	Introduction

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports basic research and education in the non-medical sciences and engineering. The NSF is a major source of federal support for U.S. university research, especially in certain fields such as 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), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM), National Science Board (NSB), and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). FY2018 Budget and Appropriations Actions

The Trump Administration is seeking $6.653 billion for NSF in FY2018, an $819 million decrease (-11%) from the FY2017 enacted level of $7.472 billion (see Table 1 ).The request would decrease budget authority primarily in three accounts relative to the FY2017 enacted levels: RRA by $672 million (-11.1%), EHR by $119 million (-13.6%), and MREFC by $26.2 million (-12.5%). The request would provide slight decreases to the AOAM ($1.5 million decrease, -0.5%) and OIG ($200,000 decrease, -1.3%) accounts. The bill would keep funding for the RRA, EHR, NSB, and OIG accounts the same as the FY2017 enacted amounts, and decrease the MREFC and AOAM accounts by $131 million (-62.8%) and $1.5 million (-0.5%), respectively. The text of H.R. 3267 was incorporated as Division C into the omnibus appropriations bill, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 ( H.R. 3354 ), and passed, as amended, by the House on September 14, 2017. H.R. 3354 would provide the same total funding amounts for NSF accounts as provided in H.R. 3267 . As reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on July 27, 2017, S. 1662 , the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018, would provide a total of $7.311 billion to NSF for FY2018. This would be a decrease of $161 million (-2.2%) from the FY2017 enacted funding level and $658 million (9.9%) over President Trump's FY2018 funding request. Compared to the FY2017 enacted level, this bill would keep funding for the NSB and OIG accounts the same and decrease funding for four accounts: RRA by $116 million (-1.9%), MREFC by $26.2 million (-12.5%), EHR by $17.6 million (-2%), and AOAM by $1.5 million (-0.5%). The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 ( P.L. 115-56 , Division D), signed by the President on September 8, 2017, provided funding for NSF at the FY2017 level through December 8, 2017, subject to a 0.6791% across-the-board decrease. The Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 ( P.L. 115-90 , Division A) amends P.L. 115-56 to extend funding through December 22, 2017. As reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, S. 1662 would provide a total of $182.8 million for MREFC in FY2018, $26.2 million below (-12.5%) the FY2017 enacted level, and equal to the FY2018 request. 111-358 ), expired in FY2013. Various reauthorization measures were introduced in the 114 th Congress that included proposed funding levels, but no authorizations of appropriations were enacted. The American Innovation Act ( H.R. 1569 and S. 641 ), introduced as companion bills in March 2017, would adjust annual discretionary spending limits for federal science agencies conducting basic research, including NSF, in FY2017-FY2021 to allow for specified increases in appropriations and would authorize appropriations at these increased levels. Since FY2003, growth in the NSF budget has slowed compared to prior years. Average annual growth in NSF appropriations was 8% between FY1997 and FY2003, 4% from FY2004 to FY2010, and 1% between FY2011 and FY2017.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports basic research and education in the non-medical sciences and engineering. NSF is a major source of federal support for U.S. university research, especially in certain fields such as 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.
Overall, the Trump Administration is seeking $6.653 billion for NSF in FY2018, an $819 million decrease (-11%) from the FY2017 enacted level of $7.472 billion. NSF has six appropriations accounts: Research and Related Activities (RRA), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM), National Science Board (NSB), and Office of Inspector General (OIG). The FY2018 request would decrease total budget authority primarily in three accounts relative to FY2017 enacted funding: RRA by $672 million (-11%), EHR by $119 million (-14%), and MREFC by $26 million (-12%). The request would provide slight decreases to AOAM ($1.5 million decrease, -0.5%) and OIG ($200,000 decrease, -1.3%), and no change for NSB.
As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations, H.R. 3267 would provide a total of $7.340 billion to NSF for FY2018. This amount is $133 million below (-1.8%) the FY2017 enacted funding level and $687 million (10.3%) above President Trump's FY2018 request. The bill would keep funding for the RRA, EHR, NSB, and OIG accounts the same as the FY2017 enacted amounts and decrease the MREFC and AOAM accounts by $131 million (-62.8%) and $1.5 million (-0.5%), respectively. The text of H.R. 3267 was incorporated into the omnibus appropriations bill, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (H.R. 3354, Division C), and passed, as amended, by the House on September 14, 2017. H.R. 3354 would provide the same total funding amounts for NSF accounts as provided in H.R. 3267.
As reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, S. 1662 would provide a total of $7.311 billion to NSF for FY2018. This amount is $161 million below (-2.2%) the FY2017 enacted funding level, and $658 million above (9.9%) President Trump's FY2018 funding request. Compared to the FY2017 enacted level, this bill would keep funding for the NSB and OIG accounts the same and decrease funding for four accounts: RRA by $116 million (-1.9%), MREFC by $26.2 million (-12.5%), EHR by $17.6 million (-2%), and AOAM by $1.5 million (-0.5%).
The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-56, Division D), signed by the President on September 8, 2017, provided funding for NSF through December 8, 2017, at the FY2017 level, subject to a 0.6791% across-the-board decrease. The Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-90, Division A) amends P.L. 115-56 to extend funding through December 22, 2017.
Overall growth in the NSF budget has slowed since FY2003. Average annual growth in NSF appropriations was 8% between FY1997 and FY2003, 4% from FY2004 to FY2010, and 1% between FY2011 and FY2017. Among NSF's appropriations accounts, RRA has accounted for the lion's share of growth in obligations since FY2003. Agency appropriations levels were last authorized in FY2010 and expired in FY2013. Various reauthorization measures were introduced in the 114th Congress that included proposed funding levels; none were enacted. In the 115th Congress, the American Innovation Act (H.R. 1569 and S. 641), introduced as companion bills in March 2017, would authorize increasing appropriations for NSF through FY2021 and adjust the discretionary spending limits to accommodate those increases.