https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03135-x Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Advertisement Advertisement Nature * View all journals * Search * Log in * Explore content * About the journal * Publish with us * Subscribe * Sign up for alerts * RSS feed 1. nature 2. news 3. article * NEWS * 06 October 2023 US science agencies on track to hit 25-year funding low Despite last year's CHIPS and Science Act, which was meant to boost innovation, report predicts that Congress will cut spending on science. * Jeff Tollefson 1. Jeff Tollefson View author publications You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar * Twitter * Facebook * Email Visitors are cast in silhouette at the top of stairs near the US Capitol. Political polarization in the United States has repeatedly delayed the budget-approval process for US science agencies over the past few decades. Credit: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty You have full access to this article via your institution. Download PDF Last year, lawmakers in the United States passed bipartisan legislation intended to maintain US competitiveness with countries such as China by boosting funding for science and innovation. But concerns are mounting that the US Congress will fail to deliver on its promises. The money allotted to a handful of major US science agencies that had been targeted for a budget boost is likely to fall short of the legislation's goals by more than US$7 billion in 2024, according to a report. And overall funding for those agencies will continue to hover at a 25-year low (see 'A slump for US science'). "We're leaving scientific opportunities on the table," says Matt Hourihan, who led the analysis for the Federation of American Scientists, an advocacy group based in Washington DC. "If we drop this ball, others will be happy to pick it up." A SLUMP FOR US SCIENCE. Chart shows funding highs and lows for research at three major US science agencies. CHIPS and Science Funding Update (Federation of American Scientists, October 2023) It was precisely this fear that drove members of Congress to come together to pass the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The legislation promised one of the largest increases in US science funding in a long time, totalling some $280 billion over five years. Much of the spending mandated by the bill was focused on semiconductor research and manufacturing -- areas in which other countries, particularly China, have dominated. Lawmakers also authorized investments in other science and innovation programmes, but these were not mandated, and need to be approved by Congress during an appropriations process each year. That process has become increasingly contentious as political polarization in the United States has risen over the past few decades. Disputes about overall spending levels and funding for various social programmes have led to repeated delays in crafting the annual budget, at times forcing the government to shut down. This year is a prime example: Republicans, who control the US House of Representatives, blocked legislation that would have allowed the government to increase the federal debt limit and pay its bills, until they were able to secure an agreement with the Democrats in May to limit spending. And last month, a handful of extreme right-wing Republicans sought to close the government down as they pushed for further spending cuts. Coming up short The CHIPS act authorized three agencies -- the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Energy (DoE) Office of Science and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) -- to receive a total of $26.8 billion in the fiscal year 2024. Together, these agencies fund much of the basic and applied research in core areas targeted by the legislation, including advanced computing, manufacturing, climate change and national security. As it stands, however, appropriations bills pending in Congress mean that these agencies are likely to receive only a little more than $19 billion next year -- a shortfall of around 28%, according to the Federation of American Scientists. [d41586-023] Biden calls for boosts in science spending to keep US competitive This decrease would add to an existing downward trend in funding for these agencies. Measured as a share of the US gross domestic product (GDP), overall funding for the NSF, the DoE Office of Science and NIST has been declining for more than two decades, with the exception of a one-time injection of cash from an economic stimulus bill in 2009. The trend raises alarm and underscores the need for Congress to follow through on its commitments in the CHIPS and Science Act, says Jill Pentimonti, director of research advancement at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, and a board member of the Science Coalition, which represents more than 50 US research universities. Failing to properly fund these and other science agencies, she says, "threatens to weaken our position as a global leader in innovation and stifle our economic growth". That's not to say that the United States isn't investing in science. The country still leads the world in absolute funding for research and development, when both public and private investments are factored in. It spends more than $700 billion annually, and that amount is on the rise, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), in Washington DC. But although private investments are increasing, total government investments have declined from around 2% of GDP during the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1960s to about 0.7% of GDP today, says Joanne Carney, chief government-relations officer at the AAAS. [d41586-023] Billions more for US science: how the landmark spending plan will boost research One reason that advocates for science worry about declines in public funding is the fact that such cuts tend to have a disproportionately strong effect on basic research. The private sector typically neglects this area because the pay-off -- although potentially larger than that derived from applied sciences -- is harder to predict. Looking further afield, Carney says that many other countries are increasing their public funding for research, and expanding their investment in the science and technology workforce. That benefits science as a global enterprise, she says, but it also creates competition for talent and scientific advancements in many fields. If the United States wants to remain a leader, she adds, aspirational legislation such as the CHIPS and Science Act