Appropriations bills advance in House; Republicans reject largest Trump cuts to science but make plenty of their own

The first appropriations bills for next year's budget (FY18) began coming out of House appropriations subcommittees last week, including bills that cover several of the scientific agencies. For the most part, House appropriators are ignoring President Trump's most egregious requests for deep budget cuts, with spending at agencies mostly held at roughly the same levels at the current year (FY17). However, House Republicans have made cuts to some key scientific programs and to scientific budgets overall (see below). Also, appropriations bills covering the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others, have not been released yet, and some these are likely to be more contested.

After passing their subcommittees, these appropriations bills will still have to be passed by the full House. The Senate will also have its versions, which will have to be reconciled with the House versions before going to the President. It is likely that the appropriations process could stretch on for many more months, including past October 1, when FY18 begins. The House and Senate have not yet passed budget resolutions, which set overall spending levels, and the appropriations process in the Senate is expected to proceed more slowly than in the House.

Here is how scientific agencies have fared in the appropriations process so far:

  • Department of Energy (DOE). The House Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee has maintained the FY17 funding level of the DOE Office of Science, rather than cut it by the 17% proposed in Trump's FY18 budget. The Office of Science supports a great deal of basic science research, and it funds the operation of ten national laboratories, which provide necessary support to science research around the world and employ thousands of Americans. However, as proposed by Trump, the subcommittee did opt to eliminate the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a widely praised energy tech development program. However, bipartisan support for ARPA-E from multiple senators indicates that some degree of funding will likely be granted in Senate appropriations.
  • National Science Foundation (NSF). President Trump proposed an 11% cut to the NSF's budget, but both Democrats and Republicans on the CJS subcommittee rejected this plan. Instead, the appropriations bill provides $7.34 billion to NSF, only a 1.8% reduction from the $7.47 billion budget in fiscal year 2017. The $6 billion designated for Research and Related Activities remains unchanged from last year. The fate of three proposed new research ships remains uncertain; the House panel declined to fund their construction, but the Senate may restore this funding.
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). House appropriators advanced a bill that reversed cuts to the overall NASA budget proposed by Trump, but they upheld a cut of 11% to NASA's Earth science division, further demonstrating the Trump administration's rejection of climate science.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). House appropriators included a 19% cut to climate science at NOAA in their bill this week. Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) stated that "such crucial programs" are being "shortchanged." Overall, the House proposes to cut NOAA by 14% ($720 million) from its current $5.7 billion budget.
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). House appropriators cut the budget of NIST by $87 million (4%). NIST would receive $140 million more from House appropriators than in Trump's proposal, which would cut its budget by 13%. House appropriators praised NIST's Manufacturing Extension Program that Trump proposed to cut. Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), top Democrat overseeing the Commerce Department stated that NIST "helps create and retain tens of thousands of American manufacturing jobs every year."
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). House appropriators cut USDA research funding by $100 million (9%), though this would provide $139 million more than Trump's proposed budget. Additionally, there would be a 2% cut to the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which funds agricultural research.

Although much of the press coverage to date highlights how budgets for various agencies and departments may not be cut as drastically as requested by the Trump administration, it is important to recognize that dramatic defunding has occurred for many key programs—a kind of incremental death by a thousand budget cuts. Even many research advocates seem to be pushing for holding budget numbers at FY17 levels instead of pushing for increasing funding that better reflects the central importance of science and technology to American vitality, competitiveness, and economic growth. Between this somewhat surgical defunding and ongoing understaffing across multiple agencies, science and technology is being de-emphasized in the current government in a way that could have detrimental effects that persist long after the current administration.

OSTP science staff depart; White House denies Science Division closure

The Science Division of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was left with no employees after the departure of its last three staff members last week, according to a CBS News report and tweets from two former OSTP staff members on June 30. Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in a July 1 email to Huffington Post staff, has denied these reports, and an anonymous White House source told the Huffington Post that the functions of the OSTP Science Division will be assigned to new hires. The OSTP currently has 35 staff members, down from more than 100 employees during the Obama administration.

