[Budget of the United States Government]
[V. Preparing For the 21st Century]
[7. Promoting Research]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
7. PROMOTING RESEARCH
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Over the past fifty years our commitment to science has strengthened this country in countless ways.
Scientific research has created vast new industries, millions of jobs, allowed America to produce the world's
most bountiful food supplies and remarkable tools for fighting disease. Think of what today's investments will
yield.
President Clinton
June 1998
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In the last one hundred years, science and technology have
fundamentally transformed our lives, from the ways we travel and
communicate, to the food we eat; from the manner in which we learn, to
the quality of our health care and our ability to create a cleaner
environment. The next century offers new fields of research and
innovation and potential solutions to some of society's most pressing
challenges. Technological advances continue to strengthen the ties
between Americans and the rest of the world, enabling new business
endeavors, providing access to news and information from anywhere on the
globe, and improving cultural understanding. As the forces of innovation
and globalization gain momentum, the 21st Century promises to be an era
of great opportunity for the entire world, propelled by new and
remarkable developments.
In the latter half of this century, the Federal Government has played
a critical role in spurring and sustaining scientific and technological
advances. Among other feats, Government-sponsored research and
development put Americans on the moon, explored the oceans, boosted
agricultural productivity, harnessed the atom, devised more effective
treatments for cancers, found the remains of lost civilizations, tracked
weather patterns and earthquake faults, created the Internet, and
deciphered the chemistry of life. Numerous studies show technological
innovation and scientific discovery generated at least half of the
Nation's productivity growth over the last 50 years, created millions of
high-skill, high-wage jobs, and improved the quality of life in America.
In the last year alone, research and development have produced
numerous impressive results, including the first photograph of a planet
outside our own solar system, the creation of the world's fastest
supercomputer, the identification of the gene that causes Parkinson's
Disease, and a host of other notable achievements.
The future holds even greater possibilities. Scientists and engineers
in many disciplines are within reach of even more exciting advances.
Building on decades of experimentation and theoretical developments,
they will be able to rely on new and sophisticated research tools for
future discoveries--supercomputers that can make trillions of
calculations in a second, particle accelerators and electron microscopes
that can decipher atoms and the nature of matter, and space telescopes
that can reach to parts of the universe previously unexplored. In
particular, computational science--supercomputer modeling of extremely
complex systems such as the global climate, the human body, and
galaxies--is emerging as a new and significant branch of research,
providing insights not likely to occur through experimentation or
theorizing alone.
Continued leadership in science and technology is a cornerstone of the
President and the Vice President's vision for America. During the past
six years, the Administration has provided substantial growth for
science and technology programs. The budget strengthens these vital
investments, contributing to many broader Administration goals for the
economy, education, health care, the environment, and national defense.
The budget
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also takes steps to ensure that everyone--regardless of economic status,
education, location, gender, ethnicity or race--can reap the benefits of
technological innovation.
The 2000 Budget maintains the course established in last year's
budget, in which the President proposed the largest increase in history
for civilian research programs, plotting a bold course of strategic
growth. This budget proposes funding levels across a broad range of
civilian agencies consistent with the increases projected in the 1999
Budget. The continuing centerpiece of the Administration's commitment to
science and technology is the 21st Century Research Fund, which provides
stability and growth for the highest priority research programs. The
budget provides $38.1 billion for the Fund--a three-percent increase
above last year. (See Table 7-1 for details on the Fund.)
This budget also reflects an effort to re-establish an optimum balance
between health care research and other scientific disciplines--a concern
voiced in recent years throughout the science community. Substantial
recent increases to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have
advanced the President's commitment to increase long-term NIH funding
well ahead of schedule. The budget adds prudently to the NIH while
providing a seven-percent boost for the National Science Foundation
(NSF), which supports a broad range of university research in areas
other than health.
