Bipartisan support for US science more likely in Senate than House

Science : The US House of Representatives has been criticized for its recent science bill, but the one introduced in the Senate looks more promising to science advocates. The House’s Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014 passed in May after a year-long battle, during which House Republicans rejected all 13 of the Democrats’ proposed amendments. The bill, which sets policy for NSF and NIST, would severely cut NSF’s funding of research in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. In contrast, the Senate’s America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2014, introduced by John “Jay” Rockefeller (D-WV), calls for “robust” funding increases for both NSF and NIST. In addition, Senate Republicans, led by John Thune (R-SD), appear more willing to compromise. The Senate science panel is expected to address the bill next month.