Introduction

The 117^th Congress continues its interest in U.S. research and development (R&D) and in evaluating support for federal R&D activities. The federal government has played an important role in supporting R&D efforts that have led to scientific breakthroughs and new technologies, from jet aircraft and the internet to communications satellites, shale gas extraction, and defenses against disease. In recent years, federal budget caps have driven executive and legislative branch decisions about the prioritization of R&D, both in the context of the entire federal budget and among competing needs within the federal R&D portfolio.

The U.S. government supports a broad range of scientific and engineering R&D. Its purposes include addressing national defense, health, safety, the environment, and energy security; advancing knowledge generally; developing the scientific and engineering workforce; and strengthening U.S. innovation and competitiveness in the global economy. Most of the R&D funded by the federal government is performed in support of the unique missions of individual funding agencies.

The federal R&D budget is an aggregation of the R&D activities of these agencies. There is no single, centralized source of R&D funds. Agency R&D budgets are developed internally as part of each agency's overall budget development process. R&D funding may be included either in accounts that are entirely devoted to R&D or in accounts that also include funding for non-R&D activities. Agency budgets are subjected to review, revision, and approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and become part of the President's annual budget submission to Congress. The federal R&D budget is then calculated by aggregating the R&D activities of each federal agency.

Congress plays a central role in defining the nation's R&D priorities as it makes decisions about the level and allocation of R&D funding—overall, within agencies, and for specific programs. As Congress acts to complete the FY2021 appropriations process, it faces two overarching issues: the amount of the federal budget to be spent on federal R&D and the prioritization and allocation of the available funding.

This report begins with a discussion of the overall level of R&D in President Biden's FY2022 budget request, followed by analyses of R&D funding in the request from a variety of perspectives and for selected multiagency R&D initiatives. The remainder of the report discusses and analyzes the R&D budget requests of selected federal departments and agencies that, collectively, account for approximately 99% of total federal R&D funding.

Selected terms associated with federal R&D funding are defined in the text box on the next page. Appendix A provides a list of acronyms and abbreviations. Appendix B lists the primary CRS experts on R&D funding for the agencies covered in this report.

The President's FY2022 Budget Request

On May 28, 2021, President Biden released his proposed FY2022 budget. President Biden is proposing $171.3 billion for R&D for FY2022, an increase of $13.5 billion (8.5%) above the FY2021 level of $157.8 billion. Adjusted for inflation to FY2022 dollars, the President's FY2022 R&D request represents a constant-dollar increase of 6.6% above the FY2021 actual level.³

The President's request includes continued R&D funding for existing single-agency and multiagency programs and activities, as well as new initiatives. This report provides government-wide, multiagency, and individual agency analyses of the President's FY2022 request as it relates to R&D and related activities. More information will become available as the House and Senate act on the President's budget request through appropriations bills.

Federal R&D Funding Perspectives

Federal R&D funding can be analyzed from a variety of perspectives that provide different insights. The following sections examine the data by agency, by the character of the work supported, and by a combination of these two perspectives.

Federal R&D by Agency

Congress makes decisions about R&D funding through the authorization and appropriations processes primarily from the perspective of individual agencies and programs. Table 1 provides data on R&D funding by agency for FY2020 (actual), FY2021 (estimate), and FY2022 (request).⁴

Under the request, eight federal agencies would receive 97% of total federal R&D funding in FY2022: the Department of Defense (DOD), 36.7%; Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), primarily the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 29.9%; Department of Energy (DOE), 12.5%; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 8.5%; National Science Foundation (NSF), 4.8%; Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2.1%; Department of Commerce (DOC), 1.6%; and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 0.9%. This report provides an analysis of the R&D budget requests for these agencies, as well as for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

With the exception of DOD, all federal agencies would see their R&D funding increase under the President's FY2022 request compared to their FY2021 estimated levels. The agencies with the largest R&D funding increases (measured in dollars) in the FY2022 request compared to FY2021 estimated levels are HHS (up $7.738 billion), DOE (up $2.140 billion), and NASA (up $1.339 billion). DOD R&D funding would decline by $550 million (down 0.9%). See Table 1.

The agencies with the largest percentage increases in R&D funding in the FY2022 request compared to the FY2021 estimated level are DOT (up 30.8%), DOC (up 29.3%), USDA (up 21.7%), DOI (up 18.2%), and HHS (up 17.8%). See Table 1.

Federal R&D by Character of Work, Facilities, and Equipment

Federal R&D funding can also be examined by the character of work it supports—basic research, applied research, or development—and by funding provided for construction of R&D facilities and acquisition of major R&D equipment. (See Table 2.) President Biden's FY2022 request includes $47.387 billion for basic research, up $4.402 billion (10.2%) from the FY2021 estimated level; $51.126 billion for applied research, up $6.283 billion (14.0%); $68.136 billion for development, up $2.397 billion (3.6%); and $4.611 billion for R&D facilities and equipment, up $380 million (9.0%).

Federal Role in U.S. R&D by Character of Work

A primary policy justification for public investments in basic research and for incentives (e.g., tax credits) for the private sector to conduct research is the view, widely held by economists, that the private sector will, left on its own, underinvest in basic research from a societal perspective. The usual argument for this view is that the social returns (i.e., the benefits to society at large) exceed the private returns (i.e., the benefits accruing to the private investor, such as increased revenues or higher stock value). Other factors that may inhibit corporate investment in basic research include long time horizons for achieving commercial applications (diminishing the potential returns due to the time value of money), high levels of technical risk and uncertainty, shareholder demands for shorter-term returns, and asymmetric and imperfect information.

The federal government is the nation's largest supporter of basic research, funding 41% of U.S. basic research in 2019 (the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available). Business funded 31% of U.S. basic research in 2019, with state governments, universities, and other nonprofit organizations funding the remaining 29%.⁵ For U.S. applied research, business is the primary funder, accounting for an estimated 55% in 2019, while the federal government accounted for an estimated 33%. State governments, universities, and other nonprofit organizations funded the remaining 12%. Business also provides the vast majority of U.S. funding for development. Business accounted for 86% of development funding in 2019, while the federal government provided 13%. State governments, universities, and other nonprofit organizations funded the remaining 2% (see Figure 1).⁶

Figure 1. Composition of U.S. Basic Research, Applied Research, and Development by Funding Sector, 2019

Source: CRS analysis of National Science Foundation, National Patterns of R&D Resources: 2018–19 Data Update, NSF 21-325, Tables 7-9, April 9, 2021. Notes: Components may not add to total due to rounding. Data are preliminary and may be revised.

Federal R&D by Agency and Character of Work Combined

Federal R&D funding can also be viewed from the combined perspective of each agency's contribution to basic research, applied research, development, and facilities and equipment. Table 3 lists the three agencies with the most funding in each of these categories as proposed in the President's FY2022 budget. The overall federal R&D budget reflects a wide range of national priorities, including supporting advances in spaceflight, developing new and affordable sources of energy, and understanding and deterring terrorist groups. These priorities and the mission of each individual agency contribute to the composition of that agency's R&D spending (i.e., the allocation of R&D funding among basic research, applied research, development, and facilities and equipment).

In President Biden's FY2022 budget request, the Department of Health and Human Services, primarily NIH, would account for more than half (50.7%) of all federal funding for basic research. HHS would also be the largest federal funder of applied research, accounting for about 52.5% of all federally funded applied research in the President's FY2022 budget request. DOD would be the primary federal funder of experimental development, accounting for 80.5% of total federal development funding in the President's FY2022 budget request. DOE would be the primary federal funder of R&D facilities and equipment, accounting for 58.2% of total federal R&D facilities and equipment funding in the President's FY2022 budget request.⁷

Multiagency R&D Initiatives

For many years, presidential budgets have reported on multiagency R&D initiatives. Often, they have also provided details of agency funding for these initiatives. Some of these efforts have a statutory basis—for example, the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) program, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), and the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). These programs generally produce annual budget supplements identifying objectives, activities, funding levels, and other information, usually published shortly after the presidential budget release. Other multiagency R&D initiatives have operated at the discretion of the President, without a specific statutory mandate, and may be eliminated at the discretion of the President. President Biden's FY2022 budget is largely silent on funding levels for these efforts and whether any or all of the nonstatutory initiatives will continue. Some activities related to these initiatives are discussed in agency budget justifications and may be addressed in the agency analyses later in this report. This section provides available multiagency information on these initiatives and will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program⁸

Established by the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-194), the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program is the primary mechanism by which the federal government coordinates its unclassified networking and information technology R&D investments in areas such as supercomputing, high-speed networking, cybersecurity, software engineering, and information management. The NITRD National Coordination Office (NCO) coordinates the information technology R&D activities of 24 federal agency members and more than 45 other participating agencies with program interests and activities in IT R&D. NITRD efforts are further coordinated by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) NITRD Subcommittee.⁹

P.L. 102-194, as reauthorized by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (P.L. 114-329), requires the director of the NITRD NCO to prepare an annual report to be delivered to Congress along with the President's budget request. This annual report, often referred to as a budget supplement, is to include, among other things, detailed information on the program's budget for the current and previous fiscal years and the proposed budget for the next fiscal year (FY). The latest annual report was published in August 2020 and related to the FY2021 budget request. For additional information on the NITRD program, see CRS Report RL33586, The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities, by Patricia Moloney Figliola. Additional information on the NITRD Program can be obtained at https://www.nitrd.gov.

U.S. Global Change Research Program¹⁰

The U.S. Global Change Research Program coordinates and integrates federal research and applications to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change. The program seeks to advance global climate change science and to "build a knowledge base that informs human responses to climate and global change through coordinated and integrated Federal programs of research, education, communication, and decision support."¹¹ In FY2019, 10 departments and agencies received appropriations for their USGCRP participation. USGCRP efforts are coordinated by the NSTC Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Each agency develops and carries out its activities as its contribution to the USGCRP, and funds are appropriated to each agency for those activities; those activities may or may not be identified as associated with the USGCRP in agency budget justifications or other program materials available publicly. Complementing USGCRP activities are many federal climate change or global change-related activities with programmatic missions, not predominantly scientific. These are reported separately in budget justifications.

The Global Change Research Act of 1990 (GCRA, P.L. 101-606) requires each federal agency or department involved in global change research to report annually to Congress on each element of its proposed global change research activities, as well as the portion of its budget request allocated to each element of the program.¹² The President is also required to identify those activities and the annual global change research budget in the President's annual budget request. The President's budget requests for years later than FY2017 do not report these budget data required by the GCRA, although some agencies report their contributions in their budget justifications to Congress.

In addition, in the 20 years prior to FY2018, language in appropriations laws required the President to submit a comprehensive report to the appropriations committees "describing in detail all Federal agency funding, domestic and international, for climate change programs, projects, and activities … including an accounting of funding by agency…."¹³ As these are no longer reported by OMB, Table 5 presents data compiled by CRS from communications with departments and agencies that participated in the USGCRP in FY2018.

For additional information on the USGCRP, see CRS Report R43227, Federal Climate Change Funding from FY2008 to FY2014, by Jane A. Leggett, Richard K. Lattanzio, and Emily Bruner. Additional USGCRP information can be obtained at http://www.globalchange.gov.

