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On February 3rd, President George W. Bush released his $2.4 trillion fiscal year (FY) 2005 budget request, continuing the administration's goals to improve homeland security, bolster the economy, and fight terrorism. President Bush is trying to limit discretionary spending to 0.5% for the next year. Characterizing the FY05 science and technology (S&T) budget request is a classic example of a glass being viewed as half-full or half-empty. Although some components of the S&T budget request are up, others are down, or at least disappointing. Overall, the FY 2005 request looks a lot like the president's FY 2004 request for geoscience-related programs.

Once the president has proposed his budget with the administration's priorities, it is up to Congress to prepare a budget for the nation.  Congress begins the budget process by preparing a budget resolution and holding hearings on the rationale behind the administration's proposal.  While the House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees and authorization committees are holding oversight hearings, the Budget committees use March and April to formulate a budget resolution. 

Most Recent Information

Click on any of the bills below to see detailed program and account information as well as AGI's analysis of Congressional action as these bills move through the appropriations process.

Additional Information

As in years past, the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Project website has information on trends in federal research and development funding, including information on the president's request, congressional budget resolution, 302(b) allocations, and each science-related appropriations bill.  Also, the American Institute of Physics and the American Geophysical Union have released e-mail alerts on the FY2005 budget request.  Additional AGI analysis of the President's budget request and congressional action is available on specific appropriations bill web pages.

Below is a diagram of the congressional budget process that first appeared in Following the Budget Process that was published in the March 1996 issue of Geotimes. It is adapted from a diagram developed by the House Budget Committee. Click on the image to open a PDF version.

Sources: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Physics, E&ENews Publications, House Committee on Appropriations, Library of Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Washington Post, and the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Please send any comments or requests for information to the AGI Government Affairs Program at govt@agiweb.org.

Contributed by Emily M. Lehr AGI Government Affairs Program; Gayle Levy AGI/AAPG Spring Semester Intern.
Background section includes material from AGI's Overview of Fiscal Year 2003 Geoscience Appropriations from the 107th Congress.

Last Update November 30, 2004

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