Rep Bart Gordon Gives Written Testimony on FY 2010 Budget

Rep Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, submitted written testimony to the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies on the upcoming FY 2010 budget. Although the testimony addressed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it offered significant input on the STEM education funding within the National Science Foundation (NSF).

With strong emphasis on the STEM education mission of the NSF, Rep Gordon stated “I support the Administration’s budget request of $7 billion for NSF in Fiscal Year 2010” and continued “however, I am requesting that the Subcommittee consider providing slightly more funding to NSF, if needed, to accommodate full funding of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and to provide an adequate funding increase to MSP (Math and Science Partnership), without sacrificing necessary funding for the other important programs within NSF.”

As for specific numbers for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program and MSP Rep Gordon said “I am very pleased that the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program was fully funded in Fiscal Year 2009 at the authorized level of $115 million ($55 million in the Fiscal Year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill and $60 million in the Economic Recovery Act). I urge the Subcommittee to once again demonstrate its commitment to this important program in Fiscal Year 2010. Although the America COMPETES Act authorized $140.5 million for the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, I am requesting that the Program be funded at $70 million in Fiscal Year 2010. This represents an increase over the Fiscal Year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill funding level that is consistent with the increase laid out in the America COMPETES Act. I also urge the Subcommittee to provide for a comparable increase in funding above the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriation for the MSP program.”

Aside from NSF, Rep. Gordon also testified on behalf of NASA and NIST, but the testimony did not focus directly on STEM education programs. He did say that he was “pleased that the Administration has requested $18.7 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Fiscal Year 2010.” The testimony for NIST focused on programs such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Technology Innovation Program.