{"id":11523,"date":"2016-05-18T16:59:20","date_gmt":"2016-05-18T20:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=11523"},"modified":"2016-05-18T16:59:20","modified_gmt":"2016-05-18T20:59:20","slug":"esa-policy-news-may-18-senate-considers-competes-reauthorization-house-cjs-bill-would-reduce-nsf-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2016\/05\/18\/esa-policy-news-may-18-senate-considers-competes-reauthorization-house-cjs-bill-would-reduce-nsf-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"ESA Policy News May 18: Senate considers COMPETES reauthorization, House CJS bill would reduce NSF funding"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

RESEARCH: SENATE COMMITTEE CONTINUES DELIBERATION OF AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION<\/b><\/p>\n

On May 11, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee convened a hearing entitled \u201cLeveraging the US Science and Technology Enterprise.\u201d The hearing is part of the committee\u2019s ongoing efforts to solicit input from the scientific community as it drafts legislation to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act.<\/p>\n

In his opening statement, Chairman John Thune (R-SD) praised the work of committee members Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI) in their bipartisan efforts to solicit input from and convene roundtables allowing members of the scientific community to weigh in on the Senate\u2019s efforts to reauthorize the bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommon themes arising from the roundtables included support for continued investment by the federal government in basic research, as well as encouragement of wider participation in STEM subjects; stronger partnerships among government, the private sector, and academia that could better leverage discoveries emerging from our research universities to drive innovation; and the importance of minimizing barriers and improving incentives for universities and the private sector to better maximize the scientific and economic return on limited federal research resources,\u201d said Thune.<\/p>\n

Witnesses testifying included\u00a0 Kelvin Droegemeier, vice chairman, National Science Board; Jeannette Wing, corporate vice president for research, Microsoft Corp.; Robert Atkinson, president, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; and David Munson, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to view the hearing.<\/p>\n

APPROPRIATIONS: HOUSE CJS BILL REDUCES NSF, SCIENCE FUNDING<\/b><\/p>\n

On May 17, the House Appropriations Committee released its Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2017 spending bill. In total, the bill includes $56 billion in discretionary spending, a $279 million increase over the FY 2016 enacted level.<\/p>\n

The National Science Foundation (NSF) would receive $7.4 billion in FY 2017, a $57 million decrease over FY 2016. Research and Related Activities is increased by $46 million targeted to programs that foster innovation and US economic competitiveness, including funding for research on advanced manufacturing, physics, mathematics, cybersecurity, neuroscience and STEM education. Reductions are made in equipment and construction costs. Unlike the Senate CJS appropriations bill, there is no increased funding allocated towards the construction of Regional Class Research Vessels, setting up a potential showdown if the two chambers negotiate a final bill this fall.<\/p>\n

Below are funding levels for other science agencies in the bill, compared to the FY 2016 enacted level:<\/p>\n

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:\u00a0<\/strong>$5.6 billion, a $185 million decrease<\/p>\n

National Aeronautics and Space Administration:<\/strong>$19.5 billion, a $223 million increase<\/p>\n

National Institute of Standards and Technology:\u00a0<\/strong>$865 million, a $99 million decrease<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for additional information on the House CJS bill.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to view ESA testimony in support of FY 2017 funding for NSF.<\/p>\n

APPROPRIATIONS: SENATE PASSES FY 2017 ENERGY AND WATER FUNDING BILL<\/b><\/p>\n

On May 12, the Senate passed its version of the Energy and Water Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 by a vote of 90-8.<\/p>\n

The House also passed its FY 2017 energy and water spending bill (H.R. 2028) earlier this month by a vote of 240-177. The Senate took up the House version of the bill and added an amendment in the nature of a substitute, replacing the House-passed language with the text of the Senate bill (S. 2804). The Senate bill provides $37.5 billion for FY 2017, $100 million more than the House bill.<\/p>\n

The White House released a Statement of Administration Policy that objects to many of the funding levels in the Senate bill, but it stopped short of declaring the president would veto it.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to view the statement.<\/p>\n

APPROPRIATIONS: SENATE AGRICULTURE SPENDING BILL PASSES COMMITTEE<\/b><\/p>\n

On May 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY 2017 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017.<\/p>\n

The legislation provides $2.54 billion to support agricultural research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.\u00a0 This amount includes $375 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, a $25 million increase above the FY2016 enacted level.<\/p>\n

Below are funding levels for additional USDA entities of interest to the ecological community compared to FY 2016 enacted levels:<\/p>\n

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service:<\/strong>\u00a0$939.3 million, a $44.9 million increase.<\/p>\n

Natural Resources Conservation Service:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0$864.5 million, a $4.1 million increase.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to view for additional information on the bill.<\/p>\n

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: KENYA HOSTS SECOND UN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSEMBLY<\/b><\/p>\n

The second annual United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) will convene in Nairobi, Kenya from May 23-27\u00a0under the overarching theme of Delivering on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development<\/em> (SD) UNEA-2 will reflect the latest global, regional and national developments related to the environment. It will also provide the first global platform for reviewing progress on the SDGs, particularly their environmental dimensions. \u00a0The UNEA is the world\u2019s highest level decision-making body for environmental issues.<\/p>\n

In advance of UNEA-2, ESA penned a letter to to Dr. Oyun, president, United Nations Environment Assembly, asking for her support for\u00a0a proposal to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to recognize 2020 as an \u201cInternational Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.\u201d\u00a0Nearly half of the Earth\u2019s land surface is classified as rangeland<\/em> and grassland<\/em>, and the health and productivity of these lands are critical to the livelihoods of an estimated 500 million people around the world. Rangeland and grassland habitats provide a multitude of ecosystems services.<\/p>\n

Others groups that are in support of an\u00a0\u201cInternational Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists\u201d\u00a0are the Society for Range Management & The Rangelands Partnership,\u00a0ILRI\/International Land Coalition,\u00a0International Rangelands Congress, and International Grasslands Congress.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to view the ESA letter.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for additionalUNEA-2 information.<\/p>\n

NSF: NEW PLAN LAYS OUT VISION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH INVESTMENT<\/b><\/p>\n

On May 2, the National Science Foundation released a nine-point plan for its vision for the future of fundamental research.<\/p>\n

Six of the goals concern research ideas:<\/p>\n