A Bold, New Information Technology Initiative
The budget proposes a bold, new Information Technology Initiative that
will invest in long-term, fundamental research in computing and
communications, and will increase development and purchases of extremely
fast supercomputers to support a broad range of civilian research and
development. Long-term information technology research will strengthen
America's leadership in an industry that accounts for one-third of our
economic growth, create high-tech, high-wage jobs, and improve our
quality of life. This research may also lead to breakthroughs such as:
computers that are easier to use, including by people with disabilities;
high-speed wireless networks that can bring telemedicine to rural
communities; the successor to the transistor; and software that is much
more dependable and reliable. High-speed supercomputers will allow
scientists and engineers to develop life-saving drugs more rapidly,
provide earlier warnings for tornadoes and design more fuel efficient,
safer automobiles. The initiative will also provide for fundamental
research that could lead to major breakthroughs in the next generation
of supercomputers, networks, and applications--research that, without
Federal support, would not otherwise be funded. Consistent with the
Administration's approach, the initiative emphasizes the inter-
dependency of scientific disciplines--that innovation in one field is
often made possible by innovations in other fields. And it lays the
groundwork for a flourishing of the computational sciences in the 21st
Century, and for advances that will contribute to our health and well-
being in the future. (See Chart 7-1 for information on computing and
communications R&D.)
Science and Technology Themes
Federal investments in science and technology contribute to the
Administration's economic, educational, health, environmental, and
national security goals. The budget proposes increases for a host of
important activities. (For total Federal R&D funding, see Table 7-2; for
science and technology highlights, see Table 7-3.)
Increasing Total Support for Science and Technology: The budget
proposes $38.1 billion for programs in the 21st Century Research Fund,
$1.2 billion, or three percent, more than in 1999, exceeding last year's
projected increases. The budget provides an increasing share for
civilian R&D investments, which now comprise 51 percent of the total--a
substantial increase from 42 percent in 1993, in keeping with the
Administration's efforts to place additional emphasis on civilian R&D
activities.
Boosting Funding for Basic Research: The budget proposes $18.2 billion
for basic research, an increases of $727 million, or 4.2 percent, over
1999. These investments--the highest level ever proposed for basic
research--reflect the Administration's commitment to obtaining knowledge
that will provide
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Table 7-1. 21st CENTURY RESEARCH FUND
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent
1993 1998 1999 2000 Change:
Actual Actual Estimate Proposed 1999 to
2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health and Human Services:
National Institutes of Health............................... 10,335 13,648 15,612 15,933 +2%
National Science Foundation................................... 2,750 3,429 3,672 3,921 +7%
Department of Energy (DOE):
Science Programs............................................ 3,066 2,468 2,685 2,835
Solar and Renewable R&D..................................... 249 272 336 399
Energy Conservation R&D..................................... 346 457 526 647
-----------------------------------------
DOE Total................................................. 3,661 3,197 3,547 3,881 +9%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
Space Science............................................... 1,770 2,034 2,119 2,197
Earth Science............................................... 996 1,417 1,414 1,459
Advanced Space Transportation............................... 115 417 423 254
Aeronautics................................................. 769 920 786 620
Life and Microgravity Sciences.............................. 195 214 264 256
-----------------------------------------
NASA Total................................................ 3,845 5,002 5,006 4,786 -4%
Department of Defense (DOD):
Basic Research.............................................. 1,314 1,012 1,108 1,113
Applied Research............................................ 3,549 2,910 3,151 2,956
-----------------------------------------
DOD Total................................................. 4,863 3,922 4,259 4,069 -4%
Department of Agriculture (USDA):
CSREES Research and Education \1\........................... 433 430 476 475
Economic Research Service................................... 59 54 54 56
Agricultural Research Service............................... 661 745 809 837
Forest Service Research..................................... 183 188 197 235
-----------------------------------------
USDA Total................................................ 1,336 1,417 1,536 1,603 +6%
Department of Commerce:
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research............................ 202 278 287 283
National Institutes of Standards and Technology \2\......... 364 565 540 635
-----------------------------------------
Commerce Total............................................ 566 843 827 918 +11%
Department of the Interior: U.S. Geological Survey 579 759 798 838 +5%
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
Office of Research and Development.......................... 517 573 562 535
Climate Change Technology programs.......................... ........ 90 109 216
-----------------------------------------
EPA Total................................................. 517 663 671 751 +12%
Department of Veterans Affairs: Medical Research.............. 232 272 316 316 ........
