House Appropriators Propose FY 1996 Research Budgets

Midway in the appropriations process, research for FY 1996 has--so far--been spared the ax. Although FY 1996 budgets may be lower than current budgets, compared with other areas, research budgets are faring well.

Several House appropriations subcommittees approved FY 1996 spending bills in July. Usually, the priorities and funding levels contained in these bills are approved by the full Appropriations Committee and sent to the House floor for a vote. This year, due to the more volatile atmosphere in Congress and the strong desire of many freshmen legislators to reduce the federal budget, the final House figures and priorities may be very different. It will be a test of the House leadership as to how closely the final numbers correspond to those passed by the appropriations subcommittees. The following highlights some of the agencies and institutes that APA supports.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

The House Veteran's Administration-Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD) Subcommittee marked up its FY 1996 bill in mid-July. Although NSF would receive cuts, it fared well compared with other agencies. APA had advocated for adoption of the President⺳ FY 1996 request, which would have boosted the Research and Related Activities account at NSF.

Most importantly for psychology, the report language that accompanies the appropriations bill contained no language detrimental to NSF's Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE).

The Senate VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee probably will consider its bill in September. The House and Senate versions will then be reconciled in conference. Typically, the final budget figures fall between the House and Senate numbers, but this year wll almost certainly be below the FY 1995 budget. APA will argue for the highest possible funding level for NSF in the Senate, but given the present mood, the House figures are more realistic.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH was one of the few agencies funded in the House Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education bill to receive an increase. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS proposed a 5.7% increase for FY 1996. A final funding figure will most likely be lower, but the House Subcommittee has dealt NIH a strong hand.

The House Subcommittee also suggested changing the way that money for AIDS research is routed through the Office of AIDS Research (OAR). APA supports maintaining consolidated AIDS research funding within OAR because behavioral research has benefitted from this system. Although APA testified on NIH's budget before the President's FY 1996 request was available, APA⺳ NIH recommendations closely followed the Administration's request.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

The House Appropriations Subcommittee cut FY 1996 funding for NIOSH by 24.9%. Both applied research and training would take heavy hits. APA is urging the full Committee to restore funding to NIOSH.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Although substance abuse and mental health block grants were funded at current levels for FY 1996, the House Subcommittee recommended cuts of over 58% for the remainder of SAMHSA programs. The clinical training program at the Center for Mental Health Services would be eliminated, and little money would be left for community demonstration programs. APA is working to restore funds to SAMHSA to preserve both the clinical training and AIDS mental health demonstration programs.

Office of Technology Assessment (OTA)

APA was the only scientific organization to testify on behalf of continued funding for OTA, which was slated for elimination in FY 1996 by both the Senate and House. Robert J. Resnick, PhD, APA President, presented the testimony in February at a House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. Dr. Resnick argud that OTA provided a valuable service to Congress and was more essential now than when it was created in the mid-1970s.

In a very close House vote in July, $15 million was approved for OTA in FY 1996 (down from its FY 1995 budget of $22 million), and it was decided that OTA would be moved to the Congressional Research Service in the Library of Congress. OTA's slim hopes were dashed, however, when the Senate voted in late July to eliminate OTA. Expectations are that OTA will cease to exist on October 1, 1995.

Department of Defense (DoD)

Robert J. Resnick, PhD, APA President, testified on behalf of APA at a May 16 House National Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. Dr. Resnick urged the Subcommittee to maintain support for DoD basic research. This is the source of funding for most academic research. The APA Public Policy Office worked closely with the Association for American Universities (AAU) DoD Working Group in advocating for continued DOD support for university research.

The House Subcommittee finished its mark-up of the FY 1996 Defense bill as Psychological Science Agenda went to press. Preliminary reports are that it closely follows the House FY 1996 DoD authorization bill.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

APA joined the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences in submitting written testimony to the House and Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees on FAA research. The testimony focused on the value of human factors research to aviation safety and the need to sustain the research commitment at FAA. The testimony recommended an increase over the President's request.

The House Appropriations Committee has approved the Subcommittee FY 1996 recommendations for FAA human factors research totaling $25.5 million. This is $1.5 million less than the current budget, but considerably more than the $21.3 million requested by the President for FY 1996. The accompanying report also included strong language admonishing the Administration for proposing such a large decrease for human factors research and directing FAA not to 'reprogram' the money for another use.

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