President's FY 2008 Office of Science Budget Request

The total Office of Science budget request for FY 2008 is $4.39 Billion (B) representing an increase of $296.1 Million (M) or 7.2 percent over the FY 2007 budget request of $4.1 Billion (B).  Funding at this level will keep the Office of Science on pace to double over 10 years, along with other agencies that support scientific and engineering research, as called for by the President's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) and many members of Congress.  The Office of Science's role is to spur advanced scientific breakthroughs, maintain America's world-class national laboratories, and support university-based scientific research and science educators.

The FY 2008 request for the Office of Science reflects an interest in enhancing U.S. economic competitiveness through fundamental research and promoting breakthroughs in energy and environmental sciences to solve energy-related security and environmental challenges.

Funding for the major activities of the Office of Science would be as follows:

• $2.0 billion for  "core" scientific research activities, an increase of $133 million or 7.1 percent over the FY 2007 request;
• $1.83 billion for facilities at the national laboratories, up $21 million or 1.6 percent above the FY 2007 request;
• $160 million for the ITER fusion reactor project, up $100 million or 166.7 percent above the FY 2007 request;
  and $407 milllion for program direction and other activities.
  

Major program area investments include:

• $782.2 million for High Energy Physics, an increase of 0.9 percent or $7.1 million above the FY 2007 request;
• $471.3 million for Nuclear Physics, an increase of $17.3 million or 3.8 percent above the FY 2007 request;
• $531.9 million for Biological and Environmental Research, an increase of $21.6 million or 4.2 percent above the FY 2007 request;
• $1.498 billion for Basic Energy Sciences, an increase of $77.5 million or 5.5 percent above the FY 2007 request;
• $427.9 million for the Fusion Energy Sciences program, an increase of $108.9 million or 34.1 percent above the FY 2007 request;
• $11 million for Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, an increase of $0.5 million of 0.4 percent above the FY 2007 request;
  and $184.9 million for Science Program Direction, an increase of $14.1 million or 8.2 percent above the FY 2007 request.

More detailed explanation of the DOE FY 2008 budget request is available at the following websites: