Written Statement of Dr. Warren M. Washington Chair, National Science Board Before the Committee on Appropriations VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee United States Senate February 26, 2004 Chairman Bond, Senator Mikulski, and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you. I am Warren Washington, Senior Scientist and Section Head of the Climate Change Research Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. My testimony today is in my capacity as the Chair of the National Science Board. On behalf of the National Science Board and the widespread and diverse research and education communities that we all serve, I thank this Committee for its long-term commitment to a broad portfolio of investments in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology research and education. The Congress established the National Science Board (NSB) in 1950 and gave it dual responsibilities: * Oversee the activities of, and establish the policies for, the National Science Foundation (NSF); and * Serve as an independent national science policy body to render advice to the President and the Congress on policy issues related to science and engineering research and education. As part of this latter responsibility, and as directed by the Congress, the Board prepared A Report to Congress on the Budgetary and Programmatic Expansion of the National Science Foundation. The report received formal Board approval on December 4, 2003, and has been delivered to the Congress, as well as to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Office of Management and Budget. The purpose of this report was to provide the Congress with recommendations for the allocation of the steady and substantial increase in NSF's budget that was authorized as part of the NSF Act of 2002. It is important to note that the recommendations of this report were provided at a very broad level and assumed full implementation of the authorized increase in NSF's budget to $9.8 billion in FY07. This funding level will significantly enhance NSF's ability to address many unmet needs identified by the Board. However, the Board is also cognizant of the current realities of the demands on a finite federal budget. The present federal budget realities will require the NSF and the Board to adjust the planned budget and programmatic expansion to fit actual yearly increments. Nevertheless, the Board feels strongly that the current positive momentum for annual increases to the NSF budget should be maintained in order to enhance NSF's ability to address these unmet needs, and ensure continued US leadership in the international science, engineering and technology enterprise. I would like to provide some general comments regarding the NSF FY 2005 budget request, then update you on National Science Board activities over the last year and some of our priorities for the coming year. 2005 BUDGET REQUEST The National Science Board has reviewed and approved NSF's FY 2005 budget request that was submitted to OMB, and generally supports the budget request before you today. It is a step in the right direction for addressing the important national interests identified by Congress. The Board fully supports the Foundation's integrated portfolio of investments in People, Ideas, Tools, and Organizational Excellence. The strategic vision embodied in these four broad categories provides an effective roadmap for guiding NSF's future. It thoughtfully blends support for the core disciplines with encouragement for interdisciplinary initiatives, brings together people from diverse and complementary backgrounds, provides necessary infrastructure for research and science education, and strengthens the Foundation's management of the enterprise. The National Science Board has carefully examined the five priority areas identified in NSF's FY 2005 budget request: Bio-complexity in the Environment, Human and Social Dynamics, Mathematical Sciences, Nano-scale Science and Engineering, and Workforce for the 21st Century. We wholeheartedly agree that these areas represent the frontier of science and engineering, and hold exceptional promise for new discoveries, educational opportunities, and practical applications. The Board has assessed the current state of the U.S. S&E academic research infrastructure, examined its role in enabling S&E advances, and identified requirements for a future infrastructure capability. Our findings and recommendations are published in Science and Engineering Infrastructure for the 21st Century: The Role of the National Science Foundation. A key recommendation is to increase the share of the NSF budget devoted to S&E infrastructure from 22 percent to more like 27 percent in order to provide adequate small- and medium-scale infrastructure and needed investment in cyber-infrastructure. The Board identified a pressing need to address midsized infrastructure projects and to develop new funding mechanisms to support them. Funding could potentially be in a number of programs, so that NSF program officers can make decisions between the mid-level infrastructure and next individual or center research grant, based on broader research community input through the merit review process. The Board's recent report entitled The Science and Engineering Workforce - Realizing America's Potential underscores that the United States is in a long-distance race to retain its essential global advantage in S&E human resources and sustain