Energy & Water Moves Forward with a Veto Threat

Posted on April 20, 2016

Last night, the House Appropriations Committee cleared its FY 2017 Energy & Water Appropriations legislation by voice vote, clearing the measure for Floor consideration. The bill includes $37.4 billion for the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies and programs.

House Democrats and Republicans sparred over language in the bill dealing with firearms on Army Corps of Engineers lands and Obama administration clean water regulations. The panel turned back Democratic amendments that would have struck a cluster of Republican policy provisions and provide emergency aid for Flint, MI.

The Senate passed its version of the FY 2017 measure last week in both subcommittee and full committee. Meanwhile, as the Senate is considering the measure on the Floor, the Administration has issued a Statement of Administration Policy containing a veto threat of the measure if it should pass in its current form.

The SAP outlines a number of issues the administration has with the bill, including low funding for energy research and development and “the inclusion of problematic ideological provisions that are beyond the scope of funding legislation.” The OMB statement refers specifically to a policy rider in the bill that would bar changes by the administration to the definition of “fill material” or “discharge of fill material” as it relates to the Clean Water Act (PL 95-217). Republicans fear such action could harm coal and mining activities.

Regarding Energy research funding, the SAP specifically says:

“The bill underfunds critical energy research and development activities and fails to put us on an achievable path toward doubling clean energy research and development by FY 2021. Specifically, the Administration objects to the low funding levels provided for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Reductions in both of these programs significantly below the FY 2017 Budget request would undermine critical activities that support the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies. At this funding level, the number of research, development, and demonstration projects supported in cooperation with industry, universities, and the national labs would be reduced, limiting innovation and technological advancement. Funding at this level also would impede development of solutions to reduce U.S. dependence on oil and reduce energy waste, and undermine the Nation’s competitiveness in the future global clean energy economy.”

Read the SAP here.

Read an overview of the Senate FY 2017 Energy & Water bill here.

Read and overview of the House FY2017 Energy & Water bill here.

Senate Moves C-J-S Forward

Posted on April 19, 2016April 20, 2016

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

Posted on April 19, 2016

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.

Senate Moves Forward on Budget

Posted on April 18, 2016May 16, 2016

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Michael Enzi (R-WY) filed a budget motion in the Senate today to establish discretionary spending topline numbers, known as 302(b)s for FY2017. The move allows appropriations work to begin in earnest as the Seante prepares to take up its Energy-Water measure (S 2804) this week.

Enzi set the budget limits at $551 billion for defense spending and $518.5 billion for nondefense spending, equal to the caps enacted under last year’s bipartisan budget deal. The agreement provided for Enzi to file the toplines between April 15 and May 15 in the absence of a budget resolution, though Enzi has not ruled out considering a complete budget measure later in the year.

Busy Week for Appropriators

Posted on April 18, 2016

House and Senate Appropriations committees show no signs of slowing down as both committees announced their intended schedules for the week. The Senate Appropriations Committee has announced subcommittee and full committee markup of FY 2017 Commerce, Science and Justice Appropriations bill, which funds federal research agencies including the National Science Foundation and NASA. Also hearings have been announced for the Senate Appropriations Interior Subcommittee will hold a hearing on EPA, and Defense Subcommittee hearing on innovation and research.

The House Appropriations Committee has announced full committee markups of the FY 2017 Agriculture and Energy & Water bills, which went through subcommittee markup last week, as well as discretionary allocations.

Meanwhile, there is no clarity in the House as to when a FY 2017 Budget maybe expected, despite the statutory deadline being last Friday.