Continuing Resolution (CR) for FY 2007
Congress passed the eight month long Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the DOE Office of Science in FY 2007 on February 14th, 2007. In the final CR, H.J.Res. 20, the Office of Science will receive $3.8 Billion, an increase of $17 Million over the FY 2006 appropriation. This level is $305 million less than the level requested by the Administration for FY 2007. The president signed the measure on February 15th, 2007.
More information about the final FY 2007 CR can be found here.
Congress Does Not Finish FY 2007 Appropriations, Department of Energy (DOE)'s Office of Science Budget Funded Under Year-Long Continuing Resolution
Coming in a year where America's competitiveness and energy problems have taken center stage, President Bush's requested to boost the budget for the Department of Energy's Office of Science by 14% to $3.798 billion in FY 2007 was widely praised by both members of both political parties in the House and the Senate. Indeed, both House and Senate version of the FY 2007 Energy and Water appropriations bills would increase the Office of Science budget to $3.828 billion and $3.912 billion respectively. In the end, however, Congress did not finish its appropriations bills, meaning that programs at DOE have to be funded under a year-long continuing resolution. A final CR for the second part of FY 2007 has yet to be finalized by the 110th Congress.
House Science Committee Passes Biggert Energy Research Act of 2006
While Congressional appropriations weigh increases in funding for energy-related research, the House Science Committee passed H.R. 5656, the Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercialization Act of 2006, sponsored by Energy Subcommittee Chair Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL). Following the President's proposed Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI), H.R. 5656 authorizes funding for research and development on a number of alternative energy technologies, including solar photovoltaics, advanced nuclear power, low emissions coal, hybrid electric vehicles, and cellulosic ethanol; offers incentives for the design of energy-efficient buildings; and provides support for energy-related educational activities. The bill unanimously passed the House Science Committee, and now awaits consideration by the full House.
You can find out more about H.R. 5656 on the House Science Committee here.
DOE Budget Request Boosts Office of Science and R&D Budgets
109th Congress, 2nd Session: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Evaluated Impact of Basic Research on U.S. Competitiveness
Washington-The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the impact of federal investment in basic research in the physical sciences on U.S. economic competitiveness. The Committee hosted two panels of experts, including OSTP Director Dr. John Marburger, NSF Director Arden Bement, NIST Director Dr. William Jeffrey, Dr. Steven Knapp of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Leonard Pietrafesa of NOAA, Mr. Philip Ritter of Texas Instruments, and Dr. Adam Drobot of Telcordia, Inc.
109th Congress, 2nd Session: House Science Committee Examines the proposed Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)
Washington- The House Science Committee held a hearing to examine the need for a new Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy, similar to the Defense Research Project Agency (DARPA) for military applications. The National Academy of Sciences' report "Rising above the Gathering Storm" recommended that the federal government create an ARPA-E.
109th Congress, 2nd Session: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Discusses President Bush's Goals for Energy Independence
Washington-The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing on the President's proposal in his State of the Union Address to cut drastically American dependence on foreign sources of oil. Witnesses included James Woolsey, former Director of the CIA, Susan Cischke of Ford Motors, Frank Verrastro of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute.
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