Budget Season in Full Swing

Lawmakers returned this week from its two-week spring recess and immediately turned their attention to the budget; specifically, what to do about the approaching debt ceiling and whether or at what level to cap spending on discretionary programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024 (see previous coverage). While fights continue on these higher-level negotiations, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will be meeting this week to discuss the FY 2024 budget proposals for several federal science agencies. The Senate Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittee is holding a hearing on April 18 featuring leadership from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA; the House CJS Subcommittee will hold its own NSF budget hearing on April 19. Also on April 19, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee will hear from leaders from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on “Protecting American Taxpayers: Highlighting Efforts to Protect Against Federal Waste, Fraud, and Mismanagement,” featuring a panel of Inspectors General from NSF, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and EPA. Check back for COSSA’s reporting on these and other relevant hearings.