Department of Education: Research programs.................... 117 196 210 265 +26%
Department of Transportation (DOT):
Highway Research............................................ 310 288 338 661
Aviation Research........................................... 230 199 150 173
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DOT Total................................................. 540 487 488 834 +71%
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21st Century Research Fund.................................... 29,341 33,835 36,942 38,115 3%
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\1\ Does not include funds proposed for the recently authorized Integrated Research, Education, and Extension
Competitive Grants Program, a portion of which would be used for R&D activities.
\2\ Does not include the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
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future economic and social benefits and improve our ability to meet
economic needs without adversely affecting health and the environment
(see Chart 7-2).
Strengthening University-Based Research: University-based research is
key to America's future. While fostering innovation and expanding the
scientific frontier, university-based research also trains the next
generation of scientists and engineers. The budget proposes $15.5
billion, an increase of $353 million over 1999.
Protecting Human Health: The budget reflects the Administration's
continued focus on R&D to protect human health. It funds research
programs at NIH that have made the United States the world's leader in
medical research. It also supports the development of an AIDS vaccine,
the fight against emerging infectious diseases, research on cancer and
diabetes, efforts to reduce the demand for illicit drugs, and a food
safety initiative.
Investing in Innovation to Create New Jobs and Industries: Many of the
new private-sector jobs created under this Administration have been
high-tech, high-wage jobs in industries like biotechnology and
computing. The budget maintains a strong investment in technology to
foster these high-priority, civilian science and technology industries
and jobs. The budget continues funding for the Department of Commerce's
Advanced Technology Program and Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to
help firms develop and adopt modern technologies.
Investing in Environmental Research: The budget supports vital
research on safe and clean food, air, and water, and on ecosystem
management, biological diversity, climate change, natural disasters,
energy efficiency, and renewable energy. These investments provide a
scientific basis for developing cost-effective environmental policies,
produce the knowledge base for citizens to make wise environmental
decisions, and enable better approaches to environmental protection. The
budget pro
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Table 7-2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
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Percent Percent
1993 1998 1999 2000 Change: Change:
Actual Actual Estimate Proposed 1999 to 1993 to
2000 2000
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Funding by Agency:
Defense........................................... 38,898 37,568 37,204 35,064 -6% -10%
Health and Human Services......................... 10,472 13,860 15,792 15,984 +1% +53%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration..... 8,873 9,753 9,714 9,771 +1% +10%
Energy............................................ 6,896 6,483 7,240 7,465 +3% +8%
National Science Foundation....................... 2,012 2,528 2,721 2,934 +8% +46%
Agriculture....................................... 1,467 1,561 1,796 1,718 -4% +17%
Commerce.......................................... 793 1,091 1,075 1,162 +8% +47%
Transportation.................................... 613 859 891 1,230 +38% +101%
Interior.......................................... 649 472 517 590 +14% -9%
Environmental Protection Agency................... 511 636 669 645 -4% +26%
Veterans Affairs.................................. 253 587 674 663 -2% +162%
Other............................................. 1,055 928 974 1,016 +4% -4%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................. 72,492 76,326 79,267 78,242 -1% +8%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total, without Defense development................ 36,966 41,779 45,140 46,256 +2% +25%
Funding by R&D Type:
Basic Research.................................... 13,362 15,658 17,499 18,226 +4% +36%
Applied Research.................................. 13,608 15,144 16,134 16,169 ........ +19%
Development....................................... 42,795 42,721 42,490 40,799 -4% -5%
Equipment......................................... \1\ 994 977 1,063 +9% NA
Facilities........................................ 2,727 1,809 2,167 1,985 -8% +12%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................. 72,492 76,326 79,267 78,242 -1% +8%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total, without Defense development................ 36,966 41,779 45,140 46,256 +2% +25%