National Nanotechnology Initiative¹⁴

Launched in FY2001, the National Nanotechnology Initiative is a multiagency R&D initiative to advance understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, where the physical, chemical, and biological properties of materials differ in fundamental and sometimes useful ways from the properties of individual atoms or bulk matter.¹⁵ In 2003, Congress enacted the 21^st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (P.L. 108-153), providing a legislative foundation for some of the activities of the NNI. NNI efforts are coordinated by the NSTC Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET). For FY2020, the President's request included NNI funding for 15 federal departments and independent agencies and commissions with budgets dedicated to nanotechnology R&D. The NSET includes other federal departments and independent agencies and commissions with responsibilities for health, safety, and environmental regulation; trade; education; intellectual property; international relations; and other areas that might affect or be affected by nanotechnology.

P.L. 108-153 requires the NSTC to prepare an annual report to be delivered to Congress at the time the President's budget request is sent to Congress. This annual report, often referred to as a budget supplement, is to include detailed information on the program's budget for the current fiscal year and the program's proposed budget for the next fiscal year, as well as additional information and data related to the performance of the program. The latest annual report was published in October 2020 and related to the FY2021 budget request. President Trump requested $1.723 billion for NNI research in FY2021, a decrease of $117 million (6.3%) from the enacted FY2020 level.¹⁶

For additional information on the NNI, see CRS Report RL34401, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Overview, Reauthorization, and Appropriations Issues, by John F. Sargent Jr. Additional NNI information can be obtained at http://www.nano.gov.

FY2022 Appropriations Status

The remainder of this report provides a more in-depth analysis of R&D in 12 federal departments and agencies that, in aggregate, receive nearly 99% of total federal R&D funding. Agencies are presented in order of the size of their FY2020 R&D budget requests, with the largest presented first.

Annual appropriations for these agencies are provided through 9 of the 12 regular appropriations bills. For each agency covered in this report, Table 7 shows the corresponding regular appropriations bill that provides primary funding for the agency, including its R&D activities.

Because of the way that agencies report budget data to Congress, it can be difficult to identify the portion that is R&D. Consequently, R&D data presented in the agency analyses in this report may differ from R&D data in the President's budget or otherwise provided by OMB.

Funding for R&D is often included in appropriations line items that also include non-R&D activities; therefore, in such cases, it may not be possible to identify precisely how much of the funding provided in appropriations laws is allocated to R&D specifically. In general, R&D funding levels are known only after departments and agencies allocate their appropriations to specific activities and report those figures.

As of the date of this report, the House has acted on six of the nine appropriations bills that provide R&D funding; the Senate has not acted on any of the appropriations acts. On October 18, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority released nine draft appropriations acts for FY2022; the other three acts had previously been reported by committee.

In addition to this report, CRS produces individual reports on each of the appropriations bills and for a number of federal agencies. These reports can be accessed via the CRS website at http://www.crs.gov/iap/appropriations. Also, the status of each appropriations bill is available on the CRS web page "Appropriations Status Table," available at http://www.crs.gov/AppropriationsStatusTable/Index.

Department of Defense¹⁷

The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide "the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security."¹⁸ Congress supports research and development activities at DOD primarily through the department's Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) funding. These funds support the development of the nation's future military hardware and software and the science and technology base upon which those products rely. This section includes funding for budget activities 6.6 and 6.7 which OMB no longer counts as R&D.

Most of what DOD spends on RDT&E is appropriated in Title IV of the annual defense appropriations bill. (See Table 8.) Title IV RDT&E funds support activities such as R&D performed by academic institutions, DOD laboratories, and companies, as well as test and evaluation activities at specialized DOD facilities, among other things.

However, RDT&E funds are also appropriated in other parts of the bill. For example, RDT&E funds are appropriated as part of the Defense Health Program, the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program, and the National Defense Sealift Fund.

• The Defense Health Program (DHP) supports the delivery of health care to DOD personnel and their families. DHP funds (including the RDT&E funds) are requested through the Defense-wide Operations and Maintenance appropriations request. The program's RDT&E funds support congressionally directed research on breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer; traumatic brain injuries; orthotics and prosthetics; and other medical conditions. Congress appropriates funds for this program in Title VI (Other Department of Defense Programs) of the defense appropriations bill.
• The Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program supports activities to destroy the U.S. inventory of lethal chemical agents and munitions to avoid future risks and costs associated with storage. Funds for this program are requested through the Defense-wide Procurement appropriations request. Congress appropriates funds for this program also in Title VI.
• The National Defense Sealift Fund supports the procurement, operation and maintenance, and research and development associated with the nation's naval reserve fleet and supports a U.S. flagged merchant fleet that can serve in time of need. In some fiscal years, RDT&E funding for this effort is requested in the Navy's Procurement request and appropriated in Title V (Revolving and Management Funds) of the appropriations bill.

For more than a decade, RDT&E funds also have been requested and appropriated as part of DOD's separate funding to support efforts in what the George W. Bush Administration termed the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and what the Obama and Trump Administrations referred to as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). In appropriations bills, the term Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terror (OCO/GWOT) was used. Typically, the RDT&E funds appropriated for OCO activities were directed toward specified Program Elements (PEs) in Title IV. President Biden's FY2022 request does not include separate OCO/GWOT funding.

For FY2022, the Biden Administration is requesting $111.964 billion for DOD's Title IV RDT&E PEs, $4.509 billion (4.2%) above the estimated FY2021 level. (See Table 8.) In addition, the FY2022 request includes $630.7 million in RDT&E through the Defense Health Program (DHP; down $1.762 billion, 73.6% from FY2021), $1.001 billion in RDT&E through the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction program (up $58.7 million, 6.2% from FY2021), and $2.4 million for the Inspector General for RDT&E-related activities (up $1.3 million, 118.2% from FY2021). The FY2022 budget includes no RDT&E funding via the National Defense Sealift Fund, the same as the FY2021 estimated level.

On July 13, 2021, the House Appropriations Committee reported the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4432). The act would provide $110.369 billion in Title IV RDT&E, an increase of $2.914 billion (2.7%) over FY2021 funding and $1.595 billion (1.4%) below the request. The act would also provide $1.839 billion for Defense Health Program R&D, down $553.9 million (23.2%) from the FY2021 level and up $1.208 billion (191.5%) from the request; $1,001.2 billion for the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction program, up $58.7 million (6.2%) from the FY2021 level and equal to the request; and $2.4 billion for the Inspector General for RDT&E-related activities, up $1.3 (115.4%) million from the FY2021 level and nearly the same as the request.

On October 18, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority released nine draft appropriations acts for FY2022. One of these acts was the Department of Defense appropriations act, which was subsequently introduced as S. 3023. The act would provide $116.152 billion in Title IV RDT&E, an increase of $8.698 billion (8.1%) over FY2021 funding, an increase of $4.188 billion (3.7%) over the request, and an increase of $5.784 billion (5.2%) over the House Committee-passed level. In addition, it would provide $1.850 billion for Defense Health Program R&D, down $543.0 million (22.7%) from the FY2021 level and up $1.219 billion (193.3%) from the request; $1.094 billion for the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction program, up $151.9 million (16.1%) from the FY2021 level and up $93.2 million (9.3%) from the request; and $2.4 billion for the Inspector General for RDT&E-related activities, up $1.3 (115.4%) million from the FY2021 level and nearly the same as the request.

RDT&E funding can be analyzed in different ways. RDT&E funding can be characterized organizationally. Each military department requests and receives its own RDT&E funding. So, too, do various DOD agencies (e.g., the Missile Defense Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), collectively aggregated within the Defense-wide account. RDT&E funding also can be characterized by budget activity (i.e., the type of RDT&E supported). Those budget activities designated as 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 (basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development, respectively) constitute what is called DOD's Science and Technology (S&T) program and represent the more research-oriented part of the RDT&E program. Budget activities 6.4 and 6.5 focus on the development of specific weapon systems or components for which an operational need has been determined and an acquisition program established. Budget activity 6.6 provides management support, including support for test and evaluation facilities.¹⁹ Budget activity 6.7 supports the development of system improvements in existing operational systems.²⁰ A new budget activity, 6.8, was added in the FY2021 budget and supports software and digital technology pilot programs.²¹

Many congressional policymakers are particularly interested in DOD S&T program funding, since these funds support the development of new technologies and the science that underlies them. Some in the defense community see ensuring adequate support for S&T activities as imperative to maintaining U.S. military superiority into the future. The knowledge generated at this stage of development may also contribute to advances in commercial technologies.

The FY2022 request for Title IV S&T funding is $14.685 billion, $2.131 billion (12.7%) below the FY2021 estimated level. Within the S&T program, basic research (6.1) receives special attention, particularly by the nation's universities, as over half of DOD's basic research budget is spent at universities. The Biden Administration is requesting $2.283 billion for DOD basic research for FY2022, $342.9 million (13.1%) below the FY2021 estimated level. The proposed FY2022 cuts in S&T are spread across a variety of program elements in the Army, Navy, and Air Force accounts. The Army would see the largest cut in both dollars and percentage ($1.3 billion, 33%), followed by the Air Force ($560 million, 18.1%), and the Navy ($309 million, 11.6%). Among the proposed FY2022 program element cuts are the University Research Initiatives program elements in the Army ($18 million, 20.9%), Navy ($27 million, 18.5%), and Air Force ($34 million, 17.4%). Increases in S&T funding would be provided to the Space Force ($36 million, 16.4%) and Defense-wide accounts ($29 million, 0.4%).

H.R. 4432, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, would provide $16.019 billion for Defense S&T, including $2.446 billion for basic research. S. 3023, as introduced, would provide $17.672 billion for Defense S&T, including $3.005 billion for basic research.

While DOD is not the largest federal funder of basic research, it is a substantial source of federal funds for university R&D in certain fields, such as aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering (65%); electrical, electronic, and communications engineering (58%); industrial and manufacturing engineering (58%); mechanical engineering (49%); computer and information sciences (48%); materials science (44%); and metallurgical and materials engineering (41%).²²

Department of Health and Human Services

The mission of the Department of Health and Human Services is "to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans ... by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services."²³ This section focuses on HHS research and development funded through the National Institutes of Health, an HHS agency that accounts for nearly 97% of total HHS R&D funding.²⁴ Other HHS agencies that support R&D include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Administration for Children and Families (ACF); additional R&D funding is attributed to departmental management.²⁵

National Institutes of Health²⁶

NIH is the primary agency of the federal government charged with performing and supporting biomedical and behavioral research. It also has major roles in training biomedical researchers and disseminating health information. The NIH mission is "to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability."²⁷ The agency consists of the NIH Office of the Director (OD) and 27 institutes and centers (ICs), 25 of which manage research programs. Each IC plans and manages its own research programs in coordination with OD. According to NIH, about 10% of the NIH budget supports intramural research projects conducted by the nearly 6,000 NIH federal scientists, most of whom are located on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. All 25 research ICs have an intramural research program of varying sizes. More than 80% of NIH's budget goes to the extramural research community in the form of grants, contracts, and other awards. This funding supports research performed by more than 300,000 nonfederal scientists and technical personnel who work at more than 2,500 universities, hospitals, medical schools, and other research institutions.²⁸

Funding for NIH comes primarily from the annual Labor, HHS, and Education (LHHS) appropriations act, with an additional amount for Superfund-related activities from the Interior/Environment appropriations act.²⁹ Those two appropriations acts provide NIH's discretionary budget authority. In addition, NIH has received mandatory funding of $150 million annually that is provided in Public Health Service Act (PHSA) Section 330B, for the Special Diabetes Program for type 1 diabetes, most recently extended through FY2023 with an annual funding level of $150 million by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260; Division BB, Title III). As shown in Table 9, separate appropriations are provided to 24 of the 27 ICs, as well as to OD, the Innovation Account (established by the 21^st Century Cures Act in 2016, P.L. 114-255), and an intramural Buildings and Facilities account. The other three centers, which perform centralized support services, are funded through transfers from the other ICs. Some funding is also pursuant to the PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, also known as the PHS Evaluation Tap transfer authority, under Section 241 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. §238j). This provision allows the Secretary of HHS, with the approval of appropriators, to redistribute a portion of eligible PHS agency appropriations across HHS for program evaluation purposes.³⁰ Although the PHS Act limits the tap to no more than 1% of eligible appropriations, in recent years, annual LHHS appropriations acts have specified a higher amount (2.5% in FY2021, P.L. 116-260, Division H).³¹ Those acts also have typically directed specific amounts of funding from the tap for transfer to a number of HHS programs, including at NIH—particularly for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Readers should note that funding amounts in this report show amounts "transferred in" to NIH under the PHS evaluation set-aside, but do not show amounts "transferred out" under the same authority.

