Science Funding Cut

The House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee for Veterans Affairs, Housing & Urban Development & Independent Agencies (VA-HUD) has approved a fiscal 2005 spending bill that cuts funding for several science agencies. NASA funding for 2005 would fall about $229 million to $15.1 billion, specifically reducing some science and aeronautics programs while supporting the space shuttle. The subcommittee made big cuts to EPA water pollution grants to states, reducing that agency's budget by $613 million to $7.8 billion for 2005. For NSF, the subcommittee cut funding by $111 million to $5.5 billion, which is 5% under the Administration's 2005 request. This cut is disappointing because just two years ago the House passed and the President signed a bill pledging to double the NSF budget over the next five years. Overall, the VA-HUD appropriations bill totaled $128 billion and includes increases for veterans' health programs and for subsidized housing projects at HUD. Because most appropriations bills are expected to be lumped into a large omnibus spending bill this fall, there will be little opportunity for getting these cuts reversed in the House.