Federal Science and Education Funding in the 111th Congress and the New Administration

1
Federal Science and Education Funding in the
111th Congress and the New Administration

• Donna Dean, Elizabeth Grossman,
• Michael Ledford, and Sarah Spreitzer
• Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
• November 2008

2
Recap of Federal Science Funding FY 2008 FY
2009

• Bipartisan support for innovation science
  increases. Increases not included in
  disappointing FY 2008 final Omnibus bill.
• FY 2008 supplemental passed, providing small
  add-ons for science. 250 BILLION FY 2008
  Supplemental 338 MILLION included for science
  agencies.
• Full FY 2009 budgets delayed because of CR.
  Current CR runs until March 2009. Could be
  extended to October, 2009.
• At least one additional stimulus package is
  planned for FY 2009, unclear if it will include
  science.

3
Context Science Funding in Federal Budget

• Federal Budget is 3.1 trillion
• 60 is for entitlement programs (Social Security,
  Medicaid/Medicare, Interest on the debt, etc).
• 22 is for defense.
• 18 is non-defense programs.
• Of the total federal budget, 3 is for defense
  RD and 2 is for non-defense RD.
• Universities and Colleges perform 22 of federal
  RD and about half of federal basic research.

4
Another Way to Look At ItFunding Pressures
5
Yet Another Way to Look At It
6
Implications of the 2008 Elections-
President-elect Obama

• President-elect Obamas Agenda
• The next Administration must deal with
• Continuing War
• Economy- Fiscal Crisis and National Debt
• Climate change and energy concerns
• Supports America COMPETES Act- Supports
  increasing funding for basic research in physical
  and life sciences.
• Committed to fiscal responsibility- Reinstate
  PAYGO rules and promise to cut earmark spending.
• Regulatory changes- stem cells, carbon emissions,
  etc

7
2008 Election (continued)

• 111th Congress
• House Democrats pick up 20 seats, over 80 seat
  majority.
• Senate Democrats expected to have 57-43
  majority 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster.
• Lame duck to begin Nov. 17 looking to move
  second stimulus package (jobs, infrastructure,
  government services).
• Poised to take up major legislation next year on
• Climate change
• Energy
• Highway bill reauthorization
• No Child Left Behind
• Water resources
• But first, must bring FY 2009 appropriations to
  resolution.

8
What to Expect in the Next Administration and
Congress

• A MAJOR initiative on global climate change and
  energy.
• Continued focus on competitiveness and
  innovation, with added emphasis on workforce,
  education, and applied research.
• A continued push for civil infrastructure.

9
What to Expect in the Next Administration and
Congress (continued)

• NIH emphasis on interdisciplinary clinical
  research, funding young investigators, and
  addressing conflicts of interest.
• Emphasis on assessment and evaluation of social
  programs.
• A need to finish replacement of the Space
  Shuttle- competition with science dollars.

10
Whats Next for Science?

• Importance of science funding has been
  established.
• Opportunities will exist/be developed in new
  ways.
• Integrate science funding within new initiatives
  (e.g. climate change, infrastructure).
• Explain value of research investment in terms of
  economic and societal impact.
• Explore partnerships and support inter-agency
  initiatives.
• University community is poised to make the case
  to the new Administration, but budget realities
  may mean smaller increases.

11
National Science Foundation

• FY 2008 Funding for NSF 6.03 billion. FY 2009
  Request 6.85 billion, up 14.
• White Houses focus on competitiveness results in
  increased opportunities/funding for Math and
  Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Computer
  Science.
• From FY 1999 to FY 2008, inflation-adjusted
  funding for NSF has grown nearly 30.

12
National Science Foundation - Trends

• Rising recognition of the role of social sciences
  in big science issues (e.g. nanotechnology,
  energy/climate change, emergency response).
• In 2006, 44 of NSF awards (and 58 of award
  funding) went to multi-investigator grants.
• Growing international emphasis (at NSF and
  throughout federal government for scientific
  diplomacy and competitiveness).

13
National Science Foundation

• Potential changes with change in administration
  ...
• In Research - No major change of direction
  (continued support for innovation and
  competitiveness), but increased emphasis on
  energy/sustainability/climate.
• In Education - More support for NSF role in
  education, but may have to spread money among
  many new programs.