Funding by Civilian Theme:
Basic Research.................................... 11,951 14,592 16,341 17,074 +4% +43%
Applied Research.................................. 9,130 10,936 11,603 11,598 ........ +27%
Development....................................... 7,269 8,174 8,363 8,813 +5% +21%
Equipment......................................... \1\ 656 650 748 +15% NA
Facilities........................................ 1,979 1,398 1,672 1,528 -9% +15%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................................... 30,329 35,756 38,629 39,761 +3% +31%
Funding by Defense Theme:
Basic Research.................................... 1,411 1,066 1,158 1,152 -1% -18%
Applied Research.................................. 4,478 4,208 4,531 4,571 +1% +2%
Development....................................... 35,526 34,547 34,127 31,986 -6% -10%
Equipment......................................... \1\ 338 327 315 -4% NA
Facilities........................................ 748 411 495 457 -8% +3%
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Subtotal.......................................... 42,163 40,570 40,638 38,481 -5% -9%
Funding by R&D Share:
Defense........................................... 42,163 40,570 40,638 38,481 -5% -9%
Civilian.......................................... 30,329 35,756 38,629 39,761 +3% +31%
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................. 72,492 76,326 79,267 78,242 -1% +8%
Civilian (percent)................................ 42% 47% +49% +51%
R&D Support to Universities......................... 11,674 13,693 15,124 15,477 +2% +33%
Merit (Peer) Reviewed R&D Programs.................. NA 23,123 25,542 26,409 +3% NA
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NA = Not Applicable.
\1\ Equipment and facilities data were not collected separately in 1993.
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Table 7-3. SELECTED PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
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Dollar Percent
1998 1999 2000 Change: Change:
Actual Estimate Proposed 1999 to 1999 to
2000 2000
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
International Space Station................................. 2,441 2,305 2,483 +178 +8%
Department of Commerce:
Advanced Technology Program................................. 193 203 239 +36 +18%
National Telecom. and Info. Admin. NII Grants............... 20 18 20 +2 +11%
Department of Transportation:
Highway Research and Deployment Initiative.................. 121 162 390 +228 +141%
Intelligent Transportation System Initiative................ 167 177 271 +94 +53%
National Science and Technology Council Initiatives:
High Performance Computing and Communications:
Defense................................................... 220 168 207 +39 +23%
Health and Human Services................................. 98 111 115 +4 +4%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration............. 120 93 136 +43 +46%
Energy (Civilian programs)................................ 115 126 116 -10 -8%
Energy (Defense - Advanced Strategic Computing Initiative) 374 484 543 +59 +12%
National Science Foundation............................... 265 301 314 +13 +4%
Commerce.................................................. 20 27 27 ........ ........
Environmental Protection Agency........................... 3 4 4 ........ ........
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 1,215 1,314 1,462 +148 +11%
Information Technology Initiative:
National Science Foundation............................... ........ ........ 146 NA NA
Defense................................................... ........ ........ 100 NA NA
Energy.................................................... ........ ........ 70 NA NA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration............. ........ ........ 38 NA NA
Commerce.................................................. ........ ........ 6 NA NA
National Institutes of Health............................. ........ ........ 6 NA NA
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ NA NA 366 NA NA
U.S. Global Change Research Program:
National Aeronautics and Space Administrati............... 1,210 1,177 1,219 +42 +4%
Energy.................................................... 106 114 125 +11 +10%
National Science Foundation............................... 167 182 187 +5 +3%
Agriculture............................................... 53 54 88 +34 +63%
Health and Human Services................................. 35 40 40 ........ ........
Commerce.................................................. 60 63 70 +7 +11%
Interior.................................................. 26 27 27 ........ ........
Environmental Protection Agency........................... 13 17 23 +6 +35%
Smithsonian Institution................................... 7 7 7 ........ ........
