COLLEGE PARK, Md. — When it comes to the federal budget, the public is on a different page than either the House of Representatives or the Obama Administration — with a different set of priorities and a greater willingness to cut spending and …
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has sent to Congress a fiscal 2004 budget request of $5.48 billion — an investment representing what the agency believes will “sustain and build U.S. global leadership in science, engineering and technology, and help the United States address priorities of immediate national importance.” The increase sought in 2004 over NSF’s 2003 request would amount to about 9 percent. Although NSF’s 2004 request calls for a 60 percent hike in major research equipment and facilities, the overall 8.5 percent increase sought for core research and related activities (people, ideas and tools) is at the heart of NSF’s overall budget priorities for the coming year.