{ "id": "R43585", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43585", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 445278, "date": "2015-09-04", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T22:43:44.478103", "title": "The National Science Foundation: Background and Selected Policy Issues", "summary": "The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports both basic research and education in the non-medical sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation in 1950 and directed it to \u201cpromote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes.\u201d The NSF is a major source of federal support for U.S. university research, especially in certain fields such as 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.\nThe NSF is an independent federal agency. Although governed by the congressional and administration budget and oversight processes, NSF\u2019s independent status has provided it with greater institutional autonomy than some other federal agencies. Some analysts assert that this autonomy protects NSF\u2019s scientific mission. However, it may also be perceived as existing in tension with other public values, such as accountability. The tension between independence and accountability is an enduring policy theme for the NSF. It is reflected in historical debates over the foundation\u2019s authorization period and the role (if any) of Congress in grant-making and research prioritization. \nNSF is the second-largest source of federal funding for basic research. Between FY2008 and FY2013, increases in the NSF budget were driven by the doubling policy for physical sciences and engineering (PS&E) research. The PS&E doubling policy sought to double funding for NSF and targeted accounts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Energy. Although this policy was authorized and reauthorized in the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) and America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358)\u2014and was pursued by both the George W. Bush and Obama Administrations\u2014actual appropriations increased, but did not reach authorized levels. PS&E doubling provisions expired in FY2013. Since then, the Administration has not expressly pursued the PS&E doubling, and legislators have not enacted measures to reauthorize the policy. \nIn addition to its research responsibilities, NSF is the only federal agency whose primary mission includes education across all fields of science and engineering. Funding for STEM education activities at NSF typically constitutes about a third of the total federal STEM education effort. Key questions for the 114th Congress focus on the Obama Administration\u2019s overall effort to reorganize the federal STEM education effort and the consequences of those changes for STEM education programs at NSF; the direction of the overarching federal STEM education strategy and NSF\u2019s role therein; as well as funding for STEM education at the foundation, as a percentage of total NSF appropriations. \nNSF received $7.344 billion (estimated) in appropriations in FY2015.Typically, about 80% of the NSF budget supports the main research account, 12% or so supports the main education account, 3% to 5% supports facilities and construction, and the remainder supports administrative and related activities. Major NSF authorizations expired in FY2013. Bills to reauthorize the foundation are under consideration in the 114th Congress. For more information about NSF funding, see CRS Report R44170, The National Science Foundation: FY2016 Budget Request and Funding History, by Heather B. Gonzalez.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43585", "sha1": "3f28d7323757e75e551848c61e7f05d9e017db4f", "filename": "files/20150904_R43585_3f28d7323757e75e551848c61e7f05d9e017db4f.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43585", "sha1": "c0fd7b38926f8219cb68ae6a3063cc693a95e0a5", "filename": "files/20150904_R43585_c0fd7b38926f8219cb68ae6a3063cc693a95e0a5.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 2693, "name": "Science, Space, and R&D" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805125/", "id": "R43585_2015Mar16", "date": "2015-03-16", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The National Science Foundation: Background and Selected Policy Issues", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150316_R43585_07d7809b822ace6d5910e10766975ee993d00550.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150316_R43585_07d7809b822ace6d5910e10766975ee993d00550.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc333011/", "id": "R43585_2014Jun05", "date": "2014-06-05", "retrieved": "2014-08-27T12:47:05", "title": "The National Science Foundation: Background and Selected Policy Issues", "summary": "This report includes background information about the National Science Foundation (NSF), providing an introduction to the foundation and its work as institutional context for ongoing congressional consideration of NSF policy and fiscal issues.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140605_R43585_4b93a1c19acca093c0d218b40b315571e64fea1a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140605_R43585_4b93a1c19acca093c0d218b40b315571e64fea1a.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Budgets", "name": "Budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Executive departments -- National Science Foundation", "name": "Executive departments -- National Science Foundation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Science policy", "name": "Science policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Scientific research", "name": "Scientific research" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Research and development -- Appropriations", "name": "Research and development -- Appropriations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Research and development -- Law and legislation", "name": "Research and development -- Law and legislation" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "Science and Technology Policy" ] }