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 1,677 1,681 1,786 +105 +6%
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles.................. 220 240 264 +24 +10%
Climate Change Techology Initiative........................... 819 1,021 1,368 +347 +34%
Integrated Science for Ecosystem Challenges \1\............... ........ ........ 96 NA NA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NA = Not applicable
\1\ Amount reflects new activities in 2000, but does not include related, ongoing activities in 2000 and prior
years.
poses $96 million for Integrated Science for Ecosystem Challenges
(ISEC) to develop an environmental information infrastructure and
modeling framework to manage and preserve the Nation's natural
resources. In 2000, ISEC will address four priority areas: invasive
species, biodiversity and species decline; harmful algal blooms,
hypoxia and eutrophication; habitat conservation and ecosystem
productivity; and information management, monitoring,-----------------
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and integrated assessments. This research will allow resource managers
to predict and assess the environmental and economic impacts of stress
on vulnerable ecosystems and will also provide information to guide
public and private land planning, management, and acquisition.
Investing in a 21st Century Education: Through the Education
Technology Initiative, the Government is helping to ensure that
America's classrooms are equipped with modern computers and connected to
the Internet, that educational software becomes an integral part of the
curriculum, and that teachers are ready to use and teach with
technology. Federal science and technology investments such as the
Education Research Initiative--an Education Department and NSF
partnership--also contribute to these goals.
Investing in Research to Keep Our Nation Secure: The budget invests in
defense research to ensure that our military maintains its technological
superiority, providing $1.1 billion for basic research and $3.0 billion
for applied research at the Defense Department. The budget also supports
programs that will keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists,
use science-based techniques to ensure the safety and reliability of our
nuclear weapons stockpiles, promote global stability by bolstering
strong international science and technology partnerships, and increase
research and development on critical infrastructure protection to
improve the safety and security of the Nation's physical infrastructure
and information and communications systems.
Agency Highlights
NIH: The budget continues its commitment to biomedical research that
promotes innovations to improve health and prevent disease. It provides
an increase of $320 million over the 1999 level for NIH. This funding
level will support research on diabetes, brain disorders, cancer,
genetic medicine, disease prevention strategies, and development of an
AIDS vaccine. NIH's highest priority continues to be investigator-
initiated, peer-reviewed research project grants. In the last year, NIH
research on traumatic spinal cord injury revealed that
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it may actually be possible to regenerate nerve cells. More research may
yield ways to repair damaged spinal cords and eventually permit the
restoration of some degree of function to paralyzed patients.
NSF: The budget provides $3.92 billion--seven percent more than in
1999--for NSF, whose broad mission is to promote science and engineering
research and education across all fields and disciplines. In 1998, NSF-
funded scientists determined that the years 1997, 1995, and 1990 were
the warmest since 1400 A.D., providing further evidence of recent human
influence on the global climate system. The budget provides $146 million
for NSF to play a lead role in the Administration's information
technology initiative, focusing on long-term computer science research
and providing scientists access to world-class supercomputers. The
budget also increases funding for biocomplexity research to promote
understanding of the complex biological, physical, chemical, and social
interactions within and among the Earth's ecosystems.
