38 



IMPR()\I\(: lULAI.LiXATIOS PROCESS/ l.i 



Box 1.3 



Considering and Evaluating a Comprehensive FS&T Budget in Congress: 



How It Might Work 



The process of congressional evaluation begins with an assessment of the overall FS&T 

 budget and the allocations to the departments and agencies. The chairs of the relevant autho- 

 rization and ap]5n)priations committees are involved in a process that evaluates the proposed 

 levels, trade-offs, reallocations, and cuts and increases across the government. The budget 

 committees then assign funding levels to the several budget categories in which the FS&T 

 budget is embedded. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) tracks the FS&T pool as it is 

 affected b\- the activities of the appropriations subcommittees and reports its status to the 

 cognizant committee chairs. The committees and subcommittees undertake their process of 

 hearings, consultations, and markups. 



One novel feature of this process is attention to the FS&T budget as a whole, and the trade- 

 offs within it. before decisions are made about allocations to budget functions and to appro- 

 priations subcommittees. Another new feature is the monitoring of the FS&T pool throughout 

 the process. Members, with the help of the CBO, can track the FS&T pool as trade-offs are 

 made across and within agencies for the multiple purposes of meeting budget constraints; 

 maintaining S&T leadership; fulfilling agency missions; responding to changing missions, op- 

 portunities, and crises; ensuring quality control and oversight; and accomplishing organiza- 

 tional reform 



nicnt needs and the FS&T btid.uct as a whole as they allocate funds for agencies 

 w ithin their jurisdictions and make trade-offs against other spending. 



A more coherent FS&T budget process in the Executive Branch should help 

 (Congress as well Tlie (Carnegie (Commission on Science, Technology, and Govern- 

 ment recommended reorganization of the congressional committee structure and 

 other measures Fven without such reorganization, however, the current budget 

 process could lie improved b\ making it more open, soliciting better advice about 

 research and development needs from outside experts, and assessing research and 

 development needs early in the process. Recent administrations and Congresses 

 ii;i\ e alreadv taken steps in this direction, but further measures are needed. 



Quest ions for Budget and Full Appropriations Committees 

 to Consider 



• Is the priority given to research and development adequate compared to the 

 jiriority accorded other objectives in the government-wide discretionary budget? 



• Is the total FS&T budget adequate to maintain a world-class level of scien- 

 tific and technical performance by the United States? 



• Does the President s FS&T budget sufficiently reflect fiscal constraints? 



• Are the Presitlent s research and development priorities, trade-offs (e.g., 

 reductions, closures, transfers, increases), and reallocations among agencies and 

 programs appropriate' 



• Are allocations to the various federal budget fimctions sufficient for agen- 

 cies to perform their missions? 