14
Environmental RD

• Environmental RD is a 2.1 billion multi-agency
  effort including EPA, NOAA, USGS, Army Corp of
  Engineers and Forest Service. When you add
  related RD at other agencies (i.e. NASA, DOE,
  USDA, NIEHS), it goes up to as much as 8
  billion.
• Overall environmental funding trends have been
  down-ward--at their lowest level, in real terms,
  since 2000.
• This is an area where change is likely.
  Attention paid to EPA and environmental programs
  (such as earth and ocean sciences) will rise, but
  focus will shift. E.g. in climate change the
  question is not what is happening, but how can we
  change what is happening, and how can we evaluate
  proposed mitigation techniques?

15
Department of Defense

• Defense Secretary Robert Gates wanted to
  re-invigorate the relationship between university
  researchers and DOD.
• Support for programs like the National Security
  SE Faculty Fellowships.
• FY 2009 funding includes healthy increases for
  DOD basic research (6.1) DOD recently announced
  that this would be used to provide an additional
  400 million over the next five years to support
  basic research at academic institutions.
• Areas of interest are wide-ranging and include
  Nanotechnology Casualty Care Alternative Fuels
  Energy Sources Human, Social, Cultural,
  Behavioral Modeling.
• However, the commitment within DOD is shallow
  (only Sec. Gates), so it is not clear if this
  will be a blip or a trend.

16
Department of Homeland Security

• DHS is a mission agency, so DHS ST sees its role
  as supporting RD...
• ... that is relevant to homeland security or
  emergency response AND
• ... that no other agency would do.
• Funding opportunities are small (approximately
  50 million in FY 2008) and narrowly focused.
• However, DHS ST is still defining key areas of
  investment, and these may evolve again with new
  administration.
• Now is the time to build relationships with
  program staff and influence future priorities.

17
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• 7 billion needed for replacement of Shuttle
  not currently in budget planning.
• Very large science missions continue to grow in
  cost and complexity.
• Decadal reports in all science fields compete for
  attention.
• Infrastructure needs updating to respond to new
  capabilities.

18
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• Vision for Space Exploration likely to be
  retooled/rethought (but return to Moon still a
  priority).
• Role of commercial sector will be enhanced.
• Reinvigoration of technology contracts unlikely
  until the Shuttle is retired.
• Advisory committees will be expanded.

19
Department of Energy - Trends

• Political focus on transformational science for
  energy and the environment with funding
  opportunities centered on energy security through
  alternative energy sources.
• DOE part of both proposed stimulus bills in this
  regard.
• Emphasis in DOE Office of Science on overcoming
  technical barriers to developing renewable energy
  sources.
• Examples electrical energy storage for wind and
  solar conversion processes for bioenergy spent
  fuel cycle for nuclear energy fusion and
  improved efficiency (solid state lighting).
• Office of Sciences role in next Administrations
  efforts to address energy and environment issues
  unclear at best.

20
Department of Energy - Trends

• Opportunities in Energy Efficiency and Renewable
  Energy are focused on industry-led, cost-shared
  partnerships to commercialize renewable energy
  technologies.
• Example Bioenergy Research Centers Biorefinery
  Pilot and Demonstration Projects Building and
  Industrial Technologies Hybrid and Vehicle
  Technologies Smart Electricity Grid
• Opportunities in Fossil Energy especially in
  Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technology.
• Opportunities to innovate and compete at the
  nexus of energy and the environment.

21
DOE Trend Towards Centers

• DOEs Office of Science has moved toward
  establishing large research centers with many
  collaborators.
• DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (5 at DOE
  labs 101 million requested).
• DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (3 at 75 million
  requested).
• Partnerships between DOE labs, universities, and
  industry multidisciplinary research.

22
Department of Transportation

• Highway Reauthorization bill to be considered by
  next Congress.
• California legislators to have a major role.
• Rethinking of surface transportation policy /
  High level of deference given to new
  Administration.

23
Department of Transportation

• Need for research/policy input before major
  expenditures will not necessarily be sought for
  highways critical for FAA.
• Connections to state and local governments are as
  important as ever.
• Role of green infrastructure will be expanded
  (including universities).
• Environmental protections will be in tension with
  large number of infrastructure needs.

