The document provides a detailed analysis of the federal research and development (R&D) budget for fiscal year (FY) 2019, with consideration of recent appropriation trends and future budgetary outlooks. It outlines the constraints imposed by federal spending caps, particularly those stemming from the Budget Control Act of 2011, and highlights how periodic congressional adjustments have mitigated otherwise more restrictive funding environments. The document emphasizes the significant increases in research funding achieved in FY 2018, which marked the largest rise in 15 years and established record highs in both research and total R&D spending. Key emergent research priorities included areas such as exascale computing, fusion research, weather and climate science, defense manufacturing, opioid research, planetary science, and competitive agricultural grants.
For FY 2019, the analysis notes ongoing appropriations with some bills signed into law and others under continuing resolutions. Preliminary estimates suggest basic research funding would exceed $39 billion, with total R&D investment between $145 and $150 billion, maintaining federal research spending as a proportion of GDP near historical averages. The document points to robust increases for critical agencies and programs such as the NIH, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NSF, and NASA, while noting more mixed outcomes for agencies like NOAA, EPA, and the Department of Agriculture. Looking ahead, it raises questions about future discretionary spending and R&D budget growth, given the expiration of spending caps after FY 2021 and uncertainties surrounding political control and deficit pressures. Overall, the analysis indicates strong but uneven support for federal research, shaped by both policy negotiations and shifting national priorities.
