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Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 30, 2009 at 6:48 am 

Below, please find an overview of funding provided for ocean research — thus far — in the FY10 appropriations process. The FY10 appropriations process will continue to play out over the course of the summer and early fall, with final bills expected by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2009.

NSF Appropriations Account	FY09 Final	FY10 Request	FY10 House	FY10 Senate
Total NSF	6490.4	7045.0	6936.5	6916.8
Research and Related Activities	5183.1	5733.2	5642.1	5618.0
Polar Programs	470.7	516.0
Geosciences Directorate	807.1	909.0
Ocean Sciences	330.4	359.1
Atmospheric Sciences	244.6	269.2
Earth Sciences	171.0	186.9
Major Research Equipment	152.0	117.3	114.3	122.3
AdvLIGO	51.4	46.3	46.3
Atacama Large Millimeter Array	82.3	42.8	42.8
IceCube Neutrino Obs.	11.3	1.0	1.0
Advanced Solar Telescope		10.0
Neon
OOI		14.3	14.3
ARRV
Education and Human Resources	845.3	858.0	862.9	0.0
NASA Appropriations Account	FY09 Final	FY10 Request	FY10 House	FY10 Senate
Total NASA	17782.4	18686.0	18203.3	18686.0
Science	4503.0	4477.2	4496.1	4517.0
Earth Science	1379.6	1405.0	1443.0	1405.0
Heliophysics	591.6	605.0	605.0	646.6
Planetary Science	1325.6	1346.2	1348.3	1354.8
Astrophysics	1206.2	1120.9	1170.9	1169.8
Earth System Missions	898.9	715.5	730.5	720.5
NPOESS Prepatory Mission	57.1	112.8	112.8	112.8
Decadal Survey	82.3
Ocean Surface Topography	8.0
Exploration Systems	3905.5	3963.1	3293.2	3940.4
Aeronautics Research	650.0	507.0	501.0	507.0
Education Programs	169.2	126.1	175.0	140.1
NOAA Program or Account	FY09 Final	FY10 Request	FY10 House	FY10 Senate
Total NOAA	4373.9	4483.8	4602.9	4772.8
Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research	396.7	394.2	426.7	419.8
Ocean & Coastal Research	122.8	107.4	114.4	119.8
Sea Grant College Program	55	55.1	59.1	63.1
National Undersea Research Program	8.9	0	9	8.9
Ocean Exploration	18.6	27.8	21.8	22.8
Coastal, Ocean & Great Lakes Labs & Inst.	24.2	21.8	21.8	25.0
Total Climate Research	196.5	209.8	229	209.8
Climate & Atmos. Labs and Insts.	49.3	54.5	55.1	52.7
Climate Data and Information	8.3	12.1	12.1	12.1
Competitive Research Program	132	144.2	149.2	144.2
Climate Operations	0.9	0.9	0.9	913.0
Regional Climate Assessments			12
Weather Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes	53.3	52.7	54.9	54.5
Info Tech, R&D, Science Education	14	13.1	13.1	13.2
National Ocean Service (ORF)	497	462.7	482	511.6
Navigation Services	166.4	155.1	152.3	163.4
Ocean Resources Conserv. & Assess.	164	159.7	164.9	161.4
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science	53.3	52	49.2	53.8
Competitive External Research (HABS)	15.8	15.8	15.8	16.0
Ocean Assessment Program	94.5	83.4	89.6	107.6
Ocean Health Initiative	4	1	1	4.0
Integrated Ocean Observing System – Grants	20	14.6	20	27.5
IOOS Program Office	6.5	6.6	6.6	6.6
Ocean Research Priorities Plan Implementation	0	6		6.0
Ocean & Coastal Management	155.1	147.9	155.4	152.7
Coastal Zone Management Grants	66.1	67.2	67.5	66.5
Estuarine Research Reserve System	22.3	22.3	23.5	22.8
National Marine Sanctuary Program	47.4	45	49.9	49.9
National Marine Fisheries Service (ORF)	754	890.6	915.9	872.4
National Weather Service (ORF)	848	867.2	857.2	889.1
National Environmental Satellite, Data & Information Service (ORF)	187.4	171.7	199.5	176.1
NESDIS PAC	990.6	1256.9	1268.9	1232.4
NESDIS TOTAL (ORF+PAC)	1178	1428.6	1468.4	1408.5
Program Support total (ORF)	451	420	436	432.2
Education Initiative/Program	46.1	20.7	35.3	35.0
Procurement Acquisition & Construction	1245.7	1393.3	1441.2	1397.7

Posted by Maggie Mount on June 29, 2009 at 1:52 pm 

Congress is in recess this week.  The Senate will reconvene Monday, July 6th and the House will reconvene Tuesday, July 7th. 