Department of Energy (DOE): The budget provides $2.84 billion, a six-
percent increase over 1999, for DOE's research programs in physics,
chemistry, materials, biology, computer science, fusion, and other
areas. DOE operates large scientific user facilities to enable research
in these fields, as well as fields ranging from biomedicine to
agriculture. The budget provides for the construction of new scientific
facilities, including the Spallation Neutron Source and the Large Hadron
Collider (in partnership with other countries), and the development of
advanced computing and networking capabilities. In the past year, DOE-
funded scientists achieved many notable successes, such as discovering
how genetic material replicates and developing an atom-by-atom model of
the enzyme responsible. In 2000, DOE will operate the newly constructed
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider to simulate conditions that existed in
the universe in the first millionth of a second after the Big Bang. In
addition, the budget includes $543 million for the Advanced Strategic
Computing Initiative in support of nuclear weapon stockpile stewardship.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The budget funds
several ongoing and new activities in support of NASA's missions,
including $2.48 billion for the International Space Station, which began
assembly in orbit in 1998 with the launch of the first U.S. and Russian
elements. The Russian economic situation has increased uncertainty about
Russia's ability to meet future critical milestones in this
international development program. While the Administration remains
committed to Russia's participation in this multi-national partnership,
the budget reflects key steps taken to help ensure the ultimate success
of this complex international program. By increasing funding for the
Space Station, the Administration will help to maintain the construction
schedule and enable development of backup capabilities in the event of
potential shortfalls in Russian contributions. In addition to this
``backup strategy,'' the Administration is also concerned about Space
Station cost growth due to domestic problems, and has established
oversight of the Space Station as a Priority Management Objective, as
discussed in Section IV, ``Improving Performance Through Better
Management.'' The Administration will work closely with the Congress on
any future issues to enable the program's success.
The NASA budget also includes: $2.2 billion--a four-percent increase
over 1999--for Space Science, a program that made several significant
discoveries in 1998, including the first confirmable evidence of ice on
the moon; $1.46 billion--a three-percent increase over 1999--for Earth
Science, which seeks to understand the influence of natural processes
and human activities on the global environment and which will launch in
2000 the first in a new series of faster, cheaper satellites, known as
Earth System Science Pathfinders; $254 million for Advanced Space
Transportation Technology, which in 1999 will initiate development of
the first in a new series of reusable launch vehicle demonstrations,
known as Future-X; $620 million for Aeronautics Research and Technology
programs, including Aviation Safety R&D; and $1.2 billion in funds after
2000 to support new launch vehicles to lower NASA's launch costs.
Finally, the budget includes a $463 million, five-year technology
investment to leverage recent successes in Space Science, like Mars
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Pathfinder, and to enable robotic scientific outposts throughout the
solar system.
Department of Defense (DOD): The budget funds $1.1 billion in basic
research and $3.0 billion in applied research, and $3.3 billion in
advanced technology development, providing options for new defense
strategies and laying the groundwork for procuring next-generation
defense systems. Because of DOD's emphasis on the physical sciences, its
research and development investments are vital to the nation's
engineering, mathematics, and computer science efforts. The budget
supports the Dual Use Science and Technology program and the Commercial
Operations and Support Savings Initiative, which put commercial
industry's technical know-how and economies of scale to the service of
national defense. The budget proposes $118 million to conduct Advanced
Concept Technology Demonstrations (ACTDs), which bring technology
experts and military operators together early in technology system
development to eliminate communication barriers, improve management of
development programs, and address key warfighter challenges. Forty-four
ACTDs are now under way, and 13 have been completed. Recent DOD
technological accomplishments include development of a vaccine effective
against the infectious hepatitis A virus, a vaccine recently approved by
the Food and Drug Administration and now commercially available for
military and civilian use. Similarly, DOD has demonstrated the efficacy
of a genetically engineered vaccine to protect against malaria. In
addition, the Department has funded the development of a new material
for body armor that provides lighter-weight protection against
projectiles such as bullets or shrapnel.
Department of Commerce:
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): The budget
provides $239 million--an 18-percent increase over 1999--for NIST's
Advanced Technology Program to promote unique, rigorously competitive,
cost-shared R&D partnerships that develop technologies promising
widespread economic benefits. The budget provides $396 million--a 17-
percent increase over 1999--for research and facilities at NIST's
Measurement and Standards Laboratories. In 1998, NIST improved our
understanding of what happens when atoms approach each other at very
slow speeds, building on the 1997 Nobel Prize winning work of NIST's Dr.