NIH also receives funding through LHHS appropriations that is subject to different budget enforcement rules than the rest of the NIH funding in the act—appropriations to the NIH Innovation Account created by the 21^st Century Cures Act ("the Cures Act," P.L. 114-255) to fund programs authorized by that act. Appropriations of funds in this account are, in effect, not subject to discretionary spending limits.³² The NIH Director may transfer these amounts from the NIH Innovation Account to other NIH accounts but only for the purposes specified in the Cures Act. If the NIH Director determines that the funds for any of the four Innovation Projects are not necessary, the amounts may be transferred back to the NIH Innovation Account. All amounts authorized by the Cures Act have been fully appropriated to the Innovation Account since FY2017, including $404 million for FY2021. For FY2022, $496 million is authorized to be appropriated.³³

On December 27, 2020, Congress and the President enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), which included final FY2021 LHHS appropriations in Division H, Interior/Environment appropriations in Division G, and full year mandatory type 1 diabetes funding in Division BB. The enacted FY2021 NIH program level is $43.084 billion and is made up of the following:³⁴

• $41.356 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (nontransfer);
• $1.272 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer and a $225 million transfer from the HHS nonrecurring expenses fund (NEF; this amount is not reflected in the program level total shown above);³⁵
• $81.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from Interior/Environment appropriations; and
• $150 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program.

President Biden's FY2022 budget request proposes that NIH be provided with a total program level of $51.883 billion, an increase of $8.799 billion (+20%) from FY2021-enacted levels. The proposed FY2022 program level would be made up of³⁶

• $50.378 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (nontransfer);
• $1.272 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer;
• $83.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from Interior/Environment appropriations; and
• $150 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program.³⁷

Under the President's FY2022 request, all existing IC accounts would receive an increase compared to FY2021 funding levels, except for the OD, which would receive a decrease of $174 million (-7%). In addition, the full amount ($496 million) authorized by the Cures Act for FY2022 would be appropriated to the Innovation Account. The Buildings and Facilities (B&F) account would receive an increase of $50 million (+25%) in LHHS discretionary budget authority, but an overall decrease of $175 million (-41%) when accounting for the additional NEF transfer of $225 million directed to the B&F account in FY2021 appropriations.³⁸

The FY2022 budget request also proposes the creation of an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) within NIH. The budget request includes $6.5 billion for ARPA-H "to build platforms and capabilities to deliver cures for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other diseases."³⁹ The $6.5 billion for ARPA-H would account for 74% of the FY2022 budget request's $8.799 billion increase from FY2021 enacted levels. The creation of a new NIH component may require amendments to the PHSA, especially Section 401(d), which specifies that "[i]n the National Institutes of Health, the number of national research institutes and national centers may not exceed a total of 27." Further information on the ARPA-H proposal is provided below.

In July 2021, the House passed a consolidated appropriations bill, H.R. 4502, with proposed FY2022 funding levels for NIH accounts in Division A (LHHS appropriations) and Division E (Interior/Environment appropriations). House-passed appropriations would provide NIH with a FY2022 estimated program level of $49.587 billion, an increase of $6.503 billion (+15%) from FY2021-enacted levels and a decrease of $2.296 billion (-4%) from the FY2022 budget request. The House-proposed FY2022 program level includes the following amounts:⁴¹

• $48.082 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (nontransfer);
• $1.272 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer;
• $83.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from Interior/Environment appropriations; and
• $150 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program.

House-passed appropriations would provide increases to all existing IC accounts compared to FY2021 funding levels. Compared to the FY2022 budget request, House-passed appropriations would provide increases to all existing IC accounts except for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (-$252 million) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (-$1 million). The House also included $3.0 billion for ARPA-H available through September 30, 2024, a decrease of $3.5 billion (-54%) compared to the FY2022 budget request, and provided that funding would only be available if legislation specifically establishing ARPA-H is enacted into law.

On October 18, 2021, the chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Patrick Leahy, released drafts of nine annual appropriations bills along with draft accompanying explanatory statements. According to the chair, the purpose of this release is to further negotiations toward enacting all 12 annual appropriations bills prior to when the CR expires on December 3.⁴² Proposed funding levels for NIH accounts were located in the LHHS and Interior/Environment bills.⁴³ The Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bill would provide NIH with a FY2022 estimated program level of $48.073 billion, an increase of $4.99 billion (+12%) from FY2021-enacted levels and a decrease of $3.81 billion (-7%) from the FY2022 budget request. The Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bill FY2022 program level includes the following amounts:⁴⁴

• $46.624 billion in discretionary LHHS budget authority (nontransfer);
• $1.215 billion pursuant to the PHS program evaluation transfer;
• $84.5 million for the Superfund research program and related activities from Interior/Environment appropriations; and
• $150 million in annual funding for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program.

The Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bill would provide increases to all existing IC accounts compared to FY2021 funding levels. Compared to the FY2022 budget request, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bill would provide decreases to 16 IC accounts and increases to 9 accounts and the Office of the Director. Notable decreases compared to the budget request include the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (-$263 million), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (-$20 million), and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (-$5 million). Notable increases include the Office of the Director (+$301 million), the National Institute on Aging (+$145 million), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (+$97 million). The Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bill also included $2.4 billion for ARPA-H available through September 30, 2024, a decrease of $4.1 billion (-63%) compared to the FY2022 budget request, and provided that funding would only be available if legislation specifically establishing ARPA-H is enacted into law.

Department of Energy⁴⁵

The Department of Energy was established in 1977 by the Department of Energy Organization Act (P.L. 95-91), which combined energy-related programs from a variety of agencies, particularly defense-related nuclear programs that dated back to the Manhattan Project. Today, DOE conducts basic scientific research in fields ranging from nuclear physics to the biological and environmental sciences; basic and applied R&D relating to energy production and use; and R&D on nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, and defense nuclear reactors. The department has a system of 17 national laboratories around the country, mostly operated by contractors, that together account for about 40% of all DOE expenditures.

The Administration's FY2022 budget request for DOE includes about $20.518 billion for R&D and related activities, including programs in three broad categories: science, national security, and energy. This request is about 16.1% more than the comparable enacted FY2021 amount of $17.677 billion. The House bill would provide about $19.376 billion. The Senate bill would provide about $19.574 billion. (See Table 10 for details.)

The request for the DOE Office of Science is $7.440 billion, an increase of 5.9% from the FY2021 appropriation of $7.026 billion. Funding would increase for all six of the office's major research programs. In the largest program, Basic Energy Sciences, requested increases of $109 million for research and $30 million for operations and equipment at scientific user facilities would be partially offset by a requested decrease of $85 million for facility construction. In Biological and Environmental Research, funding for the Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences subprogram would increase by $71 million (20.3%), with a focus on Earth system modeling. In Fusion Energy Sciences, the U.S. contribution to construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a fusion energy demonstration and research facility in France, would be $221 million (down from $242 million in FY2021). Following a reorganization of the Office of Science in FY2020, a new program in Isotope R&D and Production ($90 million requested) would support activities previously funded in Nuclear Physics ($75 million in FY2021), while a new program in Accelerator R&D and Production ($24 million requested) would support activities previously funded in High Energy Physics ($17 million in FY2021).

The House bill would provide $7.320 billion for the Office of Science, while the Senate bill would provide $7.490 billion. In the House bill, the High Energy Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences programs would receive more than requested, while the other major programs would receive less (although all but Nuclear Physics would receive more than in FY2021). In the Senate bill, all but one of the major programs would receive the requested amount or more, while Fusion Energy Sciences would receive less. Within Fusion Energy Sciences, the U.S. contribution to ITER would be $242 million in the House bill and the requested amount in the Senate bill.

The request for DOE national security R&D is $5.252 billion, an increase of 1.5% from $5.175 billion in FY2021. In the Weapons Activities account, funding for Stockpile Research, Technology, and Engineering would decrease by 4.4%. The bulk of this decrease would be for Assessment Science ($690 million, down from $769 million in FY2021) and Inertial Confinement Fusion ($529 million, down from $575 million in FY2021). Funding for Naval Reactors would increase by $177 million (10.5%), including increases for operations and infrastructure (up $63 million), development (up $73 million) and construction (up $61 million).

The House bill would provide $5.398 billion for national security R&D, while the Senate bill would provide $5.339 billion. In Weapons Activities, both bills would provide the FY2021 amount for Assessment Science and $5 million more than the FY2021 amount for Inertial Confinement Fusion. Naval Reactors would receive $6 million (0.3%) more than the Administration request in the House bill and $20 million (1%) less than the request in the Senate bill. Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D would receive $43 million (6.3%) more than the request in the House bill and the requested amount in the Senate bill.

The request for DOE energy R&D is $7.826 billion, an increase of 42.9% from $5.477 billion in FY2021. Funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy R&D would increase by 57.9%, with increases in all major research areas and a priority on reducing emissions in the near term (in contrast to Trump Administration budgets, which proposed a focus on early-stage R&D). An 18.7% increase for the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management account (formerly Fossil Energy R&D) would be focused on climate-centric activities such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (up $117 million, 62.0%) and environmental- and emissions-related natural gas technologies (up $73 million, 128.1%). Funding for nuclear energy R&D would increase by $343 million (22.7%), including increases of $120 million (48.1%) for advanced reactor demonstration and $100 million (222.2%) for the Versatile Test Reactor project. The Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), which is intended to advance high-impact energy technologies that have too much technical and financial uncertainty to attract near-term private-sector investment, would receive $500 million (up 17.1%), while a proposed new Advanced Research Projects Agency–Climate (ARPA-C) would receive $200 million.

The House bill would provide $6.658 billion for energy R&D, while the Senate bill would provide $6.745 billion. In both bills, most programs in this category would receive more than in FY2021 but less than the Administration request for FY2022. In Nuclear Energy, neither bill would fund the Versatile Test Reactor project. ARPA-E would receive $100 million (20.0%) more than the request in the House bill and the requested amount in the Senate bill. ARPA-C, however, would not be funded in either bill. The House committee report directs DOE to fund the work proposed for ARPA-C through ARPA-E. The Senate committee report notes that establishing ARPA-C would require legislation and "encourages ARPA-E to consider proposed activities under ARPA-C that are consistent with ARPA-E's mission and authorization."

National Aeronautics and Space Administration⁴⁶

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in 1958 by the National Aeronautics and Space Act (P.L. 85-568) to conduct civilian space and aeronautics activities. NASA has research programs in planetary science, Earth science, heliophysics, astrophysics, and aeronautics, as well as development programs for future human spacecraft and for multipurpose space technology such as advanced propulsion systems. In addition, NASA operates the International Space Station (ISS) as a facility for R&D and other purposes.