our world leadership in science and technology. A high quality, diverse and adequately sized workforce that draws on the talents of all US demographic groups and talented international students and professionals is crucial to our continued leadership and is a vital Federal responsibility. The Board has concluded that it is a National Imperative for the Federal Government to step forward to ensure the adequacy of the US science and engineering workforce. But the Federal government cannot act alone. All stakeholders must participate in initiating and mobilizing efforts that increase the number of US citizens pursuing science and engineering studies and careers. At the same time, however, federal science officials should ensure that international researchers and students continue to feel welcome in the US and continue their partnerships in the US science and technology enterprise. Education is a core mission of NSF. NSF not only promotes research, but also shares in the responsibility for promoting quality math and science education as intertwining objectives at all levels of education across the United States. NSF's highly competitive peer-review process is second to none for openly and objectively identifying, reviewing, selecting, funding and providing stewardship for the very best science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) proposals and programs in research and education. NSF has the mandate, depth of experience, and well-established relationships to build the partnerships for excellence in STEM education. The Board, therefore, strongly urges that continued, full funding of the Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program at NSF be sustained over the long term as an essential component of a coordinated Federal effort to promote national excellence in science, mathematics and engineering. OVERVIEW OF NSB ACTIVITIES DURING THE LAST YEAR During the last year, the Board has accomplished a great deal in terms of our mission to provide oversight and policy direction to the Foundation. In terms of providing oversight for the Foundation, the Board has: * Reviewed and endorsed the Office of Inspector General Semi-annual Reports to Congress, and approved NSF management responses, * Approved the NSF FY05 budget request for transmittal to OMB, * Approved the NSF Major Facilities Management and Oversight Guide, * Approved the Foundation's Merit Review Report, and * Provided review and decisions on 12 major awards or proposal funding requests. In terms of providing policy direction to the Foundation, the Board has: * Issued an official statement on role of NSF in supporting S&E infrastructure (NSB-03-23), * Reviewed and approved the NSF Strategic Plan 2003-2008 (August), * Developed a broad set of recommendations for allocation of authorized increases in funding resources to the Foundation. In terms of advice to the President and the Congress, the Board has: * Published the Infrastructure Report (NSB-02-190), * Published the Workforce Report (NSB-03-69), * Reported on Delegation of Authority in accordance with Section 14 of the NSF Act of 2002. * Developed and delivered a budget expansion report in accordance with Section 22 of the NSF Act of 2002, * Prepared and approved the 2004 S&E Indicators Report, * Provided testimony to Congressional Hearings, * Interacted with OSTP in meetings and forums on S&E issues, and * Responded to specific questions and inquiries from Senators and Representatives. In 2003 the Board meetings and deliberations became much more open in accord with the Sunshine Act. In an effort to facilitate more openness, we: * Approved new guidelines for attendance at NSB meetings, * Provided public notice of all our meetings in press releases, the Federal Register and on the NSB website, * Treated tele-conferences of committees as open meetings, * Provided much more information to the public in a more timely manner regarding meeting discussions and decisions, and * Encouraged public comment during the development of Board publications. I am pleased to report that this new openness has been embraced by Board Members and well received by the press and other members for public. The Office of Inspector General has also just completed their audit of the Board's compliance with the Sunshine Act, and found us fully compliant. We look forward to working with both the Inspector General and the General Counsel to further enhance our procedures and policies in this regard. During the last year, and especially since August 2003, the Board has made a major effort to increase and improve our outreach and communications with the Congress, other agencies, various interest groups and the outside S&E research and education community. During 2003 the Board initiated examination of issues related to: * The process by which Major Research Equipment and Facilities proposals are developed, prioritized and funded, * NSF policies for Long-lived Data Collections, and * The identification, development and funding of innovative or high-risk research. FY 2005 NSB BUDGET The Administration's FY 2005 Budget Request of $3.95 million for the NSB will be adequate to support Board operations and activities during FY 2005. The request seeks resources to carry out the Board's statutory authority and to strengthen its oversight responsibilities for the Foundation. We expect that the Foundation will continue to provide accounting, logistical and other necessary resources in