NSF DOUBLING BILL FINALLY A REALITY

On November 15, the House and Senate gave final approval to legislation authorizing a doubling of the National Science Foundation's budget over the next five fiscal years.

The bill (H.R.4664), a long-term goal of the science and engineering community, combines five House-passed bills, the Senate version of the NSF authorization, and language worked out with the White House Office of Management and Budget to satisfy Administration concerns. It is expected to be signed by the President as one of the last accomplishments of the 107th Congress.

Administration concerns had included the use of the politically-charged term "doubling" in the bill's title, and objections to the five-year span of authorization. Bill sponsors compromised by calling the bill simply the "National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002" and by making the last two years of authorization (fiscal years 2006 and 2007) contingent on a finding by the Congress that NSF "has made successful progress toward meeting (specified) management goals," taking into account OMB's evaluation on that progress.

The legislation contains important provisions for K-12 math and science education partnerships, including the training of master teachers; and the Tech Talent program to address the decline in the technical workforce and to improve undergraduate math and science education.

The "Policy Objectives" section of the bill echoes the call of the science and engineering community for balance among broad disciplines, directing NSF "to strengthen the Nation's lead in science and technology by (A) increasing the national investment in general scientific research and increasing investment in strategic areas; (B) balancing the Nation's research portfolio among the life sciences, mathematics, the physical sciences, computer and information science, geoscience, engineering, and social, behavioral, and economic sciences, all of which are important for the continued development of enabling technologies necessary for sustained international competitiveness…"