As appropriations and authorization bills careen through the halls of Congress, Kei Koizumi and the rest of his AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program Team (http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd) have updated many of their R&D analyses, including defense:
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/dod06h.htm
Numbers, charts, tables, and wicked good analysis -- really, my friends, who could ask for more?
The House passed H.R. 2863 , the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill Monday night by a vote of 398-19.
The House Report is 109-119, for those of you keeping score at home.
Rumors yesterday had the Senate marking up later in July, with authorization aslo being considered on the Senate floor before the August recess.
As conveyed in an email from Bill over the weekend, the CNSR meeting originally scheduled for today (Monday, 20 June) has been postponed until Monday the 27th.
Additionally, the meeting will not be held at UT. It will be held in the Hall of States, Room 383, at 444 North Capitol from noon until 1:00.
We apologize for the inconvenience. We will endeavor to get firm, regular dates and locations for our future meetings.
The House didn't quite make it to the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill last night. It looks like it is on the schedule for debate to begin on Monday.
Due to lengthy floor action on SSJC, the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill (HR 2863) is likely to see a vote late Thursday evening. Majority Whip Blunt notes in his anticipated floor schedule that last votes are expected between 12-1:00 am.
Congress daily is reporting this morning that the House will take up the FY06 Appropriations bill on Wednesday June 15th.
The House Rules Committee has placed the Defense Appropriations bill on its calendar for consideration on Monday.
MONDAY, June 13, 2005 5:00pm
H.R. __ - Science, State, Justice, Commerce, & related agencies Appropriations, FY 2006
H.R. __ - Department of Defense Appropriations, FY 2006
This isn't specifically Defense related, but it nicely fits into the general science and engineering education concerns shared by most of us. It is report language from the FY06 Science, State, Justice, Commerce Appropriations bill.
Click on the link below to read more...
The page numbers might be off from the final printed version.
Starting on Page 5:
Science Education
America’s advantage in science, math and technology is slipping. Our systems of basic scientific research and education are in crisis, while other countries are redoubling their efforts. The United States can remain the world’s technological leader if it makes the commitment to do so.
The funding recommendations in this bill address the urgent need to invest in scientific research and education to begin to reverse this trend. The bill includes $4.38 billion for National Science Foundation (NSF) research and related activities, an increase of $44 million above the President’s request. This is the Nation’s largest resource pool for basic scientific research across all fields. The bill also includes $807 million for NSF’s education programs, which is $70 million above the request; and $169 million for National Aeronautics and Space Administration education programs, which is $2 million above the request. The bill also includes $28.9 million for a new consolidated education program for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Committee recommendation also encourages the National Science Board to establish a commission to present recommendations for broad Federal action to address the crisis in science and math education. The Committee also expects the Administration’s 2007 budget request to include a significant investment to respond to this crisis.
The Committee directs that under the auspices of the Office of Science and Technology Policy the science agencies receiving funding for education programs in this bill should develop a comprehensive coordinated plan to rationalize the various educational programs in these areas to maximize results and minimize duplication. This plan should be submitted to the Committee concurrently with the submission of the President’s 2007 budget request to the Congress.
Page 101
Office of Science and Technology Policy
The Committee is deeply concerned about the state of the Nation’s dedication to maintaining our position as the world leader in science, technology, and innovation. Further, the Committee is convinced that bold and dramatic commitments are necessary to ensure the United States’ economic leadership in the 21st Century and a rising standard of living for all Americans. In this regard, the Committee encourages OSTP to ensure that Executive branch policy makers and budget officials understand the impact of stagnation in science and technology on all areas of national life. The Committee expects that future budget requests for science and technology programs will reflect the importance of these investments to the competitive and economic future of the nation.
The Committee also is concerned about the state of science education in the United States. The Committee expects OSTP to work to improve coordination and communication among science agencies to ensure that education programs are effective and complementary, and not duplicative.
Reports today have the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill reaching the floor of the House this coming Tuesday, the 14th of June.
Here are the HAC-D numbers as passed today by the full House Appropriations Committee.
Overall 6.1 research takes a 4% cut from the FY05 level while 6.2 increases about 4%. However, the 6.1 number is about $135 million above the President's request (10% increase over PBR).
Specifically:
Overall 6.1 $1.453 billion ($135 million above PBR, $60 million below FY05)
Army 6.1 $351 million ($43 million above PBR, $41 million below FY05)
Navy 6.1 $481 million ($32 million above PBR, $10 million below FY05)
Air Force 6.1 $352 million ($11 million above PBR, $31 million below FY05)
Defense wide 6.1 $269 million ($47 million above PBR, $22 million above FY05)
Overall 6.2 is about $917 million above the PBR (22% increase), which is $207 million above FY05. All the 6.2 accounts are at least $100 million above the PBR and all but Navy 6.2 is above the FY05 level. Navy 6.2 is down about 13% from FY05 levels.
We also have word that the SMART/NDEP program was fully funded at the President's requested level.
This should be coming out on the listserve (w/ complete tables) shortly.
The full House Appropriations Committee passed the FY06 Defense Appropriations bill this afternoon. You can find the press release here:
http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=488
I'll repost the press release after the jump.
