Cossa Washington Update
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Consortium of Social Science Associations COSSA WASHINGTON UPDATE Volwne XIII, Number 16 September 12, 1994 CONGRESS RETURNS HOUSE AND SENATE AGREE FOR HOMESTRETCH /6 TO DOUBLE PROPOSED INCREASE FOR NSF BUDGET//:> The l 03rd Congress will return from its shortened August recess on September 12. Lawmakers are In mid-August, House and Senate conferees anxious for a short session so that they may return agreed on the National Science Foundation's FY 1995 home and hit the campaign trail again. Having passed appropriation. The NSF defied the tough budget year an anti-crime bill after much contentiousness (see p.2), and wound up with a 12.5 percent increase over FY members may only act on pieces of legislation where 1994, receiving a total of $3 .3 96 billion. This more there is a well-developed consensus for passage. than doubled the administration's request. Many routine bills, such as appropriations, The generosity of the Congress toward NSF, remain on the agenda. Others such as the included a 5.4 percent increase to $2.280 billion for reauthorizations of elementary and secondary Research and Related Activities. This slight decrease education, the national competitiveness act, the rewrite of 3 percent from the request will necessitate of the nation's telecommunications law, and a rewrite alterations to the proposed budgets for individual of the lobbying law, are still in conference. Welfare directorates and programs when the NSF prepares its reform will wait until next year. Some minor FY 1995 operating plan. congressional reform may pass, but major changes like biennial budgeting will not. And, there is always Social Science Initiatives Backed health care reform. The list is long, the time is short. The Congress wants to help NSF make some of Of the thirteen appropriations bills that must pass those decisions by recommending, in report language, before Fiscal Year 1995 begins on October I, adjustments to the proposed budget. For the social Congress has completed five, including Commerce, and behavioral sciences, these include spending an Justice, State (seep. 4). Conference committees have extra $5 million on research within the human capital reached agreement on two others, including the VA initiative, an extra $2 million for an interdisciplinary HUD-Independent Agencies bill (see story on this center to support research on violence, an extra $6 page). Six more conference committees need to finish, including the one working on the Labor, HHS, Education bill. It does appear that the deadline will be INSIDE UPDATE... reached, although appropriations bills are always open to last minute mischief • Congress Adopts Crime Bill; Includes Research and Data Provisions On health care reform, the choice has narrowed to • Senate Panel Approves NSF Reauthorization legislation that will make small changes in the nation's • FY 1995 Crime Research, Census, USIA health care system or no legislation at all. The now Exchange Funding Approved dead bills introduced by Senate Majority Leader • Justice Research and Statistics Leaders Near George Mitchell (D-ME) and House Majority Leader Confirmation Richard Gephardt (D-MO) included a provision to • Merton Wins National Medal of Science establish a special fund that would provide the • Krueger Nominated as Chief Economist at National Institutes of Health extra funds for research. Labor Department Where and when this idea gets resurrected is unclear. • Child Development Program Receives Positive Evaluation • Sources of Research Support: Department of Education 2 COSSA WASHINGTON UPDATE September 12, 1994 million for a center or consortiwn to research the The conferees affmned the language of the Senate hwnan dimensions of global climate change, and an committee report, calling for a National Science and extra $10 million for civil infrastructure systems. Technology Council directed five-year interagency research infrastructure strategy. The Education and Hwnan Resources Directorate will receive $606 million, a 6.4 percent increase over The conference report still faces approval by the FY 1994. Recommended modifications to the request House and the Senate. Problems are not anticipated, include: a $5 million increase for the EPSCOR but in an election year appropriations bills are program, which helps small states build their vulnerable targets for a Congress rushing to adjourn capacities to support university-based scientific while at the same time looking for constituent-pleasing research; a $5.8 million increase for advanced votes that reduce spending . technology education and community college grants; an increase of $4 million for the graduate traineeship program, allowing a new class to receive these awards; CONGRESS ADOPTS CRIME an increase of $2 million for states to develop BILL; INCLUDES RESEARCH electronic libraries; extra funds for both the rural and AND DATA PROVISIONS /J,1~ urban systemic initiatives; and programs to help attract minorities into science and engineering. Ending months of rancor, Congress adopted the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of $250 Million for Research Infrastructure 1994, popularly known as the Crime Bill, before adjourning for August recess. Nwnerous crime The conferees provided NSF with $250 million prevention programs, such as midnight basketball for academic research infrastructure activities. Of this leagues, drew the ire of some in Congress, including amount, slightly over $118 million will support Senator Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS), who standard NSF facilities and instrwnentation programs, characterized the bill as one "that could have been equally divided between the two activities. The concocted by a university sociology department." remaining funds, according to the committee, should be allocated for a new interagency facilities and The joint House-Senate compromise is a six-year, instrwnentation modernization program managed by $30 billion package that provides funds for more the NSF. These funds would be rescinded police, prisons, and prevention programs, and also automatically if the administration does not propose a bans assault weapons and strengthens sentencing laws. Fiscal 1996 budget of at least $250 million for Receiving less attention were provisions supporting academic research infrastructure funds for the NSF. research and data collection efforts. The bill mandates: CONSORTIUM OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATIONS • The establishment of a 28-member National Commission on Crime Control and Prevention, whose Executive Director: Howard J. Silver members are to be appointed by the President and Government Affai~ : Susan Persons Public Affai~ : Michael Buckley congressional leaders. In outlining qualifications for Administrative Officer: Karen Carrion p~elists, the legislation specifically cites sociology, psychology and ethnography among others. The President: William Julius Wilson committee is charged with examining a wide range of The Consortium ofSocial Science Associations represents issues during its two-year tenure; more than 185,000 American scientists across the full range of the social and behavioral sciences, functioning as a bridge • A National Academy of Sciences panel to between the research world and the Washington ~mmunity . "develop a research agenda to increase the Update is published fortnightly. Individual subscnptions are available from COSSA for $60; institutional subscriptions, understanding and control of violence against women, $120, overseas mail, $120. ISSN 0749-4394. Address all including rape and domestic violence." The bill inquiries to COSSA, 1522 K Street, NW, Suite 836, requires that the panel include members from the Washington, D.C. 20005. Phone: (202) 842-3525, Fax: social sciences; (202) 842-2788 September 12, 1994 COSSA wASHTNGTON UPDATE 3 A collection of data about the use of excessive The Senate bill is quite generous to the force by law enforcement officers, to be used for Foundation; the NSF would grow to a $5. l billion research and statistical purposes; agency by FY 1999. The legislation reinforces the notion that the NSF must support research in A national baseline study examining the scope of "strategic areas" and puts into statute the eight current campus sexual assault and the effectiveness of policies "strategic research" initiatives by authorizing funding addressing this problem; for them through FY 1999. They are: advanced manufacturing, advanced materials and processes, A report on the medical and psychological basis of biotechnology, civil infrastructure systems, global "battered women's syndrome" and the extent to which change research, environmental research, high evidence of the syndrome has been included in performance computing and communications, and criminal trials; science, mathematics, engineering and technology education. In terms of authorized funding, in FY l 995 A report on the confidentiality of addresses for through FY l 999, the strategic initiatives should, victims of domestic violence, and proposed methods according to the bill, account for 60 percent of NSF of protecting these victims; research and education spending. A study of how states may collect centralized The NSF Director, with the advice and consent of databases on sexual and domestic violence within a the National Science Board and in consultation with state; the Office of Science and Technology Policy can support, modify, add or eliminate strategic initiatives A Department of Transportation special grants in research and education "based on emerging national program to study increasing security for