On June 30th, 2022, the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) approved the final two of 12 annual government funding bills for fiscal year 2023 (FY23). Six of those bills are expected to be considered in the House next week.
Healthcare: The HAC has recommended $47.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $1.5 billion below the White House’s request. The Committee also recommended $2.75 billion for ARPA-H, $2.25 billion less than the President’s request, but more than double the funding allotted to the agency in FY22, while reiterating House legislators’ preference for the agency to be fully independent from the NIH as exemplified by the recent passage of H.R. 5585.
Climate: The Committee also recommended $48.2 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE), matching the White House request. The funding recommendations include significant investments in clean and renewable energy, including a 22% funding boost to the Advanced Research and Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) over FY22. Elsewhere, the committee made recommendations for significant climate research investments at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Agriculture, and Department of Commerce.
Science & Technology: The HAC recommendations call for $8 billion for the DOE Office of Science, $201 million above the President’s request, to fund basic science research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other science disciplines. The Committee also recommended $9.6 billion for the NSF, including dedicated funding for the agency’s new Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program.
If you are interested in learning more about these programs, please contact us here.