FY 2016 appropriations boost physical sciences

JAN 11, 2016

Increases over FY 2015 range from 1.6% for NSF to 11.6% for NIST.

Michael S. Henry

Below is a compilation of budget charts capturing the outcomes for the major science agencies and offices in the fiscal 2016 year-end spending law. Click a given subheading to link to more detailed information about the outcome for that agency, office, or account.

FYI published an overview analysis of the FY 2016 appropriations law.

The White House has announced that the president will release his FY 2017 budget request on 9 February.

Agency/Office/Account	FY 2014 actual	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
National Science Foundation	7,131.4	7,344.2	7,723.6	7,463.5	1.6
NASA	17,646.5	18,010.2	18,529.1	19,285.0	7.1
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration	5,322.5	5,448.9	5,982.6	5,765.6	5.8
National Institute of Standards and Technology	850.0	863.9	1,119.7	964.0	11.6
Department of Energy Office of Science	5,070.2	5,071.0	5,339.8	5,350.2	5.5
Department of Defense Science and Technology	12,008.6	12,252.0	12,266.3	13,250.7	8.2
* Figures in millions of US dollars
NSF grows 1.6%
Agency/Account/Directorate	FY 2014 actual	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
NSF	7,131.4	7,344.2	7,723.6	7,463.5	1.6
Research and related activities	5,775.3	5,933.6	6,186.3	6,033.6	1.7
Education and human resources	832.0	866.0	962.6	880.0	1.6
Major research equipment and facilities construction	200.0	200.8	200.3	200.3	−0.2
* Figures in millions of US dollars
DOE Office of Science grows 5.6%
Department/Office/Division	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
Department of Energy	27,182.0	27,402.4	29,923.8	29,717.3	8.4
Office of Science	5,066.4	5,067.7	5,339.8	5,350.2	5.6
Advanced scientific computing research	478.1	541.0	621.0	621.0	14.8
Basic energy sciences	1,711.9	1,733.2	1,849.3	1,848.7	6.7
Biological and environmental research	609.7	592.0	612.4	609.0	2.9
Fusion energy sciences	504.7	467.5	420.0	438.0	−6.3
High-energy physics	796.5	766.0	788.0	795.0	3.8
Nuclear physics	569.1	595.5	624.6	617.1	3.6
Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy	280.0	280.0	325.0	291.0	3.9
* Figures in millions of US dollars
NASA grows 7.1%
Agency/Directorate/Division	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
NASA	17,646.5	18,010.2	18,529.1	19,285.0	7.1
Science	5,148.2	5,244.7	5,288.6	5,589.4	6.6
Earth science	1,824.9	1,772.5	1,947.3	1,921.0	8.4
Planetary science	1,345.7	1,437.8	1,361.2	1,631.0	13.4
Astrophysics	678.3	684.8	709.1	730.6	6.7
James Webb Space Telescope	658.2	645.4	620.0	620.0	−3.9
Heliophysics	641.0	662.2	651.0	649.8	−1.9
Aeronautics	566.0	651.0	571.4	640.0	−1.7
Space technology	576.0	596.0	724.8	686.5	15.2
Exploration	4,113.2	4,356.7	4,505.9	4,030.0	−7.5
Space operations	3,774.0	3,827.8	4,003.7	5,029.2	31.4
Education	116.6	119.0	88.9	115.0	−3.4
* Figures in millions of US dollars
NIST grows 11.6%
Agency/Account	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
NIST	850.0	863.9	1,119.7	964.0	11.6
Scientific and Technical Research and Services	651.0	675.5	754.7	690.0	2.1
Industrial Technology Services	143.0	138.1	306.0	155.0	12.2
Construction of research facilities	56.0	50.3	59.0	119.0	136.6
* Figures in millions of US dollars
DOD science and technology grows 8.2%
Department/Account	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
Department of Defense
Research, development, test, and evaluation	63,457.8	64,006.5	69,976.4	70,016.1	9.4
Science and technology	12,008.6	12,252.0	12,266.6	13,250.7	8.2
Basic research (6.1)	2,166.6	2,277.8	2,088.9	2,309.3	1.4
Applied research (6.2)	4,641.2	4,647.8	4,713.2	5,004.0	7.7
Advanced technology and development (6.3)	5,200.8	5,326.4	5,464.4	5,937.4	11.5
* Figures in millions of US dollars
STEM programs mostly flat-funded
Department/Agency/Directorate/Program	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
Department of Education	67,300.0	70,470.0	74,138.0	71,698.0	1.7
Math and science partnerships	149.7	152.7	202.7	152.7	0.0
Minority science and engineering improvement	9.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	0.0
NSF	7,131.4	7,344.2	7,723.6	7,463.5	1.6
Education and Human Resources	832.0	866.0	962.6	880.0	1.6
Advancing informal STEM learning	54.8	55.0	60.0	62.5	13.6
STEM + computing partnerships	57.4	57.1	51.9	51.9	−9.1
Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation	45.5	46.0	46.0	46.0	0.0
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarships	62.6	60.9	60.9	60.9	0.0
* Figures in millions of US dollars
NOAA grows 5.8%
Agency/Office/Program	FY 2014 actual	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration	5,322.5	5,448.9	5,982.6	5,765.6	5.8
Office of Atmospheric and Oceanic Research	423.9	446.3	507.0	482.0	8.0
Climate research	154.2	158.0	188.8	158.0	0.0
Weather and air chemistry research	81.1	90.8	97.3	103.2	13.7
Ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes research	166.3	172.1	186.4	188.6	9.6
National Weather Service	1,062.6	1,087.5	1,098.9	1,124.1	3.4
Observations	205.3	210.8	204.9	216.4	2.7
Central processing	100.1	96.6	87.9	92.9	−3.8
Analyze, forecast, and support	474.7	483.1	489.8	496.0	2.7
Dissemination	46.3	40.1	46.7	44.7	11.5
Science and technology integration	123.1	123.6	134.2	138.8	12.3
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service	2,087.1	2,223.1	2,379.6	2,350.7	5.7
Geostationary operational environmental satellites—R Class	940.4	980.8	871.8	871.8	−11.1
Joint Polar Satellite System	820.6	916.3	809.0	809.0	−11.7
Polar follow-on	0.0	0.0	380.0	370.0	NEW
* Figures in millions of US dollars
DOE Office of Nuclear Energy grows 8%
Department/Agency/Office/Account	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
Department of Energy	27,182.0	27,402.4	29,923.8	29,717.3	8.4
National Nuclear Security Administration	11,207.0	11,399.0	12,565.4	12,526.5	9.9
Weapons activities	7,845.0	8,231.8	8,846.9	8,846.9	7.5
Defense nuclear nonproliferation	1,954.0	1,641.4	1,940.3	1,940.3	18.2
Naval reactors	1,095.0	1,238.5	1,375.5	1,375.5	11.1
Nuclear energy	888.4	913.5	907.6	986.2	8.0
* Figures in millions of US dollars
NIH grows 5.8%
Agency/Institute	FY 2014 enacted	FY 2015 enacted	FY 2016 president's request	FY 2016 enacted	FY 2015–16 percent change
National Institutes of Health	30,070.1	30,311.3	31,311.3	32,084.0	5.8
National Cancer Institute	4,932.4	4,953.0	5,098.5	5,214.7	5.3
National Institute of General Medical Sciences	2,366.5	2,372.3	2,433.8	2,512.1	5.9
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders	404.3	405.2	416.2	423.0	4.4
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering	327.0	327.2	337.3	346.8	6.0
* Figures in millions of US dollars

This was originally posted at FYI: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News .