24
Department of Education- IES

• The Institute of Education Science (IES) was
  created in 2002. Reorganization of OERI- Office
  of Education Research and Improvement.
• IES received increased funding for assessment and
  data collection during Bush Administration. Tied
  closely to NCLB.
• In FY 2008 received 546.1 million.
• May be reauthorized in 111th Congress.
• Russ Whitehurst, current Director of IES, is
  leaving for a position at the Brookings
  Institution. 

25
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

• Bush Administration created new programs- We the
  People and Digital Humanities. Received budgetary
  increases for these new programs. Flat funding
  for existing programs.
• Strong bipartisan support for NEH- culture wars
  are over.
• Chairman Bruce Cole will leave January, 2009.
• 115.3 million in FY 2000, 144.7 million for NEH
  in FY 2008. House subcommittee mark included
  160 million.
• President-elect Obamas priorities include arts
  and humanities.

26
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

• Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, the current director,
  will finish her four year term in 2009.  The
  directorship will then alternate to a library
  professional. 
• Under the Bush Administration, IMLS saw funding
  increases and expanded programs due to the
  support of First Lady Laura Bush.
• In FY 2000 funded at 190.6 million, in FY 2008
  IMLS received 263.5 million.
• Unclear what may happen under new Administration.
  Budget increases are still hampered by earmarks.
  

27
Department of Justice

• DOJ funds research under the National Institute
  of Justice (NIJ).
• NIJ funds research, development, and evaluation
  about criminal justice. The focus of the
  solicitations varies from year to year based on
  research priorities and available funding.
• National Academies is currently assessing the NIJ
  Research Program, new Administration may change
  focus and expand program.

28
Biomedical and Health Related Sciences

• National Institutes of Health
• gt Big player with a 29.5 billion budget
• gt 83 percent goes to extramural research
  community
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• gt Focus on state and community health
  departments
• gt 5.7 billion budget, much of which is mandated
• Food and Drug Administration
• gt 1.8 billion for regulation of foods,
  drugs, devices, biologics, and
  veterinary drugs

29
NIH Roadmap Changed Agency Culture
?
X
30
NIH Roadmap Changed Agency Culture
Roadmap Initiatives/ Common Fund
?
31
NIH Roadmap Changed Agency Culture
CDC FDA CMS DoD VA
32
Roadmap Concept Now Permanent Part of NIH via
Common Fund
New Pathways to Discovery Research Teams of the
Future Re-engineering the Clinical Research
Enterprise
534M for FY 2009
33
New Pathways to Discovery

• Building blocks, biological pathways, networks
• Molecular libraries and imaging
• Structural biology
• Bioinformatics and computational biology X
• Nanomedicine X
• Human microbiome project
• Epigenomics
• Genotype-tissue expression (GTEx) new

34
Research Teams of the Future

• High Risk Research
• Pioneer Award
• New Innovator Award
• Transformative R01 Program
• Interdisciplinary Research X
• Public-Private Partnerships

35
Re-engineering the Clinical Research Enterprise

• Clinical and Translational Science Awards
• Patient-reported outcomes measurement information
  system (PROMIS)
• Rapid access to interventional development (RAID)

36
Transformative R01 Program

• Understanding and Facilitating Human Behavior
  Change
• Complex 3-Dimensional Tissue Models
• Functional Variation in Mitochondria in Human
  Disease
• Transitions from Acute to Chronic Pain
• Formulation of Novel Protein Capture Reagents
• Providing an Evidence Base for Pharmacogenomics

37
NIH Concerns

• Robust pipeline of new investigators
• Financial conflict of interest
• Enhancement of peer review system
• Public access to NIH-funded research
• Clinical translational research to practice

38
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
39
CDC Emphasis

• Environmental Health Injury Prevention
• Health Information and Service
• Health Promotion
• Infectious Diseases
• Global Health
• Terrorism Preparedness Emergency Response
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and
  Health

40
CDCs Extramural Support

• 85 of budget goes to 14,000 grants and
  contracts
• CDCs processes of awarding extramural dollars
  are NOT like that of the NIH!

41
Nuance of CDC Language

• Competitive Funding Opportunities
• Non-competitive (Single Entity) Funding
  Opportunities

42
CDC Opportunities Compared to NIH
CDC NIH Open 15
860 Closed (2007-2008) 8
42 Archived (2002-2008) 792 2932