R&D Funding Slows for 2006

President George W. Bush sent his proposed fiscal 2006 budget to Congress last week, recommending a weak 1% increase in total research and development spending, to $132 billion.

The biggest percentage gain would be at the Department of Homeland Security, which is slated for an R&D increase of 24%, to $1.5 billion. Small increases are proposed for NIH--just 1%, to $28.6 billion--and for NSF, 3%, to $4.2 billion.

Most other R&D agencies would be subject to cuts next year. For example, research programs at the Department of Energy, except defense development projects, would be cut by $278 million, or 5%, to $5.4 billion; most of the cuts would come from the Office of Science. Applied research and basic research budgets at the Defense Department would be cut by 14%, or $905 million, to $5.5 billion, under the proposal. Such cuts are significant because these agencies fund a large number of grants in the physical sciences and engineering.

Science at the Department of Commerce would also get substantial cuts. The budget for NOAA would be reduced by 11%, to $361 million, and NIST's Advanced Technology Program--for helping companies commercialize high-risk technologies--would be totally eliminated, a cut of $137 million from 2005.

Despite these reductions, John H. Marburger III, science adviser to the President and director of the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, told reporters at a press briefing that the budget would allow research to advance. "In my opinion, this year's R&D budget proposal maintains levels of funding that allow Americans to maintain their leadership in science and move ahead in selective priority areas."

Other reactions to the President's 2006 R&D budget were less sure in tone. House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-N.Y.) tried to put a positive spin on the situation, pointing out that the President made reductions in all nondefense discretionary spending and, in that context, science programs fared relatively well. "That said, I would certainly like to see more robust increases in the science budget, particularly for NSF and DOE's Office of Science."

Nils Hasselmo, president of the Association of American Universities, an association of 62 research universities, agrees more funding is needed. "Taken together, the inadequate fiscal 2006 investment in research proposed by the Administration would erode the research and innovative capacity of our nation," he said.

Congressional hearings on the President's proposal will begin soon, but record federal budget deficits and economic concerns over health care spending and Social Security can be expected to prevent Congress from increasing most R&D budgets.