We now know that NIH will receive $30.7B for FY11. While this funding level is hardly a dream scenario for research scientists, given the current economic situation we are all heaving a collective sigh of relief (for now.) Once you have wiped the sweat from your brow, your next thought may be to wonder how other science agencies fared in FY11.
Like NIH, other science agencies were spared deep cuts for the time being. Jennifer Zeitzer, director of legislative relations for Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, is quoted as saying, “Considering the overall level of cuts, the impact of the federal science agencies of interest to FASEB was fairly minimal.” How minimal? Here are the numbers:
NSF $6.9B for FY11 ($53M less than FY10, $551 less than the Administration’s recommendation for FY11, $307M above the House recommendation.)
CDC $5.66B for FY11 ($730M below FY10, $681M above the House recommendation.)
FDA $2.452B for FY11 (4% above FY10, 14% above the House recommendation.)
NIST $752M for FY11 ($55M higher than the level proposed by the House)
Department of Energy’s Office of Science $4.88B for FY11 (up $866M over the House level.)
DHHS agencies must submit spending details within 30 days of the enactment of an appropriation bill (NSF within 60 days), so we will know within the next month or two how the agencies will apportion the FY11 monies for the remaining six months of the federal year.
