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Category: Climate

Senate Moves C-J-S Forward

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Today, the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce-Justice-Science approved its $56.3 billion FY 2017 legislation on a bipartisan voice vote, boosting the spending allocation by 1 percent over current levels. The full bill text is expected to be released when the legislation is marked up by the full committee Thursday.

Overall, the bill would provide a $71 million boost, to $9.3 billion, for the Department of Commerce, and a $156 billion increase, to $29.2 billion, for the Justice Department. NASA would receive a tiny increase of $21 million to $19.3 billion. The National Science Foundation would receive a $46 million increase to $7.5 billion. The Census Bureau, an agency of the Commerce Department, would receive an increase of $150 million as it prepares for the decennial census in 2020.

NIST

  • $974 million for NIST, $10 million above the FY2016 enacted level, to strengthen the U.S. cybersecurity posture through cutting-edge research and development, expand opportunities in the areas of advanced manufacturing, and continue promotion of the highest-quality standards to maintain fairness in the marketplace. 
  • 25 million for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), which supports private sector efforts in advanced manufacturing by establishing industry-driven institutes through open competition.

 

NOAA 

  • $5.7 billion for NOAA, a $33.5 million increase above the FY2016 enacted level for core NOAA operations including: ocean monitoring; fisheries management; coastal grants to states; aquaculture research; and severe weather forecasting. 
  • The bill provides full funding for NOAA’s flagship weather satellites, which are critical for accurate weather warnings to save lives and protect property.  Funding for NOAA continues to target new areas of investment for fisheries management, including the testing and implementation of new technologies and management schemes to expand opportunities for American commercial and recreational fishermen.  
  • This bill provides $383 million to continue construction of two new polar ‘follow-on’ satellites and $1.5 billion for NOAA’s legacy JPSS and GOES weather satellites.  Polar satellites provide 85 percent of the data used to forecast the weather and are a vital component of Americans’ personal, property and economic security. 

 

NASA 

  • $19.3 billion for NASA, $21 million over the FY2016 enacted level and $1 billion above the FY2017 NASA budget request, to support the human and robotic exploration of space, fund science missions that enhance the understanding of the Earth, the solar system, and the universe, and support fundamental aeronautics research. 
  • $2.15 billion for the Space Launch System (SLS), which is $150 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $920 million above the request.  The SLS is the nation’s launch vehicle that will enable humans to explore space beyond current capabilities.  The funding maintains the current schedule for the first launch of SLS, and provides $300 million in critical funding for upper stage engine work for future crewed missions in 2021 and beyond.
  • $1.3 billion for the Orion crewed spacecraft, $30 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $247 million above the request, to enable a crewed launch in 2021.  Orion is the NASA-crewed vehicle being designed to take astronauts to destinations farther than ever before, including Mars.
  • $5.4 billion for Science, $194 million below the FY2016 enacted level and $92.5 million above the request.  This funding encompasses missions from the Earth to the Moon, throughout the solar system, and the far reaches of the universe.
  • $1.18 billion, the same as the request, to further develop a domestic crew launch capability.  Once developed and fully tested, these vehicles will help end the United States’ reliance on Russia for transporting American astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
  • $687 million for Space Technology, the same as the FY2016 enacted level and $4.1 million below the request.  Funding is included to advance projects that are early in development that will eventually demonstrate capabilities needed for future space exploration.

 

NSF

  • $7.5 billion for NSF, maintaining the FY2016 enacted level.  Funding is provided for basic research across all scientific disciplines to support the development of effective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [STEM] programs and to grow the next generation of scientists. 
  • $159 million is provided for the design and construction of three Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRV) instead of the two RCRVs, as proposed by NSF.  By having three regional ships, the Gulf of Mexico and the East and West coasts will be able to have their own dedicated RCRV to maximize research time in each region.

 

OSTP Internship

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The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is currently accepting applications for its Fall Policy Internship Program.  The application deadline is June 17, 2016.  Students who are U.S. citizens and who will be enrolled in, or have just graduated from, an academic program should feel free to apply.

More information and application instructions are available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/about/student.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy advises the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The office serves as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans and programs of the Federal Government.

Interns are accepted for one of three annual terms (Spring, Summer, or Fall), which each last no more than 90 days. The assignments provide educational enrichment, practical work experience, and networking opportunities with other individuals in the science and technology policy arena.

OMB Writes Letter of Concern about Senate FY16 CJS

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The White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan has issued another letter on the FY16 appropriations proposal currently working their way though Congress. Today, Director Donovan’s letter was addressed to the Senate and expressed concern over the Senate’s FY16 CJS spending bill.  The letter outlines concerns about underfunding the important investments in a diverse set of agencies and programs (from science agencies like NSF and NOAA to law enforcement as well as the census)  and includes highly problematic ideological riders. Over all the letter echo previously seen concerns about Congress crafting these bills in accordance to sequestration funding limitations, while not working on a FY16 budget that would supplant the sequester.

