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Read. Follow. Verify.Review of the 2021 Federal Research and Development Budget Proposal
Record date · January 1, 2021
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What This Bill Does
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to review the Administration's proposed research and development () budget for Fiscal Year 2021. Committee leadership expressed significant concerns regarding proposed funding cuts to key scientific agencies and programs, despite the Administration's claims of increased investment.
The budget proposal outlines federal funding priorities for scientific research, space exploration, and environmental programs, which directly impacts the scope of national scientific projects and the availability of education resources for the 2021 fiscal year.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Scientific Research Community
Researchers and institutions relying on federal grants face potential funding changes across multiple agencies including NSF, DOE, and NOAA.
STEM Students
Proposed changes to STEM education funding may alter the availability of resources and programs for students.
Key Facts
- The Administration's FY 2021 budget proposal represents a 9 percent cut to total R&D funding, according to the Committee Chairwoman.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) faces a 6.5 percent overall budget cut, with increases for AI and quantum science offset by cuts to other research areas and STEM education.
- The Department of Energy (DOE) faces a proposed $4.5 billion cut to non-defense R&D programs.
- The budget proposal includes the elimination of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program.
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- NASA's budget request includes an increase for human space exploration, funded in part by reductions in other science missions and STEM education.
- The proposal includes cuts to atmospheric and ocean research at NOAA.
- The proposal includes cuts to EPA assessment programs.
- The hearing took place on February 27, 2020, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the proposed budget increase funding for science and technology?
What happens to the ARPA-E program in this budget?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Budget Math Discrepancy
The Committee and the Administration utilize different baselines for calculating R&D budget increases, leading to a 15-percentage-point gap in how the budget's growth is characterized.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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