The Administration has requested about $21.751 billion for NASA R&D in FY2022. This would be 7.0% more than the FY2021 level of about $20.324 billion. The House bill would provide about $21.996 billion. The Senate draft bill would provide about $21.789 billion. For a breakdown of these amounts, see Table 11. NASA R&D funding comes through five accounts: Science; Aeronautics; Space Technology; Exploration (called Deep Space Exploration Systems in the Administration's budget request); and the ISS, Commercial Crew, and Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Development portions of Space Operations.

The OMB figures presented in Table 1 indicate a substantially smaller amount for NASA R&D than the figures presented in this section. To allow consistent tracking as Congress acts on FY2022 appropriations legislation, this section treats the entirety of the Exploration account as R&D. As systems being developed under that account move from R&D to testing and ultimately operations, the share of the account spent on R&D has decreased. OMB considers about half of the Exploration account to be non-R&D.

The FY2022 request for Science is $7.931 billion, an increase of 8.6% from FY2021. The request for Earth Science includes funding for the Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) and Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder missions ($119 million and $19 million, respectively). It also includes funding to initiate the development of a system of future satellites known as the Earth System Observatory. The request for Astrophysics includes $502 million for the Roman Space Telescope (formerly the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope, WFIRST) but no funds for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA, $85 million in FY2021). PACE, CLARREO Pathfinder, WFIRST, and SOFIA were all proposed for termination in previous budgets. A requested reduction in funding for the James Webb Space Telescope in FY2022 reflects that mission's planned launch in November 2021. The Planetary Science request includes $653 million (up from $246 million in FY2021) for a Mars sample return mission and $472 million (up from $435 million in FY2021) for a mission to orbit Jupiter's moon Europa.

The House bill would provide $38 million more than the request for Science, while the draft Senate bill would provide $30 million less. Both bills would provide the requested funding for PACE, CLARREO Pathfinder, and the Roman Space Telescope. The House bill would fund SOFIA at the FY2021 level; the draft Senate bill does not mention SOFIA. In Planetary Science, the House bill would provide $35 million more than the request for a Mars sample return mission and the requested amount for a Europa mission, with guidance as in past years regarding the launch vehicle for the Europa mission. The draft Senate bill would provide the requested amount for Mars sample return and does not mention Europa.

The FY2022 request for Aeronautics is $915 million, an increase of 10.4% from $829 million in FY2021. The budget proposes to initiate a Sustainable Flight National Partnership, including the development of a full-scale demonstrator aircraft with an electrified powertrain ($91 million in FY2022). The House bill would provide $935 million, including $10 million more than the request for hypersonics technology and $10 million more than the request for the Integrated Aviation Systems Program. The draft Senate bill would provide $940 million, including $7 million more than the request for university-led aeronautics materials research and $32 million for the High-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project.

The FY2022 request for Space Technology is $1.425 billion, an increase of 29.5% from $1.100 billion in FY2021. The bulk of the requested increase would be for the Technology Maturation program ($491 million, up from $227 million). No funds are requested for nuclear propulsion, but the request for Technology Demonstration includes $34 million for nuclear surface power systems for the Moon and Mars. The combined RESTORE/SPIDER mission to demonstrate in-space satellite servicing and robotic manufacturing (also known as On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1, or OSAM-1) would receive $227 million, the same as in FY2021. In recent years, appropriations report language has directed NASA to focus Space Technology on broad technology goals that can serve all of NASA, not just its human exploration activities. The FY2022 budget justification states, "The Space Technology portfolio is broadening to develop technologies that can benefit other NASA Directorates, the commercial space sector and other government agencies, as appropriate." The House bill would provide $1.280 billion, while the draft Senate bill would provide $1.250 billion. Both bills would provide $110 million, the FY2021 amount, for nuclear thermal propulsion, and the requested amount for OSAM-1. The House committee report "reaffirms [the committee's] support for the independence of the Space Technology Mission Directorate" and "directs NASA to preserve the Directorate's focus across NASA and in support of each of the mission directorates."

The FY2022 request for Deep Space Exploration Systems (currently Exploration) is $6.880 billion, an increase of 5.6% from $6.517 in FY2021. Within this account, the request for Exploration Systems Development includes $1.407 billion for the Orion crew capsule (up from $1.404 billion in FY2021) and $2.487 billion for the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket (SLS, down from $2.561 billion). The proposed 21.5% increase for Exploration R&D reflects a request for $1.195 billion (up from $928 million) for development of a Human Landing System (HLS) for lunar exploration. NASA's decision to award a single HLS contract on the grounds of limited funding was protested by the unselected vendors and remains controversial in Congress. NASA has suggested that additional funds (beyond those requested in the budget) might be needed to enable selection of a second HLS contractor.

The House bill would provide $399 million more than the request for Exploration, including increases of $149 million for the Space Launch System, $100 million for Exploration Ground Systems, and $150 million for the HLS. Regarding HLS, the House committee report "urges NASA to bolster competition in lander development and production." The draft Senate bill would provide $80 million more than the request for Exploration, including increases of $20 million for Orion, $100 million for Exploration Ground Systems, and $100 million for the HLS. At NASA's request, subsequent to the original budget request, the draft Senate bill would also fund the Human Research Program ($130 million) in the Space Operations account rather than in Exploration. Regarding HLS, the draft Senate report calls on NASA to "ensure redundancy and competition, including robust support for ... no fewer than two HLS teams." It also criticizes "NASA's rhetoric of blaming Congress and this Committee for the lack of resources needed to support two HLS teams."

In the Space Operations account, the request includes $1.328 billion for the ISS in FY2022 (up from $1.322 in FY2021); $155 million for the Commercial Crew program (down from $300 million); and $101 million for Commercial LEO Development (up from $17 million). Commercial crew activities are transitioning from development to operations (which is funded separately). SpaceX launched its first post-certification crewed flight to the ISS in November 2020; certification of Boeing's competing commercial crew system is anticipated in 2022. The Commercial LEO Development program, intended to stimulate a commercial space economy in low Earth orbit, was initiated in the FY2019 budget. The Trump Administration requested $150 million for it each year from then through FY2021; Congress has so far appropriated a total of $72 million. The House and Senate committee reports do not specify how much of their recommended Space Operations funding should be allocated to the ISS or Commercial Crew. The House bill would provide $45 million for Commercial LEO Development, while the draft Senate bill would provide the requested $101 million.

National Science Foundation⁴⁷

The National Science Foundation supports basic research and education in the nonmedical sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation as an independent federal agency in 1950 to "promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes."⁴⁸ The NSF is a major source of federal support for U.S. university research, especially in the social sciences, mathematics, and computer science. It is also responsible for significant shares of the federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program portfolio and federal STEM student aid and support.

NSF has six appropriations accounts: Research and Related Activities (RRA, the main research account), Education and Human Resources (EHR, the main education account), Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM), the National Science Board (NSB), and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Appropriations are generally provided at the account level, while program-specific direction may be included in appropriations acts, or accompanying conference reports or explanatory statements.

Funding for R&D is included in the RRA, EHR, and MREFC accounts. (The RRA and EHR accounts also include non-R&D funding.) Together, these three accounts comprise over 95% of the total requested funding for NSF. Actual R&D obligations for each account are known after NSF allocates funding appropriations to specific activities and reports those figures.⁴⁹ The budget request specifies R&D funding for the conduct of research, including basic and applied research, and for physical assets, including R&D facilities and major equipment. Funding amounts for FY2021 enacted (or estimated, for subaccount and R&D amounts as noted) and FY2022 requested levels are reported by account, including amounts for R&D conduct and physical assets where applicable, in Table 12.

Funding for NSF for FY2021 was enacted on December 27, 2020.⁵⁰ Additionally, NSF received $600 million in supplemental two-year appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) "to fund or extend new and existing research grants, cooperative agreements, scholarships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, and related administrative expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus."⁵¹ Funding details below the account level were not available at the time the FY2022 budget request was prepared. Therefore, at the account level, the FY2022 request amounts are compared to the FY2021 enacted amounts in this analysis; below the account level, the FY2022 request amounts are compared to FY2021 estimated amounts for subaccounts and R&D amounts. FY2021 enacted/estimated and FY2022 requested amounts are reported by account and for R&D conduct and facilities and equipment in Table 12.

Overall. The Administration is requesting $10.2 billion for the NSF in FY2022, $1.68 billion (19.8%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount. The request would increase budget authority in all three of the R&D accounts relative to the FY2021 enacted level: RRA by $1.23 billion (17.8%), EHR by $319 million (33.0%), and MREFC by $8.0 million (3.3%). Overall, NSF estimates that, under the FY2022 request, agency-wide funding rates for competitive awards (i.e., the percentage of submitted proposals that are successfully awarded funding after competitive review) would increase slightly from 27% to 29%, with an estimated 13,800 awards.

For FY2022, $8.17 billion is requested for R&D activities, a $1.29 billion increase from FY2021 estimated funding for R&D. R&D activities account for approximately 80% of NSF's total funding. The total request for R&D activities includes $7.58 billion (93%) for the conduct of R&D, and $595 million (7%) for R&D facilities and major equipment. Of funding requested for the conduct of R&D, 86% is requested for basic research, and 14% for applied research. Overall funding for R&D facilities and major equipment supports not only the construction and acquisition phases, funded through MREFC ($249 million requested), but also planning, design, and post-construction operations and maintenance, funded through RRA ($346 million requested).

As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations on July 19, 2021, H.R. 4505, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022, would provide $9.6 billion in total discretionary funding for NSF, $535 million (5.3%) below the FY2022 request and $1.1 billion (13.5%) above the FY2021 enacted amount. As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on October 18, 2021, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations, 2022, committee print would provide $9.5 billion in total discretionary funding for NSF, $682 million (6.7%) below the FY2022 request and $1.0 billion (11.8%) above the FY2021 enacted amount.⁵²

Research. The Administration seeks $8.14 billion for RRA in FY2022, a $1.23 billion (17.8%) increase compared to the FY2021 enacted funding. Within the RRA account, the FY2022 request includes $7.30 billion for R&D, an increase of $1.13 billion (18.3%) compared to the FY2021 estimated amount. Of this amount, the majority ($6.96 billion, 95%) is requested for the conduct of research, including $6.30 billion for basic research and $659 million for applied research.

Compared to the FY2021 estimated levels, the FY2022 request includes increases for all 11 RRA subaccounts.⁵³ This includes a request of $865 million for a proposed new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP), meant to support crosscutting programs and activities, accelerate the translation of research to market, and catalyze partnerships across academia, industry, government, investors, and civil society.⁵⁴ The FY2022 request also includes $240 million for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, a $39.6 million (19.8%) increase compared to FY2021 estimated funding.

As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations on July 19, 2021, H.R. 4505 would provide $7.7 billion for RRA, $444 million (5.5%) below the FY2022 request and $786 million (11.4%) above the FY2021 enacted amount. As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on October 18, 2021, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations, 2022, committee print would provide $7.7 billion for RRA, $473 million (5.8%) below the FY2022 request and $757 million (11.0%) above the FY2021 enacted amount.⁵⁵

Education. The FY2022 request for the EHR account is $1.29 billion, $319 million (33%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount. By program division, in terms of both dollars and percent, the Division of Human Resource Development would receive the largest increase, $92.5 million (43%) over the FY2021 estimated level. EHR programs of particular interest to congressional policymakers include the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) and National Research Traineeship (NRT) programs. The FY2022 request for GRFP is $318 million, an increase of $34.0 million (12%) from the FY2021 estimated level.⁵⁶ The FY2022 request for NRT is $58 million, equal to the FY2021 estimated level.

