Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Thank you, Chairman Cole and Ranking Member McGovern, for allowing me to testify on the Limit, Save, Grow Act.

I want to start by thanking Speaker McCarthy, Leader Scalise, Ways and Means Chairman Smith, and Budget Chairman Arrington for their hard work on this bill.

I hope the President will come to the table and work with us to ensure our nation does not default on our debt.

I want to highlight one very straightforward idea included in this package: to rescind funds that are not needed at this time and redirect them to other priorities.

For example, as much as $60 billion that was appropriated more than two years ago for COVID remains unspent.

Now that the national emergency is officially over, we should be able to take back those resources.

There is also no reason for the IRS to be holding on to billions of dollars for future years.

Good morning.

The Subcommittee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare recesses at any time.

I would like to welcome everyone to our hearing on the Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for the National Science Foundation. Thank you to our Subcommittee Members and to our witness, Dr. Panchanathan, Director of the NSF, for being here today.

The National Science Foundation plays an important role in our government, with a broad mission to promote the progress of science. Unlike other federal agencies that have mission-specific approaches to research, the National Science Foundation supports fundamental, basic research from across the spectrum. This research is the foundation for the technological advances of the future.

Good afternoon.

The Subcommittee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time.

Senator Nelson, it is good to have you back here visiting the Subcommittee to help us examine NASA's fiscal year 2024 budget request.

The Biden Administration is requesting $27.2 billion in funding for NASA – a roughly 7% increase over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. And as you know, Congress also provided $367 million in emergency funding for NASA Construction and Environmental Compliance in fiscal year 2023.

The Subcommittee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time.

I would like to welcome everyone to this afternoon's hearing. Thank you to our Subcommittee members and to Secretary Raimondo for being here today. I will begin by recognizing myself for an opening statement.

The Department of Commerce's mission of promoting job creation and economic competitiveness is critical to our economy and to furthering American innovation.

The Department of Commerce has 13 major bureaus with a budget of over $11 billion. The FY24 budget request is $12.3 billion, an increase of over $1 billion, or 11% over the enacted level.

The Department's diverse mission areas combine to help foster the innovation and development that propel the U.S. economy.