support of the NSB and its missions, including expert senior S&E staff serving as a cadre of executive secretaries to Board committees and task forces. At the urging of Congress, in FY 2003 the Board began examining options for augmenting its professional staffing levels. At its May 2003 meeting, the Board decided to begin a process to assess the feasibility of recruiting for positions that would broaden its policy support, provide additional legal advice, and enhance the Board's capabilities in advanced information technology. As an initial step in this process, in August 2003 the Board appointed a new NSB Executive Officer who also serves as the NSB Office Director. At the direction of the Congress, the NSB Executive Officer now reports directly to the NSB Chair. The Board is very pleased with this arrangement. In October 2003, I notified you, Senator Bond, that I had charged the NSB Executive Officer with identifying options for broadening the NSB Office staff capabilities to better support the broad mission of the NSB. The NSB Office staff provides the independent resources and capabilities for coordinating and implementing S&E policy analyses and development and provides operational support that are essential for the Board to fulfill its mission. By statute, the Board is authorized five professional positions and other clerical staff as necessary. In consultation with the Congress, the Board has defined these professional positions as NSB senior science and engineering policy staff, and the clerical positions as NSB staff that support Board operations and related activities. The full impact of increasing the number of professional positions closer to the statutory level is expected to occur in FY 2005, with increased attention to addressing new skill requirements. In addition to the NSB Office's essential and independent resources and capabilities, external advisory and assistance services are especially critical to support production of NSB reports, and supplement the NSB staff's general research and administration services to the Board. These external services provide the Board and its Office with the flexibility to respond independently, accurately and quickly to requests from Congress and the President, and to address issues raised by the Board itself. Enhanced Board responsibilities established in the NSF Authorization Act of 2002 and directed by Congressional Report language include: an expanding role in prioritizing and approving Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction projects; new requirements for meetings open to the public; and responsibilities for reporting on the Foundation's budgetary and programmatic expansion, with specific focus on the projected impact on the science and technology workforce, research infrastructure, size and duration of grants, and underrepresented populations and regions. The National Academies, in response to a Congressional request, recently released a report of their study examining how NSF sets priorities among multiple competing proposals for construction and operation of large-scale research facility projects to support a diverse array of disciplines. Recommendations from this study are being considered with due diligence by the Board as they develop and implement options for meeting their enhanced responsibilities. The Board will continue to review and approve NSF's actions for creating major NSF programs and funding large projects. Special attention will be paid to budget growth impacts on the S&T workforce, expanded participation in higher education, national S&T infrastructure, and the size and duration of NSF grants. This year the Board will expand its ongoing examination of its role and responsibilities regarding the NSF's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) program. We will factor into this examination the recommendations of the National Academies report on the MREFC program, and develop a process for implementing appropriate modifications to the Board's involvement with the MREFC program. The Board has just received the National Academies report and will comment on it directly to Congress after we have given it careful consideration. Effective communications and interactions with our constituencies contribute to the Board's work of identifying priority science and technology policy issues, and developing policy advice and recommendation to the President and Congress. To this end, the Board will increase communication and outreach with the university, industry and the broader science and engineering research and education community, Congress, federal science and technology agencies, and the public. These activities will support US global leadership in discovery and innovation based on a continually expanding and evolving S&T enterprise in this country, and will insure a principal role for NSF programs in providing a critical foundation for science and engineering research and education. CLOSING REMARKS: The horizon of scientific discovery and engineering achievements stretch far and wide, but are clouded by uncertainty and risk. Experience has shown us that as we reach out to the endless frontier we have realized benefits beyond our dreams. Together, we have confidently faced the uncertainties, boldly accepted the risks, and learned from both our victories and setbacks. But the journey is not short or cheap. It requires careful planning, wise investments, and a long-term commitment. 1