Within EHR, requested funding for R&D is $620 million, which is $154 million (33%) more than the FY2021 estimated funding amount and accounts for approximately 7.6% of the agency's total R&D request. Nearly all of the requested funding would support the conduct of R&D, including $232 million for basic research and $388 million for applied research.

As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations on July 19, 2021, H.R. 4505 would provide $1.3 billion for EHR, $13.0 million (1.0%) below the FY2022 request and $306 million (31.6%) above the FY2021 enacted amount. As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on October 18, 2021, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations, 2022, committee print would provide $1.1 billion for EHR, $187 million (14.5%) below the FY2022 request and $132 million (13.6%) above the FY2022 enacted amount.⁵⁷

Construction. The MREFC account supports large construction projects and larger mid-scale research infrastructure, with all of the funding supporting R&D facilities. The construction phases of such large-scale projects tend to span multiple years; therefore, NSF provides out-year estimates of funding for major facilities for the duration of the anticipated timeline, which are updated annually. This section of the analysis includes comparisons to FY2021 estimated funding, based on these projections. The Administration is seeking $249 million for MREFC in FY2022, $8.0 million (3.3%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount.

Requested MREFC funding would support continued construction of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory ($40.8 million requested, equal to the FY2021 estimate)—previously called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)—and the Antarctic Infrastructure Recapitalization program (AIR, $90.0 million requested, equal to the FY2021 estimate).⁵⁸ The request includes $36.0 million for upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, which would represent the third year of a five-year project. Additionally, $76.2 million is requested for Mid-scale Research Infrastructure projects (those projects with funding amounts in the $20 million to $100 million range); this was a new funding line-item in the MREFC account as of FY2020, meant to manage support for upgrades to major facilities and stand-alone projects in this range as a portfolio.

As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations on July 19, 2021, H.R. 4505 would provide $249 million for MREFC, equal to the FY2022 request and $8.0 million (3.3%) below the FY2021 enacted amount. As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on October 18, 2021, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations, 2022, committee print would also provide $249 million for MREFC.⁵⁹

Other Initiatives. The FY2022 NSF budget request includes funding for multiple agency-wide investments, including the Big Ideas and Convergence Accelerator (CA), as well as three multiagency initiatives. This funding is included in multiple NSF appropriations accounts, and R&D amounts are not separately provided.

For FY2022, NSF requests funding for eight Big Ideas, including five Research and three Enabling Big Ideas. The Big Ideas were first proposed in 2016 as an "endeavor to break down the silos of conventional scientific research … to define and push the frontiers of global science and engineering leadership and to invest in fundamental research."⁶⁰ Requested funding amounts for each of the Big Ideas compared to the FY2021 estimated amounts include the following:⁶¹

• Harnessing the Data Revolution for 21^st-Century Science and Engineering (HDR): $180 million requested, up $5.8 million (3.3%) from FY2021.
• The Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier (FW-HTF): $173 million requested, up $11 million (6.8%) from FY2021.
• Navigating the New Arctic (NNA): $37.2 million requested, up $1.0 million (2.8%) from FY2021.
• Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype: $113 million requested, up $30 million (36%) from FY2021.
• Windows on the Universe (WoU): $66.8 million requested, up $2.6 million (4.1%) from FY2021.
• Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES): $46.5 million requested, up $26.5 million (132%) from FY2021.
• Growing Convergence Research at NSF (GCR): $24.2 million requested, up $8.2 million (51%) from FY2021.
• Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure: $126 million requested, up $17.3 million (16%) from FY2021.⁶²

The Convergence Accelerator

is an organizational framework that stands separately from the NSF research directorates, with its own budget, staff, and initiatives. Each CA research track will be a time-limited entity focused on specific research topics and themes. Therefore, CA research tracks will evolve over time and will be informed by external stakeholder input. The CA will reward high-risk, innovative thinking by multidisciplinary teams of researchers who want to accelerate discovery and innovation. The CA is a way of achieving rapid lab-to-market or research outcomes.⁶³

While the initial CA research tracks focused on a subset of the Big Ideas, the FY2022 request is intended to support new research tracks informed by responses to a Request for Information, current national priorities, and other external stakeholder input. NSF has requested $70 million for the CA in FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimated amount.

The budget request also includes three multi-agency initiatives. The National Nanotechnology Initiative would receive $471 million, $29.0 million (6.6%) more than the FY2021 estimate. The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development program would receive $2.07 billion, an increase of $484 million (31%). The U.S. Global Change Research Program would receive $762 million, $241 million (46%) more than the FY2021 estimate.⁶⁴ These figures represent funding within agency budgets for those agencies involved in these interagency activities. The coordination offices for these initiatives have much smaller budgets.

Department of Agriculture⁶⁵

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was created in 1862 to support agricultural research in an expanding, agriculturally dependent country. Today, USDA conducts intramural research at federal facilities with federally employed scientists, and supports extramural research at universities and other facilities through competitive grants and capacity (formula-based) funding. The breadth of contemporary USDA research spans traditional agricultural production practices, as well as organic and sustainable agriculture, bioenergy, nutritional needs and food composition, food safety, animal and plant health, pest and disease management, economic decisionmaking, and other social sciences affecting consumers, farmers, and rural communities.

The four agencies of USDA's Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area carry out the Department's research and education activities.⁶⁶ These agencies are the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the principal intramural research agency; the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the principal extramural research agency; the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which undertakes a variety of surveys to capture data about agriculture and food production; and the Economic Research Service (ERS), which applies economic analysis to a wide range of topics related to food and agriculture. In addition to the four REE agencies, the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS), a staff office within the Office of the Under Secretary of REE, coordinates science activities across the department.

On August 4, 2021, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 (S. 2599). This bill would provide $3,659.7 million in discretionary spending for the REE agencies for FY2022,⁶⁷ an 8.7% increase ($292.8 million) from the FY2021 amount ($3,366.9 million) enacted in P.L. 116-260,⁶⁸ and 11.5% ($475.4 million) less than the FY2022 amount requested by the Administration ($4,135.1 million). The House-passed FY2022 appropriations bill (H.R. 4502) would provide a total of $3,699.1 million in discretionary spending,⁶⁹ an increase of 9.9% ($332.2 million) above the FY2021 amount. The Senate-reported bill, the House-passed bill, and the Administration's FY2022 request are discussed below for the REE agencies and the Office of the Under Secretary of REE. Table 13 presents funding amounts.

Certain appropriations for the REE agencies and OCS are not presented in Table 13, and are discussed separately below. These include appropriations made in the General Provisions of P.L. 116-260, P.L. 117-2, and appropriations that would be provided in H.R. 4502 and S. 2599. Within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division A, Title VII (General Provisions) provided an additional $31.7 million, and Division M (Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021) provided $140.5 million of supplementary discretionary funding and $20 million of annual mandatory funding. Separately, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) provided additional appropriations for USDA, some of which may be administered through REE, though implemented amounts and specific programming are not yet known. In addition to discretionary appropriations, agricultural research is funded by certain mandatory funding authorized by the 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334) and P.L. 116-260, as well as state matching contributions and private donations or grants.

Agricultural Research Service

ARS is USDA's in-house basic and applied research agency, and has major responsibilities for conducting and leading the national agricultural research effort. ARS operates approximately 90 laboratories, with about 5,000 permanent employees, including approximately 2,000 research scientists. ARS laboratories include a focus on efficient and sustainable food and fiber production, development of new products and uses for agricultural commodities, development of effective controls for pest management, and support of USDA regulatory and technical assistance programs. ARS also operates the National Agricultural Library (NAL). NAL is the world's largest agricultural research library, and is a primary information repository for food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences.

For FY2022, S. 2599 would provide $1,675.0 million for ARS salaries and expenses, a 12.3% increase over the FY2021 appropriation ($1,491.8 million), and 9.4% less than the Administration's FY2022 request ($1,849.6 million). For ARS buildings and facilities, the Senate-reported bill would provide $45.4 million, the same amount requested by the Administration for FY2022, and a 27.2% increase from the FY2021 appropriation ($35.7 million, Table 13). The House-passed bill would provide $126.5 million for ARS buildings and facilities, a total that includes $46.7 million in community project funding⁷⁰ for six ARS facilities. The Senate-reported bill would provide $39.7 million in congressionally directed spending for a university-based ARS Plant Germplasm Research Facility.

Among Administration requests for ARS are (1) $92 million for climate science, (2) $5 million for the USDA climate hubs, and (3) $95 million for an agreement with the Department of Energy for the Administration's proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency–Climate (ARPA-C). The Senate-reported bill does not specifically address the Administration proposals. S. 2599 supports the USDA climate hubs with $5 million for ARS research teams and $5 million for a fellowship program. It also provides $2.5 million for research on climate change and agricultural pathogens, and $4 million for climate science research at NAL. The House-passed bill includes $50 million to support some of the Administration proposals, including $10 million for the USDA climate hubs. The House-passed bill does not provide ARS funding for ARPA-C because "the budget request lacks an adequate justification of ARS's role."⁷¹

ARS continues to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security on the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which DHS is constructing to replace the outdated Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC).⁷² In January 2019, USDA and DHS signed a Memorandum of Agreement to govern the transition of NBAF from DHS to USDA, with ownership to transfer upon its completion and commissioning.⁷³ USDA projects the transfer of operations from PIADC to NBAF will be completed by December 2023.⁷⁴ The Administration requests a total of $118.7 million for NBAF in ARS salaries and expenses, and an increase of $10.6 million in ARS buildings and facilities funds. The Senate-reported bill would provide $49.0 million in ARS salaries and expenses, and does not provide buildings and facilities funds for NBAF.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is USDA's principal extramural research agency. It provides federal funding for research, education, and extension projects conducted in partnership with land-grant colleges and universities (LGUs), State Agricultural Experiment Stations, the Cooperative Extension System, other research and education institutions, private organizations, and individuals. NIFA partnerships include the three types of LGUs—1862 (original) Institutions, 1890 (historically Black) Institutions, and 1994 (tribal) Institutions—as well as other higher education institutions.⁷⁵ Federal funds awarded through NIFA capacity (formula-based) and competitive grants enhance research capacity at these institutions.⁷⁶ While NIFA is headquartered in Washington, DC, USDA relocated the majority of NIFA staff positions to Kansas City, MO, in 2019.⁷⁷

The Senate-reported bill and the House-passed bill recommend the same total of $1,656.8 million in discretionary spending for NIFA activities in FY2022, albeit with different emphases. This is $86.8 million more (5.5%) than was enacted in FY2021 ($1,570.0 million) and $299.0 million less (-15.3%) than the Administration request ($1,955.8 million, Table 13).

The Administration's FY2022 budget request proposes a change in appropriations language that would combine three separate NIFA funding accounts—for research and education, extension, and integrated activities—into one agency account that includes all programs.⁷⁸ The Administration argues that consolidating the accounts would "mirror the organization as a National Institute with a unified mission and offer opportunities to streamline administration of funds."⁷⁹ The House and Senate bills do not comment on or adopt this recommendation.

