Ranking Member Matt Cartwright Statement at the Fiscal Year 2024 National Science Foundation Budget Request Hearing
Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's hearing on the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request for the National Science Foundation:
Thank you, Chairman Rogers, and I'd like to echo you in welcoming the witness, Dr. Panchanathan to discuss the fiscal year 2024 budget request.
In fiscal year 2023, we made critical investments to strengthen NSF's foundational research, and to unleash new initiatives authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act that will accelerate the translation of basic research into new technologies and partnerships. But this is only the beginning of what we need to do. Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much, but one thing we did pass on a bipartisan basis was the CHIPS and Science Act last year.
It was a commitment to strengthening America's global competitiveness by authorizing strong investments in American scientific enterprise into the future.
Our country has long been a global leader in science, but the National Science Board's 2022 Science and Engineering Indicators report showed that we have been losing ground to our biggest competitors.
We have been overdue for a revival of Federal investment in the research, development, and education that bolsters our American national security, keeps us at the cutting edge of innovation, and cultivates the workforce needed to power the 21st century economy for this country. As Ranking Member of this subcommittee, I will continue to strongly support NSF's role in the future, as envisioned by CHIPS and Science.
So, I am pleased to see that the President's request for fiscal year 2024 includes historic funding levels for NSF that would fund research and education across all fields of science and technology, to support the American national security interests and the economic interests of our workforce here in this country. To achieve this, the budget proposes $11.3 billion for NSF, an 18.6 percent increase over the 2023 base.
The Administration's request emphasizes a number of important priorities outlined in the CHIPS and Science Act, including a focus on advancing emerging industries such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors, and such things. Critical to this forward-looking emphasis on innovation is $1.2 billion for NSF's newest directorate, ‘Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships', or ‘TIP.' I look forward to discussing how TIP will connect different scientific disciplines and business sectors, and help translate these partnerships into breakthroughs and new, high-paying American jobs.
There are voices in this House who want to drastically reduce funding for critical public investments. I don't think our country can afford to disinvest in American scientific leadership. My colleagues and I will be very interested in hearing from you today about how NSF dollars translate into transformative scientific breakthroughs. That's how we create wealth in America. It's always been the way we do it. How it creates new technologies of the future, strengthens national defense, a more powerful workforce, and greater educational opportunity and economic prosperity for all Americans.
Congress needs to continue to build on the investments we made last year, or risk falling behind our international competitors. They don't want to come in second. They're tired of that.
So, Dr. Panchanathan, thank you again for joining us today. I look forward to your testimony and to working with you on how best we can tap into our great scientific talent in this country and our potential in this nation in FY 2024.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.