Science in President’s FY24 Budget Request

Last week, President Biden released the 2024 Presidential Budget Request, signaling the official start of the appropriations process. Through this process, Congress will decide how to fund most of the federal government, including science agencies like DOE, NASA, NOAA, NSF and USGS.

We are pleased to see the request includes a substantial increase in science funding overall, which is in keeping with the support President Biden has shown for science throughout his administration. Last July, the President signed the Chips and Science Act into law, representing one of the largest investments in U.S. science and technology in decades.

Innovation is woven through the President’s budget requests in a way that will continue American scientific strength. Many of the budget’s themes directly relate to AGU priorities, including:

Innovation. The budget would support NSF programs to accelerate research, innovation, and workforce development, including the new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships and the Regional Innovation Engines, which has been created by the Chips and Science Act. NSF would also receive investments for advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, microelectronics and semiconductors, and quantum information science. DOE would receive investments to advance research that could be commercialized by private industry.

Climate Science and Solutions. Climate research and development took center stage with funding to NSF, NOAA and NASA that will support climate observations, monitoring, research, and modeling and invest in the next generation of weather satellites. The budget would expand the CDC’s Climate and Health Program and increase USDA funding to improve climate resilience in rural housing. Further funding for hazard mitigation includes the Tribal Climate Resilience Programs, a new USGS drought and fire science effort and support for USGS research on wildfire, earthquake, coastal and marine hazards. The budget would also develop a federal climate portal to assist Tribal, State, and local governments in identifying climate-related hazards.

Environmental Justice. The budget would establish a new Office of Environmental Justice within NIEHS’ Office of Climate Change and Health Equity and support the EPA in implementing its Justice40 Initiative. It would also fund a new NSF fellowship to support researchers studying the disparate impacts of climate and address the interactions of science and policy.

Inclusive Education. The budget would expand opportunities for students from underrepresented communities in STEM through inclusive education programs from NASA and NSF. It would also build the research and development infrastructure at four-year Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). In addition, the budget would invest in programs that accelerate the development of the U.S. science and technology workforce.

Clean Energy Technology. Investments across several agencies would accelerate the development of innovative technologies to move the U.S. towards a clean energy economy such as low-GHG building heating and cooling; net-zero aviation; net-zero power grid and electrification and fusion energy. Specific funding to NOAA would expand permitting for science-based offshore wind energy that promotes sustainability.

It’s now Congress’ turn to review the budget request, develop their own priorities, and pass appropriations bills.

We urge Congress to act quickly. Robust investment in science is essential to promote economic growth, ensure national security, and deliver on the ambitions of the CHIPS and Science Act.