FY 2000 Budget History

• Key to Abbreviations
• Appropriations (Actual budget for FY 2000)
• Budget Authorizations (Sets caps for appropriations committees)
• Continuing Resolutions
• FY 2000 Appropriations Summary

APPROPRIATIONS (Actual budget for FY 2000)

White House Signing: President Clinton signed P.L. 106-113, the revised FY 2000 appropriations for the Commerce Department, on 11/29/99. There were no changes in the TA/NIST funding numbers from the conference bill that was vetoed by the White House on 10/25/99. A government-wide reduction agreed to as part of the consolidated spending package saw $3.2 million (0.5) percent rescinded from the TA appropriation as follows: US/OTP, $27,000; STRS; $994,000; MEP; $665,000; and CRF, $1.53 million.

Conference (vetoed by the White House on 10/25/99):

FLOOR - The House passed H.Rept. 106-398 as submitted on 10/20/99 by a vote of 215-213. The Senate also passed it on 10/20/99 by unanimous consent.

COMMITTEE - The House-Senate conference committee passed its report on 10/19/99. The TA headquarters marks are $7.4 million for US/OTP and $0.6 million for EPSCoT. The total TA headquarters appropriation mark is $8.0 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $9.5 million and the President's FY 2000 request of $9.0 million.

The NIST marks are STRS, $283.1 million ($278.2 million for the MSL and $4.9 million for the BNQP); ITS, $247.4 million ($142.6 million for ATP and $104.8 million for MEP); and CRF, $108.4 million. The total NIST appropriation mark is $638.9 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $647.1 million and the President's adjusted FY 2000 request (see note below) of $711.2 million.

NOTE: In late September, the President's request for ATP was reduced from $238.7 million ($251.5 million when added to an expected $12.8 million in carryover and recoveries) to $215 million (assuming no carryover and recoveries). Accordingly, the requested level of funding for new awards also was reduced from $73 million to $54.7 million.

The conference committee set $142.6 million in appropriated funds for ATP, which with $68.4 million in carryover and recoveries totals $211 million for FY 2000. The committee also set a limit of $50.7 million for new awards. This would provide more funding for new awards than was spent in FY 1999 ($39.6 million).

Of the $108.4 million marked for the CRF, the conference committee allotted $84.9 million that would permit NIST to begin construction of the critically needed Advanced Measurement Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Md., following submission of a spending plan. In addition, $11.8 million is provided for safety, capacity, maintenance and repair of existing NIST facilities; and $11.7 million is provided for grants and cooperative agreements ($2 million for the Institute at Saint Anselm College, $0.7 million for the New Hampshire State Library and $9 million for the Medical University of South Carolina).

The NTIS received a mark of zero, compared to the President's FY 2000 request of $2 million.

House:

FLOOR - The House passed H.R. 2670, the "FY 2000 Appropriations Bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State," on 8/5/99 by a vote of 217-210. The bill passed with no changes in the TA marks from the committee-passed version.

COMMITTEE - The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary marked up the President's FY 2000 budget request on 7/22/99. The full appropriations committee passed the bill with no changes to the TA portion on 7/30/99.

The TA headquarters marks are $7.4 million for US/OTP and $0.6 million for EPSCoT. The total TA headquarters appropriation mark is $8.0 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $9.5 million and the President's FY 2000 request of $9.0 million.

The NIST marks are STRS, $280.1 million ($275.2 million for the MSL and $4.9 million for the BNQP); ITS, $99.8 million (no funding for ATP and $99.8 million for MEP); and CRF, $56.7 million. The subcommittee marks hold the STRS and CRF to FY 1999 appropriations levels, while fully funding the MEP portion of the ITS at the President's FY 2000 request. The ATP is marked for elimination. The planned start of construction on the Advanced Measurement Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Md., would be endangered. The total NIST appropriation mark is $436.6 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $647.1 million and the President's FY 2000 request of $734.9 million.

The NTIS received a mark of zero, compared to the President's FY 2000 request of $2 million.

Senate:

FLOOR -- On 9/8/99, the Senate invalidated its earlier passage of S.1217 and substituted its language into H.R. 2670, with details on a compromise bill to be worked out in conference. The full Senate passed S.1217, the "FY 2000 Appropriations Bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State," on 7/22/99 by a voice vote. No changes were made to the TA portion of the committee-passed version.

COMMITTEE -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies marked up the President's FY 2000 budget on 6/9/99. The full appropriations committee approved the measure on 6/10/99 by a vote of 28-0 with one change: a reduction in new appropriations for ATP of $6.6 million.

The TA headquarters marks are: $7.4 million for US/OTP and $0.6 million for EPSCoT. The total TA headquarters appropriation mark is $8.0 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $9.5 million and the President's FY 2000 request of $9.0 million.

The NIST marks are: STRS, $288.1 million ($283.1 million for MSL and $5.0 million for BNQP); ITS, $336.3 million ($226.5 million for ATP and $109.8 million for MEP); and CRF, $117.5 million. The total NIST appropriation mark is $741.9 million, compared to the FY 1999 appropriation of $647.1 million and the President's FY 2000 request of $734.9 million.

The bill:

• Recommends as part of the STRS:

  -- $2 million to develop and disseminate the standards, measurements and testing methodologies needed to protect the information technology elements of critical national infrastructures;

  -- $1 million to develop international technical and product standards that promote open trade by removing standards-related trade barriers; and

  -- $2 million--not requested by the President--to continue wind engineering research at Texas Tech University;

• Recommends full funding at the President's FY 2000 request for the BNQP;

• Directs that $137.6 million of the recommended ATP funding be used for continuation of grants awarded in FY 1996-99; that $40.9 million of the FY 1999 funds be used for administrative costs, internal laboratory support and continuation of the contribution to the Small Business Innovative Research program; and that $73.0 million be used for new awards. In addition to the new funding provided, $25 million of carry-over funds from FY 1999 are to be used in FY 2000, allowing a total program level of $251.5 million.

• Recommends $10 million more than the President's FY 2000 request for the MEP and includes language indicating the level will "fully fund all MEP centers"; and

• Recommends $10.7 million more than the President's FY 2000 request for the CRF and includes language permitting NIST to award a contract for the planned construction of the Advanced Measurement Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Md. The mark also includes two separate $10 million allotments - neither requested by the President - for cooperative agreements with the Medical University of South Carolina and Dartmouth College.

The NTIS received a mark of zero, compared to the President's FY 2000 request of $2 million.

BUDGET AUTHORIZATIONS (Sets caps for appropriations committees)

House:

COMMITTEE: H.R. 1744 , the "National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 1999," was introduced on 5/10/99 and proposes the following authorizations:

Senate:

COMMITTEE: S.1407, the "Technology Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001 and 2002," was introduced on 7/21/99 and proposes the following authorizations:

CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS

There were seven continuing resolutions that provided stopgap funding for DoC until the appropriations bill was signed on 11/29/99. These covered the periods 10/1-10/21/99, 10/22-10/29/99, 10/30-11/5/99, 11/6-11/10/99, 11/11-11/17/99, 11/18/99, and 11/19-12/3/99.

Prepared by: Michael E. Newman, NIST Public and Business Affairs
(301) 975-3025 e-mail: michael.newman@nist.gov
Data from: NIST Budget Office, NIST Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Budget chart produced by: NIST Budget Office
HTML: Crissy Robinson, Feb. 4, 2000

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