Democrats demand investigation into Trump administration attempts to tamper with EPA science testimony

Congressional Democrats have demanded an independent investigation into allegations that a senior EPA official attempted to interfere with congressional testimony by one of the agency's top scientific advisers. In a letter sent on June 26, Democrats asked the agency's inspector general, an in-house watchdog, "to investigate potentially illegal attempts by senior EPA officials, particularly Ryan T. Jackson, the EPA's Chief of Staff, to interfere with Democratic witness, Deborah Swackhamer's, testimony to the Science Committee last month." Democrats asserted that "the ability of both federal officials and private citizens to freely communicate with Congress without fear of intimidation, interference, or reprisal is a bipartisan issue that is critical to ensuring good governance and uncovering issues of potential waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement."

President Trump signals support for space development with National Space Council, leaves space policy posts unfilled

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday, June 30, reviving the 1960s-era National Space Council, a group of mostly executive cabinet members to serve as an advisory group to guide a coherent national space strategy. While Vice President Mike Pence was nominated as chair of this committee, it includes the NASA Administrator and the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to guide policy from a science perspective; unfortunately, Trump has not filled either of these posts yet (part of an ongoing trend of unfilled science and technology posts in the administration). It's unclear what role the Council will play in guiding federal commitment to space science and technology, but one dimension that has raised eyebrows is that it includes a new "User's Advisory Group", which will "ensure that the interests of industries and other non-federal entities involved in space activities, including in particular commercial entities, are adequately represented in the council."

Energy Secretary Perry indicates renewable energy research funding will be limited

In a press conference held on Monday, June 26, to introduce the Trump administration's Energy Week, Energy Secretary Rick Perry outlined the Trump administration's energy strategy, focusing on expanding the American fossil fuel market, and moving away from green energy sources. Perry also expressed openness to expanding nuclear energy. However, he hesitated to commit future resources to supporting renewable energy, and when asked about tax benefits for wind energy, he replied that he doesn't "think the administration is going to be wildly supportive of government subsidies for sectors of the energy industry."

FCC commissioner nominations aim to fill two vacant seats

Since January 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been short two commissioners—and their support staff. This is particularly striking given the range of critical regulatory and technical issues that have arisen since Trump took office. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) has stated that he hopes hold to confirmation hearings for President Trump's nominees before the August recess. While there will be a more solid Republican majority, the FCC cannot be staffed by more than three people of the same party and the nominees reflect greater diversity of opinion than nominees for other agencies. They include Brendan Carr, Jessica Rosenworcel, and current Chairman Ajit Pai, who requires reconfirmation. Carr is currently the FCC's general counsel and previously served as a legal advisor to Chairman Pai. Rosenworcel previously served on the commission and is seen as generally liberal and a strong supporter of net neutrality.

Surgeon General nominated

President Trump has selected Indiana Health Commissioner, Jerome Adams, as his nominee to become the next Surgeon General. Adams served under then-governor Pence during a 2015 HIV outbreak in Indiana and has since become an advocate for needle exchanges. He has put the opioid epidemic at the top of his priorities. The Surgeon General post requires Senate confirmation in order to be filled.

House and Senate hold appropriations hearings

Congress has been holding hearings on the FY18 budget in recent weeks, including two for scientific agencies last week.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On Tuesday, June 27, the Senate Subcommittee on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies met to review the FY18 budget for the EPA, which the Trump administration has proposed cutting by 31%. Senators expressed concern over large cuts to popular bipartisan programs like Superfund, water quality clean ups, and air quality grants. EPA administrator Scott Pruitt deferred, saying he would reinstate the budgets of popular programs if told to. Pruitt has also already begun to slash the EPA's workforce, proposing attrition of 3,200 people, aiming to buy out 1,200 by the end of this summer.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On Thursday, June 29, the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies met to review the FY18 budget for NASA. The subcommittee defended spending on the Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy-lift vehicle aimed at being the core of manned NASA missions to low-Earth orbit and beyond. Despite the recent relative success of private companies (SpaceX, Blue Origin) in developing their own low-cost options for travel to the International Space Station, Subcommittee Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL) cited the importance of NASA's maintaining its own course in producing vehicles, claiming that "the companies NASA will use for commercial crew services are behind in schedule, the program has increased in cost, and independent observers cite the inability of our partners to meet contracted safety standards." The SLS program has already been delayed three years, and notwithstanding a proposed FY18 spending plan that cuts the NASA budget by 2.9% ($561 million), NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot says he does not "expect any more cost increases" in the SLS project.

Congress on recess

Congress is on recess this week, returning on July 10.

What you can do

Have comments or something to add? Contact the RISE Science & Technology Policy Working Group at [email protected]. Check us out online at risestronger.org/groups/rise-science-technology.