Research and Education. Hatch Act and Evans-Allen Act funds support capacity grants for research and education activities at 1862 and 1890 Institutions, respectively. For Hatch Act programs, S. 2599 would provide $275.0 million, which is $54.4 million less (-16.5%) than the Administration request ($329.4 million) and $16.0 million more than the FY2021 enacted amount ($259.0 million). H.R. 4502 would provide $265.0 million. For Evans-Allen programs, S. 2599 would provide $73.0 million, the same as the FY2021 enacted amount and $19.8 million less than both the Administration request and the amount that H.R. 4502 would provide ($92.8 million). The McIntire-Stennis program provides capacity funds for forestry research at LGUs and state colleges of forestry. For FY2022, S. 2599 would provide $40.0 million, $4.0 million more than the FY2021 enacted amount ($36.0 million) and $5.8 million less than the Administration request for FY2022 ($45.8 million). H.R. 4502 would provide $38.0 million for this program.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is USDA's flagship competitive research grants program, and currently represents about 28.0% of NIFA's total discretionary budget. The Senate-reported bill would provide $445 million for AFRI. This is $10.0 million more (2.3%) than the FY2021 enacted amount. The Administration is requesting $700.0 million—the full amount authorized by the 2018 farm bill—a 60.9% increase over FY2021. The House-passed bill would provide $450.0 million for AFRI for FY2022. NIFA also funds the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. For FY2021, P.L. 116-260 provides $40.0 million for SARE. For FY2022, S. 2599 would provide $45.0 million, H.R. 4502 would provide $50.0 million, and the Administration requests $60.0 million.

Extension. Smith-Lever Act 3(b) and 3(c) programs provide capacity grants to 1862 Institutions to support cooperative extension. The Senate-reported bill recommends $330.0 million for FY2022, $15.0 million more than both the enacted FY2021 amount and the Administration's FY2022 request ($315.0 million). The House-passed bill recommends $320.0 million.

Smith-Lever Act 3(d) programs provide competitive grants to LGUs to support cooperative extension. These programs include grants for food and nutrition education; new technologies for agricultural extension; federally recognized tribes; children, youth, and families at risk; and farm safety education. For Smith-Lever 3(d) programs in FY2022, S. 2599 recommends $90.7 million, H.R. 4502 recommends $88.1 million, and the Administration is requesting $89.6 million. For all three FY2022 proposals, $70.0 million of the Smith-Lever 3(d) funds would support the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).

Integrated Activities. Integrated activities are those activities that include some combination of teaching, education, and research. For integrated activities in FY2022, both S. 2599 and H.R. 4502 propose $40.0 million. The Administration requests $39.0 million—the same as the FY2021 appropriation.

Other appropriations. Congress may also provide funding—in addition to those sums discussed above—for certain NIFA programs and activities, in the general provisions of annual appropriations acts. The President's budget request for FY2022 includes funding requests for a NIFA pilot program to enhance farming and ranching activities for military veterans ($5.0 million), the 1890 Centers of Excellence ($10.0 million), and establishing a business innovation center at an 1890 Institution ($2.0 million). The Senate-reported bill would provide the requested funding for the 1890 Centers of Excellence in NIFA's research and appropriations account, and the requested funding for the military veterans pilot program through Title VII, General Provisions. The House-passed bill would provide the requested funding for the military veterans pilot program and the 1890 Centers of Excellence through Title VII, General Provisions. Neither bill would provide funds for the business innovation center.

In addition to P.L. 116-260, other appropriations provide FY2021 funding for NIFA. The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act includes $140.5 million for NIFA programs in FY2021, including $75.0 million for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, $37.5 million for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and $28.0 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. NIFA may also administer some portion of the $1.01 billion provided to USDA for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2, §1006).⁸⁰ Some community project funding in both the House-passed and Senate-reported agriculture appropriations bills, as well as language in proposed infrastructure bills, would support university research programs and facilities.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

The National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts the quinquennial Census of Agriculture and provides official statistics on agricultural production and farm sector indicators. It is one of the 13 principal statistical agencies of the U.S. Federal Statistical System.

The Senate-reported bill recommends $191.7 million for NASS for FY2022, $2.5 million more than the House-passed bill ($189.2 million), and $2.0 million less than the Administration's request ($193.7 million). These proposed amounts compare with an enacted appropriation of $183.9 million for FY2021. Both bills and the Administration's request recommend that $46.9 million of the NASS appropriation would support the Census of Agriculture. The Senate-reported bill directs NASS to issue a report within 120 days of enactment on how the agency can improve report accuracy through the use of technology, improved coordination with partners, and other approaches. The House-passed bill directs NASS to plan a study of agritourism in FY2022, and to continue stakeholder outreach on how to improve data collection on urban, indoor, and emerging agricultural production.

Economic Research Service

The Economic Research Service supports economic and social science analysis about agriculture, rural development, food, commodity markets, and the environment. It also collects and disseminates data concerning USDA programs and policies. Like NASS, ERS is one of the principal statistical agencies of the U.S. Federal Statistical System. While ERS is headquartered in Washington, DC, USDA relocated the majority of ERS staff positions to Kansas City, MO, in 2019.⁸¹

For FY2022, S. 2599 recommends $90.8 million for ERS, an increase of 6.2% ($5.3 million) over FY2021 enacted appropriations ($85.5 million), and 2.5% ($2.2 million) more than H.R. 4502, which would provide $88.6 million. The Administration requests $90.6 million of FY2022. The Senate-passed bill directs ERS to issue a report within one year on "incentive programs for encouraging the voluntary adoption of various agricultural management practices that increase carbon sequestration in soil."⁸² The House-passed bill includes $2.0 million for ERS to expand its data modeling capabilities with respect to climate change and its impact on production and the farm economy.

Office of the REE Under Secretary and Office of the Chief Scientist

Congress created the Office of the Chief Scientist in 2008 when it established the dual role of the Under Secretary for REE as the USDA Chief Scientist (7 U.S.C. §6971). OCS coordinates research programs and activities across USDA. Administratively, it is a component of the Office of the Under Secretary of REE.

In recent years, congressional appropriations for the Office of the Under Secretary of REE have included funds for the Under Secretary and a partial staff.⁸³ Congress has not provided direct appropriations for OCS operations since its establishment. As such, OCS has been funded via interagency agreement among the REE agencies. The President's budget request for FY2021 included for the first time a separate request for OCS; however FY2021 enacted appropriations did not provide the requested funds.

For FY2022, the Administration request, the House-passed bill, and the Senate-reported bill all include funds for the Office of the Under Secretary of REE but do not include funds for OCS operations. The Administration request and the House-passed bill do propose funding for a pilot program within OCS: the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA). The 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334, §7132) establishes AGARDA as a pilot project within OCS to target long-term and high-risk research and development that private industry would be unlikely to undertake. The 2018 farm bill authorized $50 million in annual appropriations through FY2023 and required OCS to issue an AGARDA strategic plan by December 2019. To date, AGARDA has not received appropriations, USDA has not established the pilot program, and USDA has not publicly issued a strategic plan.

For FY2022, S. 2599 would provide $1.3 million for the Office of the Under Secretary for REE, and the bill would not provide funds for OCS operations or programs. The House-passed bill would provide $4.3 million for the Office of the Under Secretary of REE, $2.0 million less (-31.6%) than the President's budget request ($6.3 million). Of the amounts proposed for this office, the House-passed bill would allocate $2.0 million for OCS, and the President's budget request would allocate $5.0 million. In both cases, the OCS funds would be for AGARDA.

Both S. 2599 and H.R. 4502 would provide OCS with an additional $400,000, through General Provisions, for pollinator research coordination—the same amount as provided in FY2021 enacted appropriations.

Department of Commerce

Two agencies of the Department of Commerce have major R&D programs: the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

National Institute of Standards and Technology⁸⁴

The mission of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is "to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life."⁸⁵ NIST research provides measurement, calibration, and quality assurance methods and techniques that support U.S. commerce, technological progress, product reliability, manufacturing processes, and public safety. NIST's responsibilities include the development, maintenance, and custodial retention of the national standards of measurement; providing the means and methods for making measurements consistent with those standards; and ensuring the compatibility of U.S. national measurement standards with those of other nations.⁸⁶

Regular appropriations for NIST are provided through the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (CJS Act). President Biden is requesting $1,497.2 million for NIST in FY2022, an increase of $462.7 million (44.7%) from the FY2021 enacted appropriation of $1,034.5 million. (See Table 14.)

NIST discretionary funding is provided through three accounts: Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS), Industrial Technology Services (ITS), and Construction of Research Facilities (CRF).

The President's FY2022 request includes $915.6 million for laboratory R&D programs, corporate services, and standards coordination and special programs in the STRS account, an increase of $127.6 million (16.2%) from the FY2021 enacted level.⁸⁷ Program increases include

• Climate and Energy Measurements, Tools, and Testbeds, $54.8 million (up $18.0 million);⁸⁸
• Quantum Information Science, Engineering, and Metrology, $61.8 million (up $15.0 million);⁸⁹
• Partnerships, Research, and Standards to Advance Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, $45.4 million (up $15.0 million);⁹⁰
• Supporting the American Bioeconomy, $34.3 million (up $13.8 million);⁹¹
• Advanced Communications Research and Standards, $36.4 million (up $11.5 million);⁹²
• Next-Generation Semiconductor Research and Standards, $34.5 million (up $10.0 million);⁹³
• Measurements and Data to Enable the Circular Economy, $13.5 million (up $5.0 million);⁹⁴ and
• Strengthening Equity and Diversity in the Standards Workforce, $13.6 million (up $2.1 million).⁹⁵

The FY2022 request would provide $441.6 million for the ITS account, up $275.1 million (165.2%) from the FY2021 enacted level.⁹⁶ Within the ITS account, the request would provide $275.0 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, an increase of $125.0 million (83.3%) from the FY2021 enacted level, and $166.6 million for Manufacturing USA, $150.1 million (909.7%) higher than the FY2021 enacted level of $16.5 million.⁹⁷

According to NIST, the funding requested for MEP would, among other things, strengthen the performance of the existing network, assist growth oriented small- and medium-sized enterprises' abilities to respond to critical national needs, and provide additional services to more companies in critical supply chains and workforce development.⁹⁸

Of the funds for Manufacturing USA, $10.0 million would support NIST's first Manufacturing USA institute, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL); $150.0 million would be for the establishment of two additional institutes; $5.0 million would be for support of the Manufacturing USA network; and $1.7 million would be for grants to develop industrial technology roadmaps.⁹⁹

The President is requesting $140.0 million for the CRF account for FY2022, up $60.0 million (75.0%) from the FY2021 enacted level. This funding would support repair and revitalization of facilities to address NIST's major utility infrastructure maintenance backlog and to modernize its IT networking infrastructure; no funding is requested for construction and major renovations.¹⁰⁰

On July 15, 2021, the House Committee on Appropriations reported the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4505). The act would provide NIST with $1.369 billion, an increase of $334.6 million (32.3%) above the FY2021 enacted level and $128.1 million (8.6%) below the request. Of the total, the act would provide $937.6 million for the STRS account, $149.6 million (19.0%) above the FY2021 enacted level and $22.0 million (2.4%) above the request; $331.5 million for the ITS account, $165.0 million (99.1%) above the FY2021 level and $110.1 million (24.9%) below the request; and $100 million for the CRF account, $20.0 million (25%) above the FY2021 enacted level and $40.0 million (28.6%) below the request.

