68 



well-made and have addressed important needs. So we have no dis- 

 agreement that our investigators need the very best instrumenta- 

 tion at all levels that we can provide, and also that universities 

 have had difficulty keeping their laboratory facilities, their spaces, 

 their air conditioning and air handling systems up to modern 

 standards. 



So we believe that the investment has been made properly and 

 the best projects have been supported. 



The problem is simply that under constrained budgets, we have 

 to set priorities and make tough decisions. Our first priority is on 

 the people and the research activities. If we do not have the money 

 to support the grants for the researchers, then it is very difficult 

 for EPSCOR scientists to graduate to a competitive position, for ex- 

 ample, or in any case to have the scientists funded to use the lab- 

 oratories on campuses. 



So it is simply the case that we believe the institutions are in 

 a better position, working in partnership with the private sector 

 and with other sources, to handle the bricks-and-mortar needs of 

 the laboratories. 



The removal of the $100 million does, as you point out, cor- 

 respond to $100 million moving into the Research and Related Ac- 

 count. $50 million of that money is going to be used to support in- 

 strumentation of the same scale of multi- user instrumentation as 

 we supported previously under the ARI account. 



So that money will still be invested in competitive, merit-re- 

 viewed programs to buy large-scale equipment for the researchers 

 in institutions across the country. So that will be a competition as 

 we have had before. The only difference is that the money now re- 

 sides for that instrumentation, now resides in the various research 

 directorates. 



Mr. Schiff. I understand that, but I just want to make the 

 point — and I don't question your administrative decision to do that, 

 but the budget shows an 8.7 percent increase in the proposal for 

 the Research and Related Activities Account, and that is now not 

 the same account as it was in the fiscal year 1996 account. 



Is that right? Because you have now included the Academic Re- 

 search and Infrastructure Account with the Research and Related 

 Activities Account. 



Dr. Lane. I am not quite sure I know what you mean, Mr. Chair- 

 man, by saying it is not the same account. The account does in- 

 clude this additional responsibility to handle the 



Mr. Schiff. Which it did not before? 



Dr. LANE. Which it did not before; yes, sir, that is correct. 



Mr. Schiff. Two more things, Dr. Lane. 



One is, in previous budgets I have seen, "Analysis and Proposals" 

 for the National Science Foundation, in the category "Salaries and 

 Expenses," there was usually a separate breakout of about $5.2 

 million-a-year representing a payment of expenses for relocation of 

 the NSF. 



It is my understanding that in a period of time, that is expected 

 to be eliminated as the expenses of moving have been paid. 



I am just noticing that in "Salaries and Expenses" in your pro- 

 posed budget, that is not broken out. I wonder if there is any rea- 

 son why that has been changed? 



