Federal Funding Recommendations
Fiscal Year 2019
Overview
For the United States to remain a world leader in science and technological innovation, Congress and the Administration must provide stable and sustained funding growth for scientific research. Additionally, as Congress and the President seek to reduce budget deficits, it is essential that funding federal student aid remain a national priority to ensure that Americans, regardless of their economic status, have the opportunity to attend college and improve their knowledge and skills to remain competitive in a global economy. Accordingly, this document outlines SBU’s FY19 funding recommendations for federal research and higher education agencies and programs.
Department of Defense (DOD) Research and DARPA
For FY19, SBU recommends $2.436 billion overall for 6.1 basic research, $3.438 billion for DARPA, and $15.457 billion for Defense S&T. This would constitute a four percent increase of Defense 6.1 and Science and Technology (S&T) using the FY18 6.1 and S&T funding levels as a base. These levels of funding are consistent with the federal research investment recommendation in the Innovation: An American Imperative call to action, which over 500 business leaders, national organizations, universities, and scientific societies have endorsed. Defense S&T comprises 6.1 basic research, 6.2 applied research, and 6.3 advanced technology development programs.
DOD-funded basic research has contributed significantly to our nation’s economic and national security. DOD relies on technological innovation as a force multiplier, and cutting-edge advances have helped make our military the best-equipped and most effective in the world. Addressing complex military challenges requires innovation and technologies and the development of these technologies depends on sustained investments in scientific and engineering basic research performed at U.S. universities.
Department of Education
Student Aid
For FY19, SBU urges Congress to support robust funding for federal student financial aid programs and maintain the discretionary base for Pell Grants to allow for a maximum Pell award of$6,230. SBU urges Congress to increase funding for crucial federal student aid programs that provide grants and work-study to low- and middle-income students, as well as the programs that help at-risk students enter and stay in college. These programs include Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (at least $896 million) and Work-Study (at least $1.206 billion). Robust support for federal student aid is key to strengthening the nation’s skilled workforce, innovative capacity and economic competitiveness. The federal government has long played a pivotal role in ensuring that all students are able to pursue their postsecondary education goals. That commitment has helped previous generations afford college and attain their educational and career goals. Now more than ever, maintaining this commitment is critical since nearly all new jobs created in our economy require some postsecondary education.
Graduate Education
For FY19, SBU urges Congress to provide at least $41 million for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program. The GAANN program helps ensure a strong pipeline of talented experts and educators who will help to meet the demands of our 21st century workforce.
Education Research
SBU supports $670 million for the Institute of Education Sciences to advance rigorous education research for FY19.
International Education
For FY19, SBU urges Congress to support at least $76 million for the Department of Education’s Title VI International.
Department of Energy (DOE) Research
SBU recommends $6.6 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science for FY19. This would provide four percent in real growth over FY18. The Department of Energy Office of Science is critical to advancing U.S. science and energy frontiers. DOE is the leading source of federal investment in basic physical science research, providing nearly 47 percent of total funding. In fields such as high energy and nuclear physics, nuclear medicine, heavy element chemistry, plasma physics, and magnetic fusion, DOE is the primary government sponsor. In addition to the physical sciences, DOE plays a key role in ensuring continued U.S. leadership in other fields of scientific research including the biological sciences, computing, and engineering.
For FY19, SBU recommends $375 million for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (APRA-E). Stable and sustainable funding for ARPA-E is essential for the advancement of high-risk, high-reward energy research that is unlikely to be supported by industry, such as the groundbreaking research performed at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
SBU recommends $6.53 billion for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in FY19. SBU recommends $712 million for Aeronautics, $796 million for Space Technology and $45 million for the Space Grant Program. For the last 60 years, NASA has captivated the public with accomplishments that have revolutionized our understanding of earth and space sciences, the life sciences, and aeronautics, and have led to new technologies. For the U.S. to remain the global leader in space, the nation must continue to make robust investments in NASA’s science, aeronautics, and space technology directorates.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
SBU urges Congress to provide $155 million for the NEH in FY19. This level of funding would allow the agency to continue to rebuild its capacity to support peer-reviewed humanities research and education programs. NEH programs stimulate the creativity and innovation that have helped our nation provide global leadership and underlie the cultural intelligence that buttresses successful diplomacy.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
For FY19, SBU urges Congress to provide $39.3billion for NIH. This level of represents sustained, predictable growth and allows the United States to invest in scientific opportunities. It would create jobs, improve the lives—and quality of life—of millions of current and future patients, and support U.S. economic and national security.NIH-funded biomedical research performed at universities has led to U.S. leadership in the life sciences revolution of the 21st century.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
For FY19, SBU recommends $8.45 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF). As the only federal agency charged with the promotion of scientific progress across all scientific and engineering disciplines, NSF is the cornerstone of America’s basic research enterprise. NSF is committed to the fundamental, interdisciplinary, high-risk, and transformative research and education needed to ensure that the U.S. remains competitive in the decades ahead. NSF competitively awards grants to support research and education, as well as scientific equipment and infrastructure. Given NSF’s unique mission of supporting basic research across all scientific disciplines, it is essential that Congress continue to fund the social and behavioral sciences.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
For FY19, SBU urges Congress to provide at least $549 million for NOAA. In the decades and century to come, we will experience extraordinary changes on our planet, with consequences that may dramatically change the way we live our lives. Reducing uncertainty, through the prediction of weather, climate and ecosystem change, requires NOAA funded scientific research to continuously improve our understanding of the Earth as an interdependent system of ocean, air, land and living world.
SBU recommends $85 million for FY19 for the National Sea Grant Program, which is consistent with levels in S129/HR4306. A federal-state partnership program, Sea Grant’s mission is to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources in order to create a sustainable economy and environment. Through this program, Stony Brook’s research is helping to develop sound, scientifically-based information about sustainable use of coastal resources and putting this information in the hands of coastal residents, officials, communities and businesses to inform their decision about coastal resources.