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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
4
FEBRUARY
2016
Public Affairs
Congress Approves FY 2016 Spending Bill
After three extensions and two months of negotiations behind closed
doors, Congress reached an agreement on the FY 2016 federal budget, which it approved on December
18. The $1.5 billion omnibus bill increases funding for science at several federal agencies. The chart
below provides funding details for agencies and programs relevant to the biophysics community.
Here are a few additional notes about the budget:
• The $2 billion increase at National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest one-year increase to the
NIH budget since 2003.
• Within the National Science Foundation (NSF) budget, the “Research and Related Activities” line
received a $100 million increase over FY 2015. The “Major Research Equipment and Facilities
Construction” line decreased $45 million from FY 2015.
• The language that appeared in a House appropriations bill for NSF earlier in the year and that
would have decimated the Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBE) and the Geosciences Directorates
was removed. Instead, included language states that SBE should be funded at no more than the FY
2015 level.
The bill funds the government through September 30, 2016.
Federal Funding for Science Agencies (in millions)
Agency
FY 2015
Enacted Level
FY 2016
Enacted Level
Difference
between FY 15
and FY 16
Change
between FY 15
and FY 16
National Institutes
of Health
$30,073
$32,100
$2,000
6.6%
National Science
Foundation
$7,344
$7,460
$120
1.6%
Department of
Energy Office of
Science
$5,067
$5,350
$279
5.6%
NASA Science
$5,245
$5,589
$344
6.6%
NIST Science and
Tech Laboratories
$676
$690
$755
2.1%
Department of
Defense Basic
Research
$2,278
$2,309
$31.5
1.4%
Veteran's Affairs
Medical and Pros-
thetic Research
$588.9
$631
$42.1
7.1%