William Phillips. This research is critical to both theoretical physics
and future generations of time standards. In 2000, NIST will conduct
additional research on fundamental physical constants, refined standards
for weight and electricity, and critical infrastructure protection.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership: The budget proposes $100 million
for this Nation-wide network of 75 centers and over 325 field offices
offering technical assistance to help the Nation's 382,000 small
manufacturers compete more effectively, leading to stronger economic
growth and job creation. This funding is matched by States and
localities.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research: The budget provides $283 million for research to
provide a scientific basis for national policy decisions in areas such
as climate change, air quality, and stratospheric ozone depletion, as
well as research to promote economic growth through efforts in marine
biotechnology and environmental technologies.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration's National
Information Infrastructure Grants Program: The budget proposes $20
million--an 11-percent increase over 1999--for grants to fund innovative
projects that demonstrate how information technology can improve the
delivery of educational, health, and other social services. These grants
are highly competitive and have stimulated several hundred million
dollars in non-Federal matching funds.
Department of Agriculture (USDA): The budget provides $837 million for
the Agricultural Research Service, $28 million more than in 1999, and
$56 million for the Economic Research Service, which together conduct a
broad range of food, farm, and environmental research programs. The
budget also provides $475 million for Research and Education Programs of
the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
(CSREES), including $200 million for the National Research Initiative
(NRI), a 68-percent increase over the 1999 level. CSREES provides grants
for agri
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cultural, food, and environmental research, and for higher education.
NRI competitive research grants improve the quality and increase the
quantity of USDA's farm, food, and environmental research. The budget
also proposes increases for high priority research in areas such as
nutrition, food safety, climate change, air and water quality, food
quality protection, agricultural genomes, sustainable ecosystems, and
the Forest Service's Forest and Rangeland Research program. An
additional $120 million in mandatory funding will be available in 2000
under the Agricultural Research Extension and Education Reform Act of
1998.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The budget provides $535
million for EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), which
performs the majority of EPA's research and provides a sound scientific
and technical foundation for environmental policy and regulatory
decision-making. ORD also provides technical support for EPA's mission,
integrates the work of its own scientific partners, and provides
leadership in addressing emerging environmental issues, thereby
assisting EPA in protecting human health and the environment. In the
last year, EPA researchers discovered a method to render lead-
contaminated soil safe for humans, thereby potentially decreasing the
number of children suffering from lead poisoning.
Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): The budget
provides $838 million--a five-percent increase over 1999--for science
that supports natural resource and environmental decision making. In
1998, USGS science efforts provided critical information to restore the
Florida Everglades and respond to Hurricane Bonnie and Hurricane Mitch.
The budget supports research on enhanced understanding of species
habitat, invasive species, and declines in amphibians and coral reefs.
The budget also supports research and technical assistance on the
scientific needs of land managers and local land-use planners. In 2000,
this information will promote local planning and conservation efforts to
protect the most valuable open spaces and critical habitat. USGS will
use its mapping, remote sensing, and natural resources monitoring
capabilities to develop new ways to improve the availability and
dissemination of domestic natural disaster hazard and earth science
information, as well as to support NASA's Earth Observing System
satellites.
Department of Veterans Affairs' Medical Research: The budget provides
$316 million--about a third of the Department's overall $1 billion
research program--for clinical, epidemiological, and behavioral studies
across a broad spectrum of medical research disciplines. Among the
agency's top research priorities are improving the translation of
research results into patient care, geriatrics (including end-of-life
care and Alzheimer's disease), and treatment of Parkinson's disease and
Persian Gulf Veterans' illnesses.
Department of Transportation: The budget proposes a total of $390
million for the Highway Research and Deployment Initiative--a $228
million increase over the 1999 level. This funding will support
activities such as improving the durability of pavement and bridges,
enhancing pedestrian safety, and refining air quality analysis models.
The budget also includes $271 million for the Intelligent Transportation
System (ITS) initiative--a package of technologies to enhance the safety
and efficiency of surface transportation infrastructure. This ITS total
includes $113 million for continued deployment of integrated
``intelligent infrastructure,'' such as interactive traffic signals,
traveler information systems, and advanced electronic motor carrier toll
clearance systems in urban and rural areas and the commercial vehicle
industry.
