Endless Frontier Act Reintroduced

On April 21, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) reintroduced the Endless Frontier Act, a $100 billion dollar proposal to ramp up investment in technology research and development aimed at countering China and ensuring American leadership in innovation.

Should it pass, the bill would have major implications for the National Science Foundation (NSF). It would invest $100 billion over

House and Senate Committees Review NSF Funding Proposals

The funding process for federal agencies and programs follows, in theory, a two step process. First, Congress considers authorizing legislation, which can establish, continue, eliminate, or modify federal programs. While these bills provide funding guidance, they do not directly appropriate funds. It is common for federal agencies to continue to operate even when authorizations expire. Following authorization, Congress passes appropriations bills to fund government operations. Appropriations

President Biden Releases ‘Skinny’ Budget

On April 9, the Administration released the President’s “Skinny” Budget, an overview of the in-depth funding request for fiscal year (FY) 2022 that is expected in the coming months. While lacking detail, the budget provides important insights into the new Administration’s priorities. Overall, the request proposes $769 billion in non-defense discretionary spending, a 16 percent increase, and $754 billion in defense spending, a 1.7 percent increase.

The President notes that,

Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce Plan to Double NSF Funding, Add New Directorate

On March 26, leaders on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Science Foundation (NSF) through 2026 and more than double its budget in that time.

Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) along with Subcommittee on Research and Technology Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Ranking Member Michael Waltz (R-FL) co-sponsored the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. NSF