April 2008
Administration: Agencies Will Not Submit Budget Requests for 2010
According to an April 7 OMB memo, "The FY 2010 budget will be submitted by the next President. In order to lay the groundwork for the incoming administration, we intend to prepare a budget database that includes a complete current services baseline (emphasis added) and to gather information necessary to develop current services program estimates for FY 2010 from which the incoming administration can develop its budget proposals. … You are not required to submit a formal budget request in September and there will be no formal Director's Review or Passback this fall …"
January 2008
Administration's Earmark Policy - Part III
Executive Order: Protecting American Taxpayers From Government Spending on Wasteful Earmarks states "It is the policy of the Federal Government to be judicious in the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. To ensure the proper use of taxpayer funds that are appropriated for Government programs and purposes, it is necessary that the number and cost of earmarks be reduced, that their origin and purposes be transparent, and that they be included in the text of the bills voted upon by the Congress and presented to the President. For appropriations laws and other legislation enacted after the date of this order, executive agencies should not commit, obligate, or expend funds on the basis of earmarks included in any non-statutory source, including requests in reports of committees of the Congress or other congressional documents, or communications from or on behalf of Members of Congress, or any other non-statutory source, except when required by law or when an agency has itself determined a project, program, activity, grant, or other transaction to have merit under statutory criteria or other merit-based decision-making."
September 2007
Administration: FY 2009 R&D Budget Priorities
FY 2009 Administration's R&D Budget Priorities Memorandum highlights the continued emphasis in the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), provides guidance for setting priorities for agency R&D programs and identifies interagency R&D efforts that should receive special focus in agency budget requests. The ACI, doubling basic research funding in three key agencies (NSF, NIST and DOE/Office of Science), remains a priority. The memo also states that "[I]n addition to the doubling effort at these three agencies, real increases (above inflation) in the high-leverage basic research of the Department of Defense should be a significant priority." Interagency priorities include: Homeland Security and National Defense; Energy and Climate Change Technology; Advanced Networking and Information Technology; National Nanotechnology Initiative; Understanding Complex Biological Systems; Environment; Next Generation Air Transportation Systems; among others.
February 2007
Administration's Earmark Policy - Part II
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently issued a second policy memorandum regarding the implementation of earmarks in the federal budget on February 15. This memo focuses on the disposition of earmarks in the FY 2007 CR specifically. The memo requires that agency heads only obligate funds to projects that are "specifically identified in statutory text…" From the memo, "For agencies funded by the CR [the final FY 2007 funding bill], this means that unless a project or activity is specifically identified in statutory text, agencies should not obligate funds on the basis of earmarks contained in Congressional reports or documents, or other written or oral communications regarding earmarks. While the Administration welcomes input to help make informed decisions, no oral or written communication concerning earmarks shall supersede statutory criteria, competitive awards, or merit-based decision-making…"
January 2007
Administration: Accounting for Budget Earmarks - Part I
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum to Agency Heads highlights new requirements for collecting information on earmarks, stating that "agencies will be required to: identify and catalogue earmarks in all appropriations bills and certain authorization bills; submit that data to OMB; and provide rapid analysis of earmarks in each bill as they move through the legislative process in order to facilitate the development of an Administration position on the bill." The policy memo defines earmarks, identifies bills affected by the policy, establishes a timeline for data collection, and lays out exactly what type of data is to be collected.
December 2006
Administration: National Aeronautics R&D Policy
Executive Order 13419 establishes the nation's first national aeronautics R&D policy, "describing the roles and responsibilities of the involved executive departments and agencies in each of four primary areas of aeronautics research: 1) stable and long-term foundational research, 2) advanced aircraft systems development, 3) air transportation m management systems, and 4) national research, development, test and evaluation infrastructure."
June 2006
Administration: FY 2008 R&D Budget Priorities
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Memorandum to Agency Heads highlights the Administration's priorities for the FY 2008 R&D budget; including continued commitment to the American Competitiveness Initiative, areas of inter-agency efforts, and R&D investment criteria. The interagency R&D priority areas mentioned are Homeland Security, Energy Security, Advanced Networking and High-End Computing, National Nanotechnology Initiative, Understanding Complex Biological Systems and Environment. (See September 2006 DC on T2)
February 2006
Administration: FY 2007 R&D Budget (ACI & AEI)
The American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) was rolled out in the FY 2007 Budget and reflects in many cases the Administration's response to the current discussion on U.S. Competitiveness. It includes discussion and policy recommendations in the following areas: 1) doubling, over 10 years, federal investment in physical science and engineering (NSF, DOC/NIST, DOE/Science); 2) making the R&E tax credit permanent; 3) strengthening K-12 math and science education; 4) reforming the workforce training system; and 5) increasing our ability to attract/retain workers through comprehensive immigration reform.
The Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) was also rolled out in the FY 2007 Budget (along with the ACI), and addresses the Administration's focus on new efforts under the two broad categories of: 1) changing the way we fuel our cars (e.g., supporting advances in areas such as batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, cellulosic ethanol); and 2) changing the way we fuel our homes and businesses (e.g., supporting efforts in clean cola, nuclear and certain renewable technologies).