On October 18, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority released nine draft appropriations acts for FY2022. One of these acts was the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022, later introduced as S. 3042. S. 3042 would provide $1.394 billion for NIST, $359.6 million (34.8%) above the FY2021 level, $103.1 million (6.9%) below the request, and $25.1 million (1.8%) above the House-reported bill. Of the total, the act would provide $913.1 million for the STRS account, $125.1 million (15.9%) above the FY2021 enacted level, $2.5 million (0.3%) below the request, and $24.5 million (2.6%) below the House-reported bill; $213.0 million for the ITS account, $46.5 million (27.9%) above the FY2021 enacted level, $228.6 million (51.8%) below the request, and $118.5 million (35.7%) below the House-reported level; and $268.1 million for the CRF account, $188.1 million (235.1%) above the FY2021 enacted level, $128.1 million (91.5%) above the request, and $168.1 million (168.1%) above the House-reported level. S. 3042 includes $37.6 million for congressionally-directed external projects and $125.6 million for congressionally-directed extramural construction projects.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration¹⁰¹

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducts scientific research in areas such as ecosystems, atmosphere, global climate change, weather, and oceans; collects and disseminates data on the oceans and atmosphere; and manages coastal and marine species and environments. NOAA was created in 1970 by Reorganization Plan No. 4.¹⁰²

NOAA's administrative structure is organized into six line offices: the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); National Ocean Service (NOS); National Weather Service (NWS); Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR); and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO). The line offices are supported by an additional office, Mission Support, which provides cross-cutting administrative functions related to education, planning, information technology, human resources, and infrastructure. Congress provides most of the discretionary funding for the line offices and Mission Support through two accounts: (1) Operations, Research, and Facilities, and (2) Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction.

In 2010, NOAA published its Next Generation Strategic Plan.¹⁰³ The strategic plan is organized into four categories of long-term goals: (1) climate adaptation and mitigation, (2) a weather-ready nation, (3) healthy oceans, and (4) resilient coastal communities and economies.¹⁰⁴ The strategic plan also lists three groups of enterprise objectives related to (1) stakeholder engagement, (2) data and observations, and (3) integrated environmental modeling.¹⁰⁵ The strategic plan serves as a guide for NOAA's R&D plan. The most recent R&D plan was published in June 2020, and identifies R&D priorities within three vision areas: (1) reducing societal impacts from hazardous weather and other environmental phenomena, (2) sustainable use and stewardship of ocean and coastal resources, and (3) a robust and effective research, development, and transition enterprise.¹⁰⁶

For FY2022, President Biden requested $1.512 billion in direct obligations for NOAA R&D funding, including R&D-related equipment and facilities, $486.9 million (47.5%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $1.025 billion.¹⁰⁷ The proposed House bill (H.R. 4505) would provide $1.371 billion for NOAA R&D, $345.8 million (33.7%) above the FY2021 enacted level, while the proposed Senate bill (S. 3042) would provide $1.283 billion, $258.1 million (25.2%) above the FY2021 enacted level. According to Congress, direct obligations include annual appropriations, transfers, and recoveries from prior-year obligations.¹⁰⁸ The President's budget request and NOAA's estimate of R&D funding amounts in the FY2021 appropriations act (P.L. 116-260) and proposed House and Senate bills include discretionary direct obligations and a relatively small amount of mandatory and other direct obligations.¹⁰⁹ Table 15 provides R&D amounts enacted in FY2021, requested by the Administration for FY2022, and proposed in the House and Senate bills.

The President's FY2022 request for NOAA R&D was 20.8% of the requested FY2022 NOAA total direct obligations of $7.258 billion.¹¹⁰ The FY2022 request includes $832.7 million for research (55.1% of the total requested for NOAA R&D), $198.1 million for development (13.1%), and $481.0 million (31.8%) for R&D equipment and facilities.¹¹¹ Of the total proposed bill amounts, the House bill would provide $774.0 million for research (56.5%), $175.4 million for development (12.8%), and $421.3 million for equipment and facilities (30.7%), while the Senate bill would provide $777.5 million (60.6%), $177.8 million (13.9%), and $327.7 million (25.5%) for research, development, and equipment and facilities, respectively.¹¹²

OAR accounts for the majority of NOAA R&D requests and appropriations in most years, including FY2022. The Administration requested $756.7 million for OAR R&D in FY2022, which is $184.1 million (32.2%) above the FY2021 enacted funding level of $572.6 million.¹¹³ The House bill would provide $702.2 million, while the Senate bill would provide $697.4 million to OAR R&D in FY2022.¹¹⁴ OAR conducts research in three major areas: (1) weather and air chemistry; (2) climate; and (3) oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes. A significant portion of these efforts is implemented through OAR's laboratories and cooperative research institutes. The President requested $231.7 million for OAR labs and cooperative institutes in FY2022, $34.2 million (17.3%) more than the FY2021 enacted amount of $197.5 million.¹¹⁵ The House would provide $245.0 million and the Senate would provide $232.6 million to OAR labs and cooperative institutes, respectively.¹¹⁶

Another OAR program, the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP), is composed of 33 university-based state programs and supports scientific research and stakeholder engagement to identify and solve problems faced by coastal communities. For FY2022, the Administration requested $115.7 million for NSGCP, an increase of $40.7 million (54.3%) from the FY2021 enacted amount, and $13.1 million for its related Aquaculture Research program, an increase of $0.1 million (1.0%) from FY2021.¹¹⁷ The House bill would provide $85.0 million to NSGCP and $14.5 million for its aquaculture research program, while the Senate bill would provide $90.0 million to NSGCP and $15.0 million for its aquaculture research program.¹¹⁸

Department of Veterans Affairs¹¹⁹

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates and maintains a national health care delivery system to provide eligible veterans with medical care, benefits, and social support. As part of the agency's mission, it seeks to advance medical R&D in areas most relevant to the diseases and conditions that affect the health care needs of veterans.¹²⁰

The President is requesting $1.631 billion for VA R&D in FY2022, an increase of $159 million (11%) from FY2021 enacted levels. (See Table 16.) According to the President's request, FY2022 strategic priorities for VA R&D include increasing the access of veterans to clinical trials; increasing the transfer and translation of VA R&D; and the effective use of VA data for veterans. Additionally, crosscutting priorities for VA R&D include efforts to treat veterans at risk of suicide and research to address chronic pain and opioid addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, precision oncology, and Gulf War illness and military exposures.¹²¹

VA R&D is funded through two accounts—the Medical and Prosthetic Research account and the Medical Care Support account. The Medical Care Support account also includes non-R&D funding, and the amount of funding that will be allocated to support R&D through appropriations legislation is unclear unless Congress provides funding at the precise level of the request. In general, R&D funding levels from the Medical Care Support account are known only after the VA allocates its appropriations to specific activities and reports those figures.

The FY2022 request includes $882 million for VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research account, an increase of $87 million (11%) compared to FY2021 enacted levels. The request includes $750 million in funding for research supported by the agency's Medical Care Support account, an increase of $81 million (12%) compared to FY2021. The Medical Care Support account provides administrative and other support for VA researchers and R&D projects, including infrastructure maintenance.

The Medical and Prosthetics R&D program is an intramural program managed by the Veterans Health Administration's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and conducted at VA Medical Centers and VA-approved sites nationwide. According to ORD, the mission of VA R&D includes "improv[ing] Veterans' health and well-being via basic, translational, clinical, health services, and rehabilitative research and apply[ing] scientific knowledge to develop effective individualized care solutions for Veterans."¹²² ORD consists of four main research services, each headed by a director:

• Biomedical Laboratory R&D conducts preclinical research to understand life processes at the molecular, genomic, and physiological levels.
• Clinical Science R&D supports clinical trials and other human subjects research to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of new treatments such as drugs, therapies, or devices; compare existing therapies; and improve clinical care and practice.
• Health Services R&D conducts studies to identify and promote effective and efficient strategies to improve the quality and accessibility of the VA health system and patient outcomes, and to minimize health care costs.
• Rehabilitation R&D conducts research and develops novel approaches to improving the quality of life of impaired and disabled veterans.

In addition to intramural support, VA researchers are eligible to obtain funding for their research from extramural sources, including other federal agencies, private foundations and health organizations, and commercial entities. According to the President's FY2022 budget request, these additional R&D resources are estimated at $540 million in FY2022. However, unlike other federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, VA does not have the authority to support extramural R&D by providing research grants to colleges, universities, or other non-VA entities.

On July 29, 2021, the House passed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4502). Division F would provide $902 million for the Medical and Prosthetic Research account. This would represent an increase of $107 million (13%) above the FY2021 enacted level and $20 million (2%) above the request.

On August 4, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 (S. 2604). S. 2604 would provide $882 million for the Medical and Prosthetic Research account. This would represent an increase of $87 million (11%) above the FY2021 enacted level and would be the same as the request.

Table 16 summarizes R&D program funding for VA in the Medical and Prosthetic Research and the Medical Care Support accounts. Table 17 details amounts to be spent in Designated Research Areas (DRAs), which VA describes as "areas of importance to our veteran patient population."¹²³ Funding for research projects that span multiple areas may be included in several DRAs; thus, the amounts in Table 17 total to more than the appropriation or request for VA R&D.

Department of Transportation¹²⁴

The Department of Transportation was established by the Department of Transportation Act (P.L. 89-670) on October 15, 1966. The primary purposes of DOT research and development activities as defined by Section 6019 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (P.L. 114-94) are improving mobility of people and goods; reducing congestion; promoting safety; improving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure; preserving the environment; and preserving the existing transportation system.

Funding for DOT R&D is generally included in appropriations line items that also include non-R&D activities. The amount of funding provided by appropriations legislation that is allocated to R&D is unclear unless funding is provided at the precise level of the request. In general, R&D funding levels are known only after DOT agencies allocate their final appropriations to specific activities and report those figures.

In FY2022, the Administration is requesting a total of $1.203 billion for DOT R&D activities and facilities at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Office of the Secretary (OST), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) (see Table 18). In FY2021, three DOT agencies—FAA, FHWA, and NHTSA—accounted for nearly 90% of DOT R&D funding.

Federal Aviation Administration

The President's FY2022 request of $547.4 million for R&D activities and facilities at FAA would be an increase of $68.8 million (14.4%) from the FY2021 enacted amount. The request includes $258.5 million for the agency's Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) account, an increase of $60.5 million (30.6%) from FY2021. Funding within the RE&D account seeks to improve aircraft safety through research in fields such as fire safety, advanced materials, propulsion systems, aircraft icing, and continued airworthiness, in addition to safety research related to unmanned aircraft systems and the integration of commercial space operations into the national airspace. The RE&D account also supports research to reduce the environmental impacts of aviation (i.e., noise and emissions). Much of the proposed increase to the RE&D account ($50 million) would support a Climate Aviation Program with the goal of enhancing and accelerating research in the areas of sustainable aviation fuels for jet engines; unleaded fuel alternatives for piston-engine aircraft; and alternate aircraft technologies, including electric propulsion.

Federal Highway Administration

According to the President's budget request

FHWA's contributions to researching and implementing transformative innovations and technologies are changing the way roads, bridges, and other facilities are planned, designed, built, managed, and maintained across the country to be more responsive to current and future needs.¹²⁵

The President's request of $420 million for R&D activities and facilities at FHWA would be an increase of $43.8 million (11.6%) from the FY2021 enacted amount. The request includes $125 million for FHWA's Highway Research and Development program, which seeks to improve safety, foster innovation, accelerate projects, enhance the design and construction of transportation infrastructure, provide data and analysis for decisionmaking, and reduce congestion. The request also includes $100 million for the deployment of technology to enhance the safety, efficiency, and convenience of surface transportation under the agency's Intelligent Transportation Systems program.

On July 29, 2021, the House passed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4502). Division G would provide $260.5 million for FAA's R&D account. This would represent an increase of $62.5 million (32%) above the FY2021 enacted level and $2 million (1%) above the request.