Department of Education: The budget proposes a $45 million increase
for the National Education Research Institutes. The increase includes
$25 million for the agency's contribution to the second year of the
Education Research Initiative, a collaborative effort with NSF. The
initiative will continue to support large-scale research focused on the
best approaches to raising student achievement. Activities will focus on
applying the latest research findings to the development,
implementation, and evaluation of new program models in three areas:
increasing readiness for reading and mathematics, sustaining reading and
mathematics skills in grades K-3, and improving teacher preparation. The
proposed increase for the Institutes will also support additional
research on comprehensive school reform, and new research on English
language skills acqui
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sition for children with limited English proficiency.
National Science and Technology Council Interagency Initiatives
The National Science and Technology Council provides management
oversight that will ensure efficient and effective coordination for key
multi-agency initiatives, including:
High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) and the
Information Technology Initiative: The budget provides $1.8 billion for
these programs, including $366 million for the Information Technology
Initiative, a bold, new effort focused on two, interrelated topics: 1)
fundamental research that could lead to major breakthroughs in the next
generation of supercomputers, networks and applications--research that
is too high-risk and/or long-term for private sector funding; and 2)
development of extremely powerful supercomputers, hundreds of times more
powerful than today's best, for applications in a variety of civilian
fields. Resulting advances in these fields could lead, for example, to
better predictions of global warming and regional weather, as well as
improved pharmaceutical development. The continuing HPCC program will
pursue breakthroughs in high-end computing and computation, large-scale
networking, and high-confidence systems. This ongoing work includes the
Next Generation Internet Initiative. In the last year, the program
demonstrated many key components of the Next Generation Internet,
including ultra-high-speed switching devices, and various data-intensive
applications ranging from medical imaging to advanced storm forecasting.
U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP): The budget proposes $1.8
billion--a six-percent increase over 1999--to observe, understand,
predict, and assess the state of the Earth and how it changes in
response to natural and human-induced forces. USGCRP science was
critical in the accurate prediction of the 1997-98 El Nino event and
other resulting climate anomalies, allowing for advanced preparations
and, in some cases, minimization of human and economic losses. In 2000,
the USGCRP will address a range of critical unanswered scientific
questions: the origins of natural and human-caused changes; the role of
multiple stresses on the rate and severity of environmental change; how
climate change may vary by region and over time scales of decades,
rather than centuries; and the potential for abrupt and surprising
changes in the global climate. In 2000, the program will also focus on
how the terrestrial biosphere produces and consumes carbon dioxide on a
regional scale, to increase our understanding of the role of biological
processes on the Earth's climate.
Climate Change Technology Initiative: The budget proposes $1.8 billion
for the second year of this research and technology initiative to
promote energy efficiency, develop low-carbon energy sources, and
develop and demonstrate technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Led by DOE and EPA, the effort also includes USDA, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, and NIST. Of the amount proposed, $1.4
billion is for R&D spending on energy efficiency and renewable energy
technologies, sequestration (storage) of carbon, extending the useful
life of existing nuclear plants, and development of highly efficient
fossil fuel technologies. The remainder, $0.4 billion, is for tax
credits to stimulate the adoption of energy efficient technologies in
buildings, homes, industrial processes, vehicles, and power generation.
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles: The budget proposes $264
million--$24 million more than in 1999--for this cost-shared, industry
partnership, which centers on three research goals: to develop advanced
manufacturing techniques; to use new technologies for near-term
emissions improvements; and to develop production prototype vehicles
three times more fuel-efficient than today's cars, with no sacrifice in
comfort, performance, or price. Federal funding focuses mainly on the
third goal. In the last year, the automobile companies completed hybrid
drivetrain prototype development and have moved further development in-
house, requiring no more Federal support for these activities. Federal
funding is now focusing on timely development of crucial components such
as low-emissions direct-injection engines, fuel cells, power
electronics, batteries, and lightweight materials. The program will lead
to concept cars in 2000, and production prototypes in 2004.