The document is a summary of a presentation given by Matt Hourihan at the October 2013 Council on Government Relations (COGR) meeting, providing an overview and outlook on federal research and development (R&D) funding. The presentation highlights that while there is general bipartisan support for science and innovation funding, with most lawmakers valuing these areas, fiscal and political dynamics—especially ongoing budget disputes, the sequester, and disagreements over tax and entitlement reforms—override these preferences. Notably, Defense Department technology development budgets have seen modest declines, and other areas such as clean energy and environmental research remain points of significant contention between political parties.
Key observations include broad—but uneven—agreement on funding priorities for departments like Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, USDA, and STEM education reorganization, whereas agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, Department of Energy (DOE) Science programs, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) face varying levels of support and funding divergence. Environmental R&D and clean energy are particular sticking points, while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding outlook remained uncertain at the time. The presentation underscores the uncertainty of the budgeting outcome due to political standoffs, the already-implemented sequester, and the possible scenarios of budget resolutions or continuing resolutions, questioning the effectiveness of congressional budget processes and expressing concerns over the implications for science and innovation funding moving forward.