Specically, the letter outlines concerns for maintaining our nation’s ability and capacity at science-focused agencies.

  • The bill cuts the President’s Budget by $245 million, or 64 percent, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) next generation ofpolar-orbiting weather satellites which puts the continuity of the polar weather observations at substantial risk.
  • The bill underfunds the National Science Foundation, providing $380 million, or 5 percent, less than the President’s Budget for an agency that carries a major share of the Federal Government’s responsibility to support basic research in science and engineering-research that produces the seed com on which future innovation depends, but by its nature is too uncertain in ultimate application to attract private-sector funding. Compared to the President’s Budget, the bill would lead to about 700 fewer research grants, affecting about 9,100 researchers, technicians, and students.

Read the OMB letter here. 

White House Issues Veto Threat on House’s FY16 House Interior and OMB Letter on FY16 Labor-H Appropriations Bill

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As discussed yesterday, the House’s FY16 Interior appropriations bill contained significant cuts and policy riders which would be of serious concern to the White House. Accordingly, the White House has issued a Statement of Administrative Policy (SAP) about the House’s draft bill, which includes a veto threat. Additionally, the OMB Director Donovan wrote a letter on the House’s FY16 Labor-H appropriations bill outlining the Administration’s concerns.

This not the first veto threat offered by the administration this year (see here and here). Both SAPs for the House’s FY16 Interior and FY16 Labor-H measures cite the conformance to Sequestration levels of funding as an overarching reason to veto the measures, which has been a reoccurring theme all year.

The SAP on the FY16 Interior bill cites the drastically underfunded core Department of the Interior programs as well as the Environmental Protection Agency’s operating budget. Additionally, the SAP states concerns with “the numerous highly problematic ideological provisions that have no place in funding legislation. These provisions threaten to undermine the ability of States and communities to address climate change and protect a resource that is essential to America’s health—clean water, as well as the most basic protections for America’s special places and the people and wildlife that rely on them.

Additionally, the Administration raises concerns with the numerous policy riders including: blocking the Department of the Interior’s proposed fracking regulations; preventing the implementation of the National Ocean Policy; prohibit funding for the EPA to impose new Green House Gas standards; prevent the EPA from continuing work to implement the 2008 Lead Renovating and Repairing rule until the EPA develops a commercially available “improved” lead paint test kit; and allow the use of lead ammunition in the hunting of migratory waterfowl on public lands.

Finally, the SAP raise separation of powers concerns with the bill due to the policy provisions.

The OMB letter on the FY16 Labor-H bill cites the cuts and restrictions to the Affordable Care Act, the cuts to programs like Head Start, the $6.7 billion cut to the Department of Ed (from the PBR’s proposal), and the effective $370 million cut to Pell. The SAP says in part:

“Through a combination of funding cuts and ideologically-motivated restrictions, the Subcommittee bill would obstruct the functioning of the Health Insurance Marketplaces, jeopardizing or disrupting coverage for the more than 10 million people currently enrolled in health insurance plans through the Marketplaces. It would also deny assistance to States expanding their Medicaid programs under the ACA, jeopardizing coverage for many millions more.

– and –

“This bill includes a $370 million cut to the Pell Grant program, which will make it more difficult to help students pay for college over the next decade. It also cuts funding for administering and overseeing the student aid programs by $136 million, or roughly 9 percent, below the President’s request, hurting the Department of Education’s ability to hold the approximately 6,500 colleges and universities that receive Federal dollars accountable to students and taxpayers and ensure that all students have access to high­ quality loan servicing.”

Additionally the letter cites concerns about the elimination of Title X family planning funds, cuts to the Social Security Administration, and cuts to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) which procures new medical countermeasures to protect against potential chemical; biological, radiological and nuclear attacks. Finally, the Administration is concerned about the numerous policy riders including the prevention of the ED from implementing the Gainful Employment regulations as well as the host of riders designed to defund and effectively kill the ACA.

 

 

OMB Signals Concerns on House FY16 Interior Bill

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Due to be marked up today, the White House signaled concerns to House Appropriators about their $30.2 billion FY16 Interior-Environment spending bill. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  Director Shaun Donovan criticized the measure for the proposed cuts to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as riders to block implementation of various air and water rules.

The Interior-Environment appropriations bill funds the EPA, U.S. Forest Service, Interior Department, the Smithsonian, and Indian Health Service. Donovan criticized the measure for its “misplaced priorities” and funding levels that fall 9 percent below the President’s request as well as cuts to the Indian Health Service and Interior’s climate resilience, land management and conservation efforts.

This letter from Donovan is not the first effort the Administration has used to signal displeasure with House Appropriations bills. Donovan wrote similar letter about the House CJS measure, and the White House has issued veto threats on the NDAA and House Defense appropriations bills.

Read the OMB letter to House Appropriations here.