Next week the Senate Appropriations (Full) Committee will mark up the FY2010 Agriculture  and Military Construction appropriations.   The full committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions will continue its markup on Health Care Overhaul.

In the House, the full Appropriations Committee will mark up FY2010 Energy and Water, Financial Services, and Labor-HHS-Education.

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 29, 2009 at 8:26 am 

Late Friday night, before the commencement of a July 4th District Work Period (a.k.a. recess), the House of Representatives approved the American Clean Energy and Security Act by a slim 219-212 vote margin. The legislation; sponsored by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming; is designed to reduce pollution that causes global warming while simultaneously reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, major provisions of the 1000 page bill include:

• Requires electric utilities to meet 20% of their electricity demand through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency by 2020.
• Invests $190 billion in new clean energy technologies and energy efficiency, including energy efficiency and renewable energy ($90 billion in new investments by 2025), carbon capture and sequestration ($60 billion), electric and other advanced technology vehicles ($20 billion), and basic scientific research and development ($20 billion).
• Mandates new energy-saving standards for buildings, appliances, and industry.
• Reduces carbon emissions from major U.S. sources by 17% by 2020 and over 80% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. Complementary measures in the legislation, such as investments in preventing tropical deforestation, will achieve significant additional reductions in carbon emissions.
• Protects consumers from energy price increases. According to recent analyses from the Congressional Budget Office and the Environmental Protection Agency, the legislation will cost each household less than 50 cents per day in 2020 (not including energy efficiency savings).

From the higher education perspective, the absence of funding for research sufficient to meet the greenhouse gas emissions targets set in the bill is seen as a major shortcoming. Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) has been outspoken on this issue; “”I remain deeply concerned that this bill does not include the necessary research and development funding that is needed to reach the 80 percent reduction target set in H.R. 2454.  We will not be able to meet this goal with today’s technologies, and as written the bill does not provide the billions of dollars a year that will be needed to develop them.  This is not a small or parochial concern.  If Americans and others around the world are to embrace a transformation in the way we use and produce energy, they must know that our effort includes the engine to drive the innovation for that transformation.  Without a very robust research effort—many billions of dollars—the vision of transformation will be a mirage and the public will know it. I have been assured by Chairman Waxman, Chairman Markey, Speaker Pelosi, members of the Administration and members of the Senate that they understand this shortcoming and that they will work with me to increase the research funding to drive the innovation we need to transform the way we produce and use energy.”

The much talked about “Innovation Hubs,” now included in the bill, do not completely reflect the vision of “Innovation Hubs” that the Obama administration laid out in the FY 2010 budget request. The legislation has a strong emphasis on translational, near commercialization research, whereas, Chu’s “Hubs” are described as covering the spectrum of R&D from basic research to commercialization.

It is exptected that this legislation will face a much tougher time in the Senate, where a fillibuster can be used by a minority to effectively stop the legislation from moving forward. The Obama administration has articulated that it expects a vote in the Senate in the fall.

HR 2454 Report

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 26, 2009 at 1:06 pm 

**The following press release was made available by the Department of Education on June 24th**

The Obama Administration today announced a shorter, simpler, and more user friendly Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will make it easier to apply for college financial aid. The changes—some of which are already in place while others will be phased in over the next few months—are designed to increase postsecondary enrollment, particularly among low- and middle-income students.

“President Obama has challenged the nation to once again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education. “To do that, we need to make the college-going process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach. Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal.” Read more

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 25, 2009 at 1:13 pm 

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water has advanced a spending bill for fiscal year 2010. The legislation funds the Department of Energy Office of Science at the President’s Budget Request of $4.94 billion. The legislation also adds $20 million for fusion energy sciences. At this point, information on the proposed Innovation Hubs and RE-ENERGYSE is unavailable. Two University of Washington projects were included in the bill:

• $1 million for the UW led Washington State Biofuels Industry Development project; and
• $880,000 for the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, of which the UW is a partner.

Funding identified in the subcommittee bill does not guarantee project support, but is a critical step in the appropriations process.

FY10 Energy and Water Appropriations Chart

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 25, 2009 at 9:16 am 

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations committee marked up the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations bill and the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill. The CJS bill funds OSTP, NASA, NSF, NOAA, and NIST among others. Interior-Environment Appropriations bill funds the NEH, NEA, EPA Office of Science, and the US Geological Survey. Highlights of the two bills are provided below.

Summary: FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee Mark

2009 Enacted: $57.7 billion
President’s Request: $64.7 billion (including overseas contingencies)
Subcommittee Mark: $64.9 billion (including overseas contingencies)

The Subcommittee mark totals $64.9 billion in discretionary budget authority for fiscal year 2010, $7.27 billion above fiscal year 2009, excluding supplemental funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009.

