NSF Program Cuts Proposed for FY19
NSF Program Cuts Proposed for FY19
On February 12, 2018, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the Trump administration’s proposal for the budget of the U.S. government for fiscal year (FY) 2019. Under the budget, the National Science Foundation (NSF) would receive $7.47 billion in FY2019, roughly equivalent to its budget in FY2017. According to a report in the Scientific American, the FY2019 figure “includes $2.2 billion the White House added to its NSF proposal at the last minute, after Congress agreed on 8 February to lift mandatory spending caps for” FY2018-19. The White House had initially proposed to cut NSF funding by $2.2 billion or 29.5% (compared to FY2017 levels).
While overall funding for the NSF would remain unchanged, certain programs and activities would see cuts. For example, the budget proposes a 56% cut to the NSF account that supports the construction of research platforms and the acquisition of scientific instruments, including the agency’s suite of telescopes.
| Update: On September 28, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 6157 (Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Bill, 2019) into law. Division C of H.R. 6157 provides continuing appropriations for the NSF and certain other federal agencies through December 7, 2018. Most NSF projects and activities are funded at FY2018 levels.
On December 8, 2018, funding for the NSF and certain other federal agencies lapsed, leading to a partial federal shutdown government. After 35 days, on January 25, 2019, President Trump signed H.J. Res. 28 into law. The resolutiion provides continuing appropriations for various federal agencies through February 15, 2019. On February 15, 2019, President Trump signed H.J. Res. (known as the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019”) into law. The Act funds the NSF and certain other federal agencies through FY2019. Funding for the NSF is increased by 4% (compared to FY2018 levels). |