country, as well as EPA-supported R&D external to the
agency. A large portion of the S&T account funds EPA R&D activities managed by ORD,
including research grants. Programs implemented by other offices within EPA also may have a
research component, but the research component is not necessarily the primary focus of the
particular program.
For FY2022, the President requests $861.0 million for EPA’s S&T account, which includes a
$31.0 million transfer from the Superfund account.124 The President’s request for EPA’s S&T
account (including this transfer) is a proposed increase of $100.9 million (13.3%) over the
enacted FY2021 appropriation of $760.1 million.125 Proposed increases in funding for the “Clean
Air” and “Research: Air and Energy” program areas combined make up 80.8% of the requested
increase in funding to EPA’s S&T account.
Table 21 presents a comparison of the FY2021 enacted appropriations and the President’s
FY2022 request for program areas and activities funded within EPA’s S&T account. The program
areas and activities listed in Table 21 are only those identified in funding tables presented in
explanatory statements accompanying annual appropriations bills that fund EPA. The explanatory
statements include additional breakouts of funding and directive language for certain activities
within these broader program areas. EPA’s annual budget justification also identifies specific
amounts of funding for various subprogram activities not listed in these explanatory statements.

122 In 1995, Congress established eight statutory accounts for EPA, including the S&T account. The S&T account
incorporates elements of the former EPA Research and Development account, as well as portions of the former Salaries
and Expenses and Program Operations accounts, which were in place until FY1996. Currently, including the S&T
account, discretionary funding is annually appropriated to EPA among 10 statutory accounts established by Congress
over time in annual appropriations acts. Because of the differences in the scope of the activities included in these
accounts, a comparable breakout of funding for these same activities before FY1996 is not readily available.
123 See footnote 29 for more information on Superfund.
124 EPA, Fiscal Year 2022 Justification of Appropriation Estimates for the Committee on Appropriations, EPA-190-R-
21-002, May 2021, https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2022-justification-appropriation-estimates-committee-
appropriations, pp. 3, 7-9, and 459 (pp. 22, 27-29, and 483 of the PDF).
125 For FY2021 enacted appropriations for program areas and activities funded within the EPA S&T account, see
Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 218—Book IV (December 21, 2020), pp. H8592-H8593 (funding tables).
Congressional Research Service

51

link to page 56 link to page 56 link to page 56 link to page 56 Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Table 21. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science and Technology Account
(appropriations, in millions of dollars)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
S&T Program Areas and Activities
Enacted
Request
House
Senate
Enacted
Clean Aira
118.6
139.2

Atmospheric Protection Programb
7.9
10.0

Enforcement
14.0
14.1

Homeland Security
35.7
40.4

Indoor Air and Radiation
5.1
6.7

Information Technology/Data

Management/Security
3.1
3.1

Operations and Administration
67.5
68.5

Pesticide Licensing
5.9
6.0

Research: Air and Energyc
95.3
156.2

Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability
127.0
135.2

Research: Computational Toxicology
21.4
22.2

Research: Endocrine Disruptor
16.3
16.9

Research: National Prioritiesd
7.5
0.0

Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
112.3
116.6

Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
133.0
137.4

Water: Human Health Protection
4.4
6.4

Subtotal Base S&T Account
729.3
830.0

Transfer from Hazardous Substance

Superfund Account to the S&T Account
30.8
31.0

Total, S&T Account (Net Appropriations)
760.1
861.0

Source: Prepared by CRS. Amounts in the table are generally as presented in P.L. 116-260; the explanatory
statement accompanying H.R. 133 (P.L. 116-260) as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 218—Book
IV (December 21, 2020), pp. H8592-H8593 (funding tables); and EPA, Fiscal Year 2022 Justification of Appropriation
Estimates for the Committee on Appropriations, EPA-190-R-21-002, May 2021, https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/
fy-2022-justification-appropriation-estimates-committee-appropriations, pp. 3, 7-9, and 459 (pp. 22, 27- 29, and
483 of the PDF).
Notes: Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Figures for columns currently blank
may become available as action is completed.
a. EPA’s FY2022 budget justification refers to this program area as “Clean Air and Climate.” Recent EPA
budget justifications have referred to this program area in a way that is consistent with funding tables
prepared by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
b. EPA’s FY2022 budget justification refers to this program area as “Climate Protection.” Recent EPA budget
justifications have referred to this program area in a way that is consistent with funding tables prepared by
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
c. EPA’s FY2022 budget justification refers to this program area as “Research: Air, Climate, and Energy.”
Recent EPA budget justifications have referred to this program area in a way that is consistent with funding
tables prepared by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
d. EPA’s FY2022 budget justification refers to this program area as “Research: Congressional Priorities.” For
FY2021, Congress appropriated funding for “National Priorities” to support grants for the same purpose as
in FY2020: “high-priority water quality and [water] availability research” as specified in S.Rept. 116-123.
Congressional Research Service

52

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Appendix A. Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
ACF
Administration for Children and Families
AFRI
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
AGARDA
Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority
AHRQ
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AI
Artificial Intelligence
AIMS
Arctic Infrastructure Modernization for Science
AOAM
Agency Operations and Award Management
ARPA-C
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Climate
ARPA-E
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
ARPA-H
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health
ARS
Agricultural Research Service
B&F
Buildings and Facilities
BA
Budget Authority
BIA
Bureau of Indian Affairs
BLM
Bureau of Land Management
BOEM
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
BOR
Bureau of Reclamation
BSEE
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
CA
Convergence Accelerator
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CJS
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
CLARREO
Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory
CMS
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CR
Continuing Resolution
CRF
Construction of Research Facilities
DARPA
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
DHP
Defense Health Program
DHS
Department of Homeland Security
DOC
Department of Commerce
DOD
Department of Defense
DOE
Department of Energy
DOI
Department of the Interior
DOT
Department of Transportation
DRA
Designated Research Area
EFNEP
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
Congressional Research Service