Priorities for the bill include:
(1) Keeping America safe from terrorism and violent crime;
(2) Investing in America’s scientific infrastructure to create new technologies and new jobs; and
(3) Ensuring a timely and accurate 2010 Census Read more

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 23, 2009 at 12:26 pm 

Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released additional Implementing Guidance for the Reports on Use of Funds Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (OMB Memorandum M-09-21).  The guidance is available on the OMB website, and on the Recovery Act website.

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 23, 2009 at 9:45 am 

Late Thursday of last week, the House passed (by a vote of 259-157) its fiscal 2010 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) measure, HR 2847. The House measure provides $4.6 B for NOAA, and strongly supports NOAA research. The request for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) in the FY 2010 President’s Budget (PB) is fully funded, with minor changes. Specifically, the House provides $19.9M above the request for Climate Research; adds $4.4M in Weather and Air Quality Research funding, and $8.1M in Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research funding – for a total increase of $32.5M over the FY 2010 PB. Of this amount, $5.6M is for “Congressionally Directed Projects.” Senate subcommittee markups of fiscal 2010 spending measures are expected to begin this week, and the full Senate Appropriations is scheduled to mark up CJS this Thursday, June 25.

Within the President’s FY10 budget request, OAR requests a total of $404.6M. In summary, OAR requests: $209.8M for Climate Research; $63.9M for Weather and Air Quality Research; $107.4M for Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research; $13.1M for Information Technology, R&D, and Science Education; $10.4M for Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction.

[Provided by NOAA OAR Staff]

Posted by Maggie Mount on June 22, 2009 at 1:33 pm 

Source: CQ Today Print Edition

Monday

• The House is not in session.
• The Senate will consider S 1023, Promoting U.S. tourism
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions marks up draft health care legislation

Tuesday

IN THE HOUSE

• The House will consider (among other legislation):

HR 762            Patent number validation

HR 1945          Tule River water development

S 407               Veterans’ cost of living

HR 1172          VA scholarship Web site

HR 1016          Veterans’ health care budget

HR 1211          Women veterans’ health care

H Res 543        Home Safety Month

HR 1511          Torture victims relief

HR 1752          House salaries payday

S 1298             Homeland Security spending

• Appropriations marks up draft Military Construction-VA and State-Foreign Operations spending bills.
• Homeland Security marks up chemical facility security legislation, HR 2868

IN THE SENATE

• Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions marks up draft health care legislation
• Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill.
• Armed Services Airland Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill
• Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill.
• Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill.
• Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill

Wednesday

IN THE HOUSE

• The House will consider

HR 2892          Homeland Security spending

HR 2647          Defense authorization

Draft                Interior-Environment spending

• Science and Technology Committee marks up energy research legislation. HR 2729; HR 1622
• Transportation and Infrastructure Highways and Transit Subcommittee marks up the draft surface transportation authorization bill.
• Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on a health care overhaul.

IN THE SENATE

• Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions marks up draft health care legislation
• Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee marks up portions of the defense authorization bill.
• Armed Services marks up the draft defense authorization bill. 

Thursday:

IN THE HOUSE

• Energy-Water Appropriations Subcommittee marks up its draft spending bill.

IN THE SENATE

• Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committeemarks up draft health care legislation
• Armed Services Committee marks up the draft defense authorization bill.
• Judiciary Committee marks up bills on state secrets, S 417; consumer credit, S 257; free flow of information, S 448; and generic-drug affordability, S 369.
• Appropriations Committee marks up the draft Interior-Environment and Commerce-Justice-Science spending bills.

Friday

IN THE SENATE

• Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee marks up draft health care legislation
• Armed Services Committee marks up the draft defense authorization bill.

Posted by Jonathan Nurse on June 22, 2009 at 11:37 am 

The memorandum below was released today by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

To:          APLU Presidents and Chancellors
Cc:          All APLU Councils and Commissions
From:      Peter McPherson, President
Date:       June 22, 2009
Re:          Goal of 55% of young adults obtaining a college degree by 2025

Saturday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal contained an op-ed which I wrote with David Shulenburger.  In the essay we proposed the goal of having 55% of people in the U.S. between the ages 25 and 34 earn a college degree by 2025.  The op-ed can be found at: Yes, We Can Expand Access to Higher Ed.

Attached is the draft paper on which the op-ed is based.  A news release and link are also available on our website.  The draft paper was circulated to you earlier and discussed at the APLU Board and Presidents Council meetings a few weeks ago.

David and I believe that the 55% goal discussed in the draft paper is a good one. But what we think is most important is for the academic community to discuss and start to come together on some ambitious goal.  We also hope that President Obama, at some point, will set out a refined and ambitious goal that has broad support within the academic community.

Thank you.

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