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WASHINGTON, May 23, 2017 â€� The American Chemical Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø (ACS) is disappointed in the administration’s detailed fiscal year 2018 budget request, as it underinvests in the nation’s research and development (R&D) infrastructure and its science, technology, engineering and mathematics education ecosystem.

Specifically, ACS is concerned about the president’s proposed FY 2018 funding levels for the following key federal R&D agencies.      

• $9.4 million for the Chemical Safety & Hazard Board, (Funds used to shut down agency)
• $4.5 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, 17 percent below FY 2017
• $5.7 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, 29 percent below FY 2017
• $725 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 24 percent below FY 2017
• $27 billion for the National Institutes of Health, 21 percent below FY 2017
• $6.6 billion for the National Science Foundation, 11 percent below FY 2017

The president’s proposed reduction in R&D funding comes as the U.S.’s global competitors are continuing to invest heavily in both basic and applied R&D. As a result, other countries are producing top-tier scientific talent and marrying science with forward-thinking policy to encourage innovation breakthroughs. The U.S. has long been a leader in successfully harnessing R&D and education to drive innovation that leads to job creation, economic growth and global competitiveness. We need to continue to make robust federal investments in these areas to remain a global leader.

The FY 2018 budget will now go to Congress, where appropriators will determine the actual funding levels for the federal government. Although ACS recognizes that Congress faces a demanding budget environment, the Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø believes the most promising way to ensure our nation’s competitiveness in the global arena is to work in a bipartisan manner to support an innovation infrastructure. The Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø’s comprehensive policy priorities, the individual public policy statements and related materials are available at www.acs.org/policy.

The American Chemical Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø, the world’s largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.