might not be enough. "Our innovation system cannot thrive on policy language alone," Carney says. Congress must follow through with "real and sustainable federal investments that mirror those very same goals and aspirations". doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03135-x Reprints and Permissions Related Articles * [d41586-023] How a US government shutdown could disrupt science * [d41586-023] How the US debt-ceiling crisis could cost science for years to come * [d41586-023] Biden calls for boosts in science spending to keep US competitive * [d41586-023] Billions more for US science: how the landmark spending plan will boost research * [d41586-023] US mid-term elections: 3 ways science is on the line Subjects * Funding * Government * Policy * Politics Latest on: Funding South Korean scientists' outcry over planned R&D budget cuts South Korean scientists' outcry over planned R&D budget cuts News 05 OCT 23 How a US government shutdown could disrupt science How a US government shutdown could disrupt science News Explainer 28 SEP 23 Flying Mars rocks to Earth could cost an astronomical $11 billion Flying Mars rocks to Earth could cost an astronomical $11 billion News 27 SEP 23 Government How a US government shutdown could disrupt science How a US government shutdown could disrupt science News Explainer 28 SEP 23 AI tools as science policy advisers? The potential and the pitfalls AI tools as science policy advisers? The potential and the pitfalls Comment 27 SEP 23 Rich countries must align science funding with the SDGs Rich countries must align science funding with the SDGs Editorial 20 SEP 23 Policy M. S. Swaminathan (1925-2023), leader of India's 'green revolution' M. S. Swaminathan (1925-2023), leader of India's 'green revolution' Obituary 06 OCT 23 South Korean scientists' outcry over planned R&D budget cuts South Korean scientists' outcry over planned R&D budget cuts News 05 OCT 23 The disinformation sleuths: a key role for scientists in impending elections The disinformation sleuths: a key role for scientists in impending elections Editorial 04 OCT 23 Nature Careers Jobs * Faculty Positions The Yale Stem Cell Center invites applications for faculty positions at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or full Professor. Rank and tenure will b... New Haven, Connecticut Yale Stem Cell Center * Associate or Senior Editor (BMC Public Health), BioMed Central The BMC Series is looking for an in-house Editor to join the Editorial team for BMC Public Health. Beijing, Nanjing or Shanghai (hybrid model) Springer Nature Ltd [] * Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Located in the beautiful coastal city of Dalian, surrounded by mountains and sea, DICP seeks all talents from around the globe. Dalian, Liaoning, China The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) [] * Postdoctoral Fellow - Molecular drivers of melanoma progression At Moffitt Cancer Center, we come face-to-face with cancer every day, but we also see courage. And it inspires us to be the safest and best place f... Tampa, Florida H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute [] * Faculty Positions at State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research (LPBR) is a recognized institute for cutting-edge research on primate b... Kunming,China State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research (Kunming University of Science and Technology) [] You have full access to this article via your institution. Download PDF Related Articles * [d41586-023] How a US government shutdown could disrupt science * [d41586-023] How the US debt-ceiling crisis could cost science for years to come * [d41586-023] Biden calls for boosts in science spending to keep US competitive * [d41586-023] Billions more for US science: how the landmark spending plan will boost research * [d41586-023] US mid-term elections: 3 ways science is on the line Subjects * Funding * Government * Policy * Politics Advertisement Sign up to Nature Briefing An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, delivered to your inbox every weekday. Email address [ ] [ ] Yes! Sign me up to receive the daily Nature Briefing email. I agree my information will be processed in accordance with the Nature and Springer Nature Limited Privacy Policy. Sign up * Close Nature Briefing Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter -- what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. Email address [ ] Sign up [ ] I agree my information will be processed in accordance with the Nature and Springer Nature Limited Privacy Policy. Close Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing Explore content * Research articles * News * Opinion * Research Analysis * Careers * Books & Culture * Podcasts * Videos * Current issue * Browse issues * Collections * Subjects * Follow us on Facebook * Follow us on Twitter * Subscribe * Sign up for alerts * RSS feed About the journal * Journal Staff * About the Editors * Journal Information * Our publishing models * Editorial Values Statement * Journal Metrics * Awards * Contact * Editorial policies * History of Nature * Send a news tip Publish with us * For Authors * For Referees * Language editing services * Submit manuscript Search Search articles by subject, keyword or author [ ] Show results from [All journals] Search Advanced search Quick links * Explore articles by subject * Find a job * Guide to authors * Editorial policies Nature (Nature) ISSN 1476-4687 (online) ISSN 0028-0836 (print) nature.com sitemap About Nature Portfolio * About us * Press releases * Press office * Contact us Discover content * Journals A-Z * Articles by subject * Nano * Protocol Exchange * Nature Index Publishing policies * Nature portfolio policies * Open access Author & Researcher services * Reprints & permissions * Research data * Language editing * Scientific editing * Nature Masterclasses * Live Expert Trainer-led workshops * Research Solutions Libraries & institutions * Librarian service & tools * Librarian portal * Open research * Recommend to library Advertising & partnerships * Advertising * Partnerships & Services * Media kits * Branded content Career development * Nature Careers * Nature Conferences * Nature events Regional websites * Nature Africa * Nature China * Nature India * Nature Italy * Nature Japan * Nature Korea * Nature Middle East * Privacy Policy * Use of cookies * Your privacy choices/Manage cookies * Legal notice * Accessibility statement * Terms & Conditions * Your US state privacy rights Springer Nature (c) 2023 Springer Nature Limited