53

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
EHR
Education and Human Resources
EOP
Executive Office of the President
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EPSCoR
Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
ERS
Economic Research Service
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
FHWA
Federal Highway Administration
FIC
Fogarty International Center
FMCSA
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
FRA
Federal Railroad Administration
FTA
Federal Transit Administration
FW-HTF
Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier
FWS
Fish and Wildlife Service
FY
Fiscal Year
GCR
Growing Convergence Research
GCRA
Global Change Research Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-606)
GDP
Gross Domestic Product
GRFP
Graduate Research Fellowship Program
GWOT
Global War on Terror
HBCU
Historically Black Col eges and Universities
HDR
Harnessing the Data Revolution (for 21st-Century Science and Engineering)
HHS
Department of Health and Human Services
HLS
Human Landing System
HRSA
Health Resources and Services Administration
ICs
Institutes and Centers
INCLUDES
Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers
in Engineering and Science
ISS
International Space Station
IT
Information technology
ITER
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
ITS
Industrial Technology Services
LEO
Low Earth Orbit
LGUs
Land-Grant Col eges and Universities
LHHS
Labor, HHS, and Education
LSST
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
MEP
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Congressional Research Service

54

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
MREFC
Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction
MSI
Minority Serving Institutions
NAL
National Agricultural Library
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASS
National Agricultural Statistics Service
NBAF
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
NCATS
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
NCI
National Cancer Institute
NCO
National Coordinating Office (NITRD)
NEF
Nonrecurring Expenses Fund
NEI
National Eye Institute
NESDIS
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
NHGRI
National Human Genome Research Institute
NHLBI
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NIA
National Institute on Aging
NIAAA
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
NIAID
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
NIAMS
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
NIBIB
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
NICHD
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
NIDA
National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIDCD
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
NIDCR
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
NIDDK
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
NIEHS
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIFA
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
NIGMS
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NIH
National Institutes of Health
NIIMBL
National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals
NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health
NIMHD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
NINDS
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
NINR
National Institute of Nursing Research
NIST
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NITRD
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development
Congressional Research Service

55

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
NLM
National Library of Medicine
NMFS
National Marine Fisheries Service
NNA
Navigating the New Arctic
NNI
National Nanotechnology Initiative
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOS
National Ocean Service
NPS
National Park Service
NRT
National Research Traineeship
NSB
National Science Board
NSET
Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSTC Subcommittee)
NSF
National Science Foundation
NSTC
National Science and Technology Council
NWS
National Weather Service
OAR
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
OCO
Overseas Contingency Operations
OCS
Office of the Chief Scientist (USDA)
OD
NIH Office of the Director
OIG
Office of the Inspector General
OMAO
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
OMB
Office of Management and Budget
ORD
Office of Research and Development
OSMRE
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
OST
Office of the Secretary of Transportation
OSTP
Office of Science and Technology Policy
PACE
Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and Ocean Ecosystem
PE
Program Element
PHMSA
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
PHSA
Public Health Service Act
PIADC
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
PRIF
Pediatric Research Initiative Fund
QIS
Quantum Information Science
R&D
Research and Development
RDT&E
Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
RE&D
Research, Engineering, and Development
REE
Research, Education, and Economics
RRA
Research and Related Activities
Congressional Research Service

56

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
SARE
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
S&T
Science and Technology
SIR
Surveys, Investigations, and Research
SLS
Space Launch System
SOFIA
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
STRS
Scientific and Technical Research and Services
TIP
Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (NSF Directorate)
TOA
Total Obligational Authority
URoL
Understanding the Rules of Life
USDA
Department of Agriculture
USGCRP
U.S. Global Change Research Program
USGS
U.S. Geological Survey
VA
Department of Veterans Affairs
WFIRST
Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope
WFM
Wildland Fire Management
WoU
Windows on the Universe

Congressional Research Service

57

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Appendix B. CRS Contacts for Agency R&D
The following table lists the primary CRS experts on R&D funding for the agencies covered in
this report.
Agency
CRS Contact
Department of Agriculture
Genevieve K. Croft
Analyst in Agricultural Policy

Department of Commerce

National Institute of Standards and Technology
John F. Sargent Jr.
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Eva Lipiec
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy

Department of Defense
John F. Sargent Jr.
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

Department of Energy
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

Department of Health and Human Services
Kavya Sekar
National Institutes of Health
Analyst in Health Policy

Department of Homeland Security
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

Department of the Interior
Laurie A. Harris
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

Department of Transportation
Marcy E. Gallo
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

Department of Veterans Affairs
Marcy E. Gallo
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

Environmental Protection Agency
Jerry Yen
Analyst in Environmental Policy

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

National Science Foundation
Laurie A. Harris
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

Congressional Research Service

58

Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2022

Author Information

John F. Sargent Jr., Coordinator
Eva Lipiec
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy

Genevieve K. Croft
Daniel Morgan
Analyst in Agricultural Policy
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

Marcy E. Gallo
Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy
Analyst in Health Policy

Laurie A. Harris
Jerry H. Yen
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy
Analyst in Environmental Policy

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R46869 · VERSION 1 · NEW
59