In Brief
FY25 Appropriations Work Begins in the House
The House recently began work on fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations with an interim slate of topline budget numbers, known as 302(b) allocations, for the appropriations subcommittees to work with in a contentious markup regarding whether the terms of the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) were being met. The interim allocations call for a defense budget of $895 billion and a non-defense discretionary (NDD) budget of $711 billion. Within that NDD budget, interim allocations for Commerce, Justice and Science to divide among the agencies, which includes the National Science Foundation, is $73 billion. The subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education will have a pool of $185 billion to allocate among the various agencies.
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said he anticipates some fireworks regarding the allocations that would result in massive cuts to NDD investments from FY24 enacted levels, which includes scientific research funding. The proposed House Republican funding levels would equate to a 1% increase for defense, and a 6% cut for NDD programs. Programs within the jurisdiction of Labor-Health and Human Services are looking at cuts closer to 10-11% due to reduced allocations for the committee.
House Releases Ambitious Schedule for Summer Appropriations
Following a late start on the FY25 appropriations process and an election that could change the balance of power in Congress and the White House looming in November, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) has released an extremely ambitious preliminary floor schedule for approving the 12 appropriations bills this summer. Mark-ups began with Military Construction-VA (MilCon-VA) and the Legislative Branch, but even the must-pass MilCon-VA bill faces significant challenges among a fractured Republican party.
Chairman Cole has his sights set on the House’s first week back following the Memorial Day Recess period, June 3, as the target week for MilCon-VA, with the others following in rapid succession. The key weeks, if all goes according to plan, for scientific research come at the end of July. It should be noted that there are no plans to mark-up bills for Commerce-Justice-Science which covers the National Science Foundation or Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, which includes the National Institutes of Health.
- Week of June 3: Military Construction-VA appropriations
- Week of June 10: National Defense Authorization Act
- Week of June 24: Defense, Homeland Security, and State and Foreign Operations appropriations
- Week of July 8: Legislative Branch appropriations
- Week of July 21: Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services-General Government, and Interior-Environment appropriations
- Week of July 29: Energy and Water, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD appropriations
Nearly 60 Senators Urge NIH Funding Growth
A bipartisan group of nearly 60 lawmakers submitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee a May 14 letter requesting appropriators maintain a strong commitment to funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Led by Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), the letter noted that “sustained NIH funding allows scientists to do what they do best — discover tomorrow’s therapies and cures.” The Senate letter follows a similar effort in the House which aligned with the FY25 funding recommendation supported by BPS and its coalition partners.