The House of Representatives and the Senate Appropriations Committee have now passed Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bills, which include funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Despite a reasonable increase to the NSF in President Obama’s requested budget, both chambers adhered to the current budget caps established by the Budget Control Act of 2011. The president has threatened to veto any appropriations bills that adhere to these caps. Nonetheless, the Senate recommended flat funding for NSF while the House included an anemic increase of $50 million dollars to the Research and Related Activities Account.
President’s Request
House FY 16
Senate Appropriations Committee FY 16
FY 2015
National Science Foundation
$7,724 million
$7,394 million
$7,344 million
Directorate for Education & Human Resources
$962 million
$866 million
Research and Related Account
$6,186 million
$5,984 million
$5,934 million
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences
$291 million
See Report Language
Not Specified
$272 million