R&D funding

Current understanding

Federal research-budget action — appropriations, agency R&D priorities, cuts and expansions.

Evidence log

• 2021-01-04 — Space Research Innovation Act: The introduced Space Research Innovation Act would direct NASA to establish a university-affiliated research center with higher education and nonprofit partners for deep-space and cis-lunar engineering support and analysis, proposing new research infrastructure without establishing enacted funding. (novelty: 2)
• 2022-07-27 — Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act: The House-passed Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act would require competitive NSF research grants to colleges and nonprofits for improving K–12 modeling, data science, and computational thinking education and authorize a National Academies study, representing a proposed funding mechanism rather than evidence of enacted appropriations. (novelty: 2)
• 2022-02-11 — Stop Funding Our Adversaries Act of 2022: The Stop Funding Our Adversaries Act of 2022 proposed restrictions on federal research funding involving China’s government, the Chinese Communist Party, and entities controlled by either, including indirect funding, rather than changes to R&D spending levels (introduced; did not advance beyond committee, not enacted). (novelty: 2)
• 2005-12-08 — Water Supply Technology Program Act of 2005: 2005 — Water Supply Technology Program Act of 2005: Senate bill would have authorized a DOE National Lab–led R&D program to develop cheaper water-supply technologies (introduced; placed on Senate calendar, not enacted). (novelty: 2)
• 2005-07-01 — To reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988.: 2005 — Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Reauthorization: House bill would reauthorize $12M/year FY2006–FY2010 for DOE research on energy-saving steel and aluminum technologies and add advanced sheet/bar steel and greenhouse-gas reduction to program priorities (introduced; not enacted). (novelty: 2)
• 2008-09-26 — National Windstorm Impact Reduction Reauthorization Act of 2008: 2008 — National Windstorm Impact Reduction Reauthorization Act of 2008: Senate bill would reauthorize the multi-agency windstorm-research program through FY2013 with NIST as lead coordinator (introduced; not enacted). (novelty: 2) (novelty: 2)
• 2006-07-19 — American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2006: 2006 — American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2006 (citation removed): Senate bill would have required annual White House guidance to agencies on federal research investment priorities (introduced; placed on Senate calendar, not enacted). (novelty: 2)
• 2006-02-27 — Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2005: 2005 — Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2005: Senate bill would have authorized TSA and DOT appropriations through FY2009 and earmarked portions of DHS S&T research funds for port and rail security (introduced; not enacted). (novelty: 2)
• 2006-03-08 — National Innovation Act–Commerce Provisions: 2006 — National Innovation Act (2006) (citation removed): Senate bill would have doubled NSF research funding and expanded graduate science fellowships as part of a broad competitiveness package (introduced; referred to committee, not enacted). (novelty: 2) (novelty: 2)
• 1983-04-12 — National Science Foundation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1984: 1983 — NSF Authorization Act for FY1984 (citation removed): Senate bill would set FY1984 NSF spending levels across research directorates and science education, expand inter-account transfer authority with congressional notice, and repeal the minority/low-income science resource center, contracting-officer grant-affiliation reporting, and the employee-patent ban (introduced; Senate calendar only). (novelty: 2) (novelty: 2)
• 2023-07-11 — Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act: Introduced Senate ‘Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act’ would authorize new HHS workforce funding streams and direct NIH to expand palliative-care research (introduced; not enacted). (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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