In general, 6.1 and 6.2 accounts did better than the PBR. However, with the exception of defense-wide 6.1 accounts are still below FY05 levels. I'll try to get more details posted on the website shortly.
News Room
HIGHLIGHTS OF FY06 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL
June 7th, 2005 - -
FY05 Comparable funding : $352.4 billion
FY06 Request: $366.7 billion
FY06 Chairman’s Mark: $408 billion (includes $363.7 billion in base funds and a $45.3 billion bridge fund for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan)
Overall Budgetary Highlights
Military Personnel $84.1 billion
Operation and Maintenance $116.1 billion
Procurement $76.8 billion
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation $71.7 billion
Revolving and Management Funds $2.8 billion
Other Department of Defense Programs $2.5 billion
Emergency Wartime Appropriation $45.3 billion
Troop Support: Fully funds the 3.1% military pay raise and end strength requirements proposed in the President's budget; an increase of $20 million is provided for the military’s Family Advocacy program to fight domestic violence; restores Impact Aid to $30 million, which was terminated in the budget request.
Bridge Fund: The bill includes $45.3 billion in emergency funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, available on October 1, 2005. The fund is designed to cover 6 months worth of contingency operations costs in the global war on terrorism. The majority of this funding – $36.7 billion, or 80% – is provided for military pay and operation and maintenance accounts. Funds are also provided for the following:
Replacement of equipment losses: Approximately $2.8 billion is added to procurement accounts for Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force equipment due to wartime losses and degradation. This includes funding for additional Humvees, trucks, radios, electronic jammers, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and ammunition.
Personnel protection items: An additional $1.2 billion is provided for personnel force protection items and gear for troops in the field, such as body armor.
Insurance and Death Gratuities: A total of $230 million is provided to cover costs of the enhanced insurance and death gratuity benefits approved in the FY 2005 war supplemental.
Army Reset: The recommendations propose a total of $2.9 billion for Army equipment rehabilitation (unit and depot maintenance).
Other Items: Authority is provided for the Iraq and Afghanistan security force training programs, as well as the Commander’s Emergency Response program (CERP), to receive $500 million. Recruiting and retention activities are allocated $735 million.
Army Ground Systems: The Army’s Future Combat System (FCS) research and development program is funded at $3.0 billion, about $400 million below the request due to significant development and contracting delays. The Non-Line of Sight Cannon (NLOS) program would receive an increase of $50 million. The Stryker vehicle program is fully funded at the requested level of $878 million for 240 vehicles.
Navy Shipbuilding: The President’s request included funding for 4 ships: one Virginia-class submarine, one LPD-17 amphibious ship, one Littoral Combat ship (LCS), and one T-AKE cargo ship. The recommendations fully fund these and add 4 additional ships: one DDG-51 class destroyer ($1.4 billion); two LCS ships (an increase of $440 million); and one additional T-AKE ($380 million). Included is a recommendation to cut the Navy’s DD(X) destroyer program by a total of about $1 billion - the combination of a reduction of $0.7 billion for advance procurement and $0.3 billion out of R&D; $670 million would remain in R&D. The recommendation is consistent with the levels approved by the House for the DD(X) program in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
Navy/Marine Corps Aviation: The bill fully funds the request for 130 aircraft, including 42 F/A-18’s, compared to 115 total aircraft provided in fiscal year 2005. The bill fully funds the V-22 aircraft procurement program ($1.5 billion for 11 aircraft). The VXX Presidential helicopter replacement program is fully funded, as requested ($0.9 billion).
Air Force programs: The bill would include purchasing 25 F/A-22 aircraft, as requested, and provides $3.2 billion. The C-17 program is fully funded (15 aircraft at $3.5 billion). The bill restores funding for the C-130J multiyear procurement program by transferring funding from the Navy to the Air Force; the Air Force will procure 9 aircraft while the Navy will procure 4 tanker variants. The Joint Strike Fighter (a joint program with the Navy) is funded at almost $5 billion in R&D, as requested, but a reduction of $152 million for advance procurement is made due to development delays and since the first production aircraft will not actually be purchased until FY08. Finally, roughly $120 million is reduced from the request for Global Hawk funding due to an anticipated slowdown in the production schedule.
Missile Defense: The bill provides a total of $7.8 billion for ballistic missile defense, a decrease of $143 million from the budget request. The recommendation does, however, include additional funding for an Asymmetric Warfare Initiative and S-Band radar. The Kinetic Energy Intercept program is funded at the President’s requested level of $225 million.
Space Programs: Funds most of the Administration’s request for major space programs. However, the bill makes reductions to the request for two programs; Space radar (-$126 million) and transformational communications satellite (-$400 million). Remaining funds for these programs are for research and development activities, and for activities to reduce the costs for potential future procurements.
Terminations: The bill terminates funding for the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). The President requested $150 million for the program. The bill provides $2 million to close out existing contracts. The missile has repeatedly failed reliability and performance tests.
Drug Interdiction and Counter-drug Activities: The bill provides $907 million for DOD’s counter-drug activities and to fight narcoterrorism, $11 million over the request and roughly last year’s level.
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