On October 18, 2021, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority released nine draft appropriations acts for FY2022, including draft language for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies. The Senate majority draft bill would provide $258.5 million for FAA's R&D account. This would represent an increase of $60.5 million (31%) above the FY2021 enacted level and would be the same as the request.¹²⁶

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The President is requesting $66.0 million in R&D and R&D facilities funding in FY2022 for NHTSA, $16.0 million (32.1%) above the FY2021 enacted amount. NHTSA R&D focuses on automation and the study of human machine interfaces, advanced vehicle safety technology, improving vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance, and reducing unsafe driving behaviors.

Other DOT Components

R&D activities are also supported by several other DOT components or agencies (see Table 18). The President's FY2022 request includes DOT R&D activities and facilities funding for

• the Federal Railroad Administration, totaling $58.8 million, $17.8 million (43.5%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $41.0 million;
• the Federal Transit Administration, totaling $30 million, the same amount as FY2021;
• the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, totaling $24.5 million, $5.5 million (29%) above the FY2021 enacted level of $19.0 million;
• the Office of the Secretary, totaling $47.4 million, $21.6 million (83.5%) above the FY2021enacted level of $25.8 million; and
• the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, totaling $9.1 million, the same amount as FY2021.

Department of the Interior¹²⁷

The Department of the Interior was created to conserve and manage the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage, to provide scientific and other information about those resources, and to uphold "the nation's trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper." DOI has a wide range of responsibilities, including, among other things, mapping; geological, hydrological, and biological science; migratory bird, wildlife, and endangered species conservation; surface-mined lands protection and restoration; and historic preservation.¹²⁸ The Administration is requesting $17.4 billion in net discretionary funding for DOI in FY2022.¹²⁹ Of that amount, $1.34 billion is proposed for R&D, $315 million (31%) above the FY2021 estimated level of $1.02 billion.¹³⁰

Funding for DOI R&D is generally included in appropriations line items that also include non-R&D activities. How much of the funding provided in appropriations legislation is allocated to R&D specifically is unclear unless funding is provided at the precise level of the request. In general, R&D funding levels are known only after DOI components allocate their appropriations to specific activities and report those figures.

As passed by the House on July 29, 2021, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 4502) would provide a total of $15.6 billion in discretionary funding for DOI, $250 million (1.6%) below the FY2022 request and $2.29 billion (17.1%) above the FY2021 enacted level.¹³¹ As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on October 18, 2021, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, 2022, committee print would provide $15.7 billion in discretionary funding for DOI, $558 million (4.1%) below the FY2022 request and $2.0 billion (14.6%) above the FY2021 enacted level.¹³² These amounts include both R&D and non-R&D funding.

U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey accounts for more than two-thirds of all DOI R&D funding. A single appropriations account, Surveys, Investigations, and Research (SIR), provides all USGS funding. USGS R&D is conducted under seven SIR activity/program areas: Ecosystems; Energy and Mineral Resources; Natural Hazards; Water Resources; Core Science Systems; Science Support; and Facilities.

The President's total FY2022 budget request for USGS is $1.6 billion, up $327 million (26%) from the FY2021 enacted level.¹³³ Of the proposed FY2022 total, $947 million would be for R&D, an increase of $256 million (37%) from the FY2021 estimated level of $691 million.¹³⁴

As passed by the House, H.R. 4502 would provide $1.6 billion for USGS, equal to the FY2022 requested amount.¹³⁵ As released by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, 2022, committee print would provide $1.5 billion for USGS, $149 million less than the FY2022 requested amount.¹³⁶ These amounts include both R&D and non-R&D funding.

Other DOI Components

The President's FY2022 request also includes R&D funding for the following DOI components:¹³⁷

• Bureau of Reclamation (BOR): $122 million for FY2022, down $11 million (8.3%) from the FY2021 estimate.
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM): $112 million for FY2022, up $30 million (37%) from the FY2021 estimate.
• Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): $57 million for FY2022, up $24 million (73%) from the FY2021 estimate.
• National Park Service (NPS): $34 million for FY2022, up $6 million (21%) from the FY2021 estimate.
• Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE): $32 million for FY2022, up $5 million (19%) from the FY2021 estimate.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM): $21 million for FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimate.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): $5 million for FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimate.
• Wildland Fire Management (WFM): $8 million for FY2022, up $5 million (167%) from the FY2021 estimate.¹³⁸
• Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE): $1 million for FY2022, equal to the FY2021 estimate.

Table 19 summarizes FY2021 estimated R&D funding and the President's FY2022 R&D funding request for DOI components.

Department of Homeland Security¹³⁹

The Department of Homeland Security has identified five core missions: to prevent terrorism and enhance security, to secure and manage the borders, to enforce and administer immigration laws, to safeguard and secure cyberspace, and to ensure resilience to disasters. New technology resulting from research and development can contribute to achieving all these goals. The Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T) has primary responsibility for establishing, administering, and coordinating DHS R&D activities. Other components, such as the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office and the Transportation Security Administration, conduct R&D relating to their specific missions.

The President's FY2022 budget request for DHS includes $618 million for activities identified as R&D. This would be an increase of 8.4% from $570 million in FY2021. The total includes $503 million for the R&D account in the S&T Directorate and smaller amounts for five other DHS components. The House bill would provide a total of $629 million, including $511 million in the S&T Directorate. The draft Senate bill would provide $651 million, including $530 million in the S&T Directorate. See Table 20.

The S&T Directorate performs R&D in several laboratories of its own and funds R&D performed by the DOE national laboratories, industry, universities, and others. It also conducts testing and other technology-related activities in support of acquisitions by other DHS components. The Administration's FY2022 request of $503 million for the S&T Directorate R&D account would be an increase of 13.4% from $444 million in FY2021. Within the R&D account, the Research, Development, and Innovation budget line would increase by $53 million, including increases for Cyber Security/Information Analysis (up $29 million); First Response/Disaster Resilience (up $21 million); and Counter Terrorist (up $13 million); and a decrease for Border Security (down $11 million). In the University Programs budget line, the request for university centers of excellence is $46 million, up from $39 million in FY2021. The requested increase for centers of excellence would support increased funding for continuing centers as well as the planned selection of two new centers.

The House bill would provide $5 million more than the request for Research, Development, and Innovation and $2.5 million more than the request for University Programs. The additional funding for University Programs would be directed to the Minority Serving Institutions program.

The draft Senate bill would provide $10 million more than the request for Research, Development, and Innovation and $17 million more than the request for University Programs. The additional funding for University Programs would be directed to an independent assessment of the current state of border security ($10 million) and the development, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), of "analytic capabilities to assess the impact of DHS and CBP actions and investments on world-wide forced labor levels and how those investments impact U.S. businesses" ($5 million).

In addition to its R&D account, the S&T Directorate receives funding for laboratory facilities and other R&D-related expenses through two other accounts (not shown in the table). The total request for the directorate is $823 million, an increase of 7.5% from $766 million in FY2021. The directorate's Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account would receive $9 million under the Administration's request (versus $19 million in FY2021) for closure of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center—which is being replaced by the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility—and for preparation of Plum Island itself for sale.¹⁴⁰ Total funding for the directorate would be $830 million in the House bill and $869 million in the draft Senate bill. The House bill would provide the requested funds for Procurement, Construction, and Improvements; the draft Senate bill would provide an additional $4 million. The draft Senate bill would also provide $15 million more than the request in the directorate's Operations and Support account to expand and evolve models, developed with CBP, of migrant flow to the Southwest border.

Environmental Protection Agency¹⁴¹

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers multiple environmental pollution control laws, many of which are carried out under a delegated framework with states and tribes (and local governments for certain authorities). To carry out this mission, EPA funds a broad range of R&D activities intended to provide scientific tools and knowledge that inform decisions relating to preventing, regulating, and abating environmental pollution. Since FY2006, Congress has funded EPA's discretionary budget through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies annual appropriations acts.

Appropriations for EPA R&D are generally included in programs and activities that also include non-R&D functions. Annual appropriations bills and the accompanying committee reports do not identify precisely how much funding is allocated to EPA R&D alone. EPA determines R&D funding levels for its operations by allocating the agency's appropriations for authorized activities and reporting those amounts.

The agency's Science and Technology (S&T) appropriations account¹⁴² funds much of EPA's scientific research activities, which include R&D conducted by the agency at its own laboratories and facilities, and R&D and related scientific research conducted by universities, foundations, and other nonfederal entities that receive EPA grants. The S&T account generally receives a base appropriation and a transfer from the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) account for research on more effective methods for remediating contaminated sites.¹⁴³

EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) is the primary manager of R&D at EPA headquarters and laboratories around the country, as well as EPA-supported R&D external to the agency. A large portion of the S&T account funds EPA R&D activities managed by ORD, including research grants. Programs implemented by other offices within EPA also may have a research component, but the research component is not necessarily the primary focus of the particular program.

As passed by the House on July 29, 2021, Division E of H.R. 4502 includes the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for FY2022. Division E of H.R. 4502 incorporates H.R. 4372 (H.Rept. 117-83), which was reported by the House Committee on Appropriations on July 6, 2021. As part of floor action on H.R. 4502, the House adopted two amendments to EPA's S&T account. One amendment would increase funding to the account by $2.0 million for research on polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and toxins resulting from harmful algal blooms.¹⁴⁴ Another amendment would allocate $1.0 million of the total funding amount to research on 6PPD-quinone and its potential risks to coho salmon and other fish species in the Pacific Northwest.¹⁴⁵ Including these amendments and a $33.0 million transfer from the Superfund account, the House-passed bill would provide $842.2 million for EPA's S&T account. The House-passed funding level for EPA's S&T account is a proposed increase of $82.1 million (10.8%) over the enacted FY2021 appropriation of $760.1 million, which includes a $30.8 million transfer from the Superfund account.¹⁴⁶ Also, the House-passed funding level for EPA's S&T account is $18.7 million (2.2%) less than the President's request of $861.0 million, which includes a proposed $31.0 million transfer from the Superfund account.¹⁴⁷ Proposed increases in funding for the "Clean Air" and "Research: Air and Energy" program areas combined make up 80.8% of the President's requested increase in funding to EPA's S&T account compared with FY2021 enacted appropriations.

On October 18, 2021, the Senate Committee on Appropriations majority released nine FY2022 appropriations bills, including the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, for consideration.¹⁴⁸ The Senate committee majority draft would provide $834.2 million for EPA's S&T account, including a $31.0 million transfer from the Superfund account.¹⁴⁹ The proposed funding level for EPA's S&T account in the Senate committee majority draft is a proposed increase of $74.1 million (9.7%) over the enacted FY2021 appropriation of $760.1 million, which includes a $30.8 million transfer from the Superfund account.¹⁵⁰ Also, the proposed funding level for EPA's S&T account in the Senate committee majority draft is $26.8 million (3.1%) less than the President's request of $861.0 million, which includes a proposed $31.0 million transfer from the Superfund account.¹⁵¹

Table 21 presents a comparison of the FY2021 enacted appropriations, the President's FY2022 request, and the FY2022 appropriations proposed in House-passed H.R. 4502 and the Senate committee majority draft for program areas and activities funded within EPA's S&T account. The program areas and activities listed in Table 21 are only those identified in funding tables presented in explanatory statements accompanying annual appropriations bills that fund EPA. The explanatory statements include additional breakouts of funding and directive language for certain activities within these broader program areas. EPA's annual budget justification also identifies specific amounts of funding for various subprogram activities not listed in these explanatory statements.

Appendix A. Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix B. CRS Contacts for Agency R&D

The following table lists the primary CRS experts on R&D funding for the agencies covered in this report.