December 22, 2020

Science stands steady in Fiscal Year 2021 spending

Posted by Caitlin Bergstrom

Amid contentious negotiation for a new COVID-19 stimulus package and several continuing resolutions, Congress finally passed the fiscal year 2021 spending package. Overall, federal science agency budgets saw slight boosts in funding. Notably, NOAA’s Climate Research office saw a 7% increase and NSF has been directed to issue a report on the extent of the damage to the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Additionally, the Forest and Rangeland Service within the Forest Service saw a 15% decrease in funding this year.

The next step is for the President to sign, which timing as of 24 December remains uncertain with ongoing COVID-19 stimulus negotiations.

We provided a breakdown of several key agencies and a few highlights from the spending bill, as well as links to the reports on the bills to find more detailed information.

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Read more about Congressional NOAA priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $5,352.18 $5,430.61 $78.43 1.47%
National Ocean Service $606.46 $628.29 $21.74 3.58%
National Marine & Fisheries Service $947.66 $64.86 $17.20 1.81%
Oceanic & Atmospheric Research $590.38 $614.09 $23.71 4.02%
Climate Research $169.50 $182.00 $12.50 7.37%
National Weather Service $1,168.65 $1,204.41 $35.76 3.06%
National Environmental Satellite, Data & Information Service $1,514.19 $1,518.45 $4.26 .28%
Mission Support $330.36 $345.85 $15.49 4.69%
Office of Marine & Aviation Operations $342.42 $373.67 $31.25 9.13%

 

National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)

Read more about Congressional NASA priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $22,629.00 $23,271.28 $642.28 2.84%
Science Mission Directorate $7,138.90 $7,301.00 $162.10 2.27%
Earth Science $1,971.80 $2,000.00 $28.20 1.43%
Planetary Science $2,713.40 $2,700.00 -$13.40 – 0.49%
Heliophysics $724.50 $751.00 $26.50 3.66%
James Webb Space Telescope $423.00 $414.70 – $8.30 – 1.96%
STEM Engagement $120.00 $127.00 $7.00 5.83%

 

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Key provisions

  • Congress directs NSF to produce a report about the causes and extent of the damage to Arecibo Observatory, the preservation of surrounding facilities and areas, as well as the process for determining the future of the observatory in two months.

Read more about Congressional NSF priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $8,278.33 $8,486.76 $208.43 2.52%
Research & Related Activities $6,737.20 $6,909.77 $172.57 2.56%
Education & Human Resources $940.00 $968.00 $28.00 2.98%
Major Research Equipment & Facilities $243.23 $241.00 – $2.23 – 0.92%
National Science Board $4.50 $4.50 $0.00 0.00%
Office of Inspector General $16.50 $17.85 $1.35 8.18%
Agency Operations & Award Management $336.90 $345.64 $8.74 2.59%

 

Department of Energy (DOE)

Read more about Congressional DOE priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $38,586.32 $39,625.03 $1,038.71 2.69%
Office of Science $7,000.00 $7,026.00 $26.00 0.37%
Basic Energy Sciences $2,213.00 $2,245.00 $32.00 1.45%
Biological & Environmental Research $750.00 $753.00 $3.00 0.40%
ARPA-E $2,848.00 $2,864.00 $16.00 0.56%
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy $425.00 $427.00 $2.00 0.47%

 

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Key provisions

  • Congress modifies and expands upon the Administration’s proposed budget restructure for the USGS, including:
    • Eliminating the Land Resources Mission Area.
    • Relocating the Land Change Science program and the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) to the Ecosystems Mission Area.
    • Relocating the National Land Imaging program to the Core Science Systems Mission Area.
    • Relocating the Environmental Health program to the Ecosystems Mission Area—rejecting the proposed elimination of the program.
    • Rejecting the proposed restructuring of the Water Resources Mission Area.

Read more about the re-organization and Congressional USGS priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $1,270.96 $1,315.53 $44.57 3.51%
Ecosystems $170.54 $259.08 $88.54 51.92%
Energy & Mineral Resources N/A $90.04 N/A N/A
Natural Hazards $170.87

 

$175.48 $4.61 2.70%
Water Resources $234.12 $263.12 $29.00 12.39%
Core Science Systems $137.90 $252.69 $114.79 83.24%
Science Support $96.83 $95.73 – $1.10 – 1.14%
Facilities $180.88 $179.38 – $1.50 – 0.83%

 

EPA

Read more about Congressional EPA priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $9,057.40 $9,237.15 $179.75 1.98%
Science and Technology $716.45 $729.33 $12.88 1.80%
Environmental Programs and Management $2,663.36 $2,761.55 $98.19 3.69%

 

NIEHS

Read more about Congressional NIEHS priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $802.60 $814.68 $12.08 1.51%
with Superfund Research Program $883.60 $896.18 $12.58 1.42%

 

United States Forest Service

Key provisions

  • The Forest Service budget reflects the Agency’s transition to a modernized budget structure for FY2021, including the creation of a new Forest Service Operations—which “constitutes those activities previously supported through the cost pool structure, as well as other general activities” of the Agency.
  • Congress acknowledges that “the new budget structure will require the Service to think differently about mission execution and are hopeful that the modernized structure will result in improved transparency, better human resources planning, and ultimately better management” of the Agency.

Read more about Congressional EPA priorities in the Congressional report on the bill.

Budget (rounded to the nearest million) FY2020 FY2021 $ Change FY21 v. FY20 Percent Change FY21 v. FY20
Overall $7,433.41 $7,423.83 – $9.58 – 0.13%
Forest & Rangeland Research $305.00 $258.76 – $46.24 – 15.16%