Implications of FY2024 Funding Bill for NASA, NOAA, and FAA

Insider Brief:

• The U.S. Senate has passed a $467.5 billion FY2024 funding bill encompassing six of the twelve regular appropriation bills including Commerce-Justice-Science which covers NASA and NOAA.
• The remaining six bills including the Department of Defense will be decided on by March 22.
• NASA and NOAA face significant budget cuts while the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will see an increase in funding.

After tense negotiations and several Continuing Resolutions (CRs), the Senate has passed a $467.5 billion FY2024 funding bill, averting a government shutdown just hours before the deadline. While the bill encompasses six out of the twelve regular appropriations bills, including critical sectors like Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (which covers NASA and NOAA), Energy-Water, and Transportation-HUD (which includes the FAA), the fate of the remaining six bills, including funding for the Department of Defense (DOD), hangs in the balance with a deadline of March 22.

Referred to as a “minibus” bill, this legislation is a scaled-down version of an omnibus bill, consolidating multiple appropriations bills into one. The House passed the minibus earlier in the week, and the Senate followed suit shortly before the looming expiration of the CR.

Notably, NASA faces significant budget cuts compared to both the President’s FY2024 request and its FY2023 funding level, amounting to a reduction in purchasing power even when accounting for inflation. With a budget of $24.875 billion, NASA’s allocation falls short of the $27.185 billion requested by the Biden administration and is half a billion dollars less than its FY2023 funding level.

Similarly, NOAA’s satellite programs will receive less funding than requested but more than the FY2023 allocation. The Office of Space Commerce within NOAA will experience a decrease from $70 million to $65 million.

On a positive note, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will see an increase in funding from $38 million to $42 million for FY2024.

As discussions continue regarding FY2024 funding for DOD and several other key departments and agencies, President Biden is set to submit the FY2025 budget request on Monday, underscoring the ongoing budgetary challenges and priorities within the government.

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