Jan 25, 2008
On Monday, February 4th, President Bush released his proposed Fiscal Year 2009 federal budget, starting the annual congressional budget process. The budget is austere and presents challenges to higher education and the research community.
The National Institutes of Health receives flat funding again under the budget at $29.31 billion with no increase to even meet inflation. Because NIH budget growth has not kept pace with inflation, it has lost about one-seventh of its purchase power through grants. The NIH seeks in fiscal year 2009 to fund more than 1,000 new investigators.
The Department of Energy's science mission sees a significant increase in its budget to $25 billion; a $ 1 billion increase over last year's funding level. It also includes a proposal to establish Energy Frontier Centers with $2 to $5 million for creation of such centers.
Like the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation as one of the America’s Competitive Initative physical science research agencies, also receives a boost in its FY 2009 budget to $6.8 billion; an increase of $789 million over last year’s level.
For the Department of Education, the $52.9 billion budget spends about two dollars for K-12 federal education support for each federal higher education dollar. Although the funding level is flat, the president’s budget calls for Pell grant funding of $4,800 per grant, taking into account a new student aid law enacted last year. KU and the higher education community will be pushing for a $300 increase to make it $5,100. It also provides $14 million for the TEACH grant program.
KU government relations is an active partner on the AAU Council of Federal Relations and is pleased to provide detailed information on individual federal agencies FY 2009 budgets, as well as information from the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. Links to reports from both groups appear below.
Also, for further information on the federal budget process, a briefing from the Library of Congress’ Congressional Research Service is below. If you have further questions, please contact KU Government Relations.
Email Page
Print Page