RL34048
Federal Research and Development Funding
February 05, 2008
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Summary
Congress continues to take a strong interest in the health of the U.S. research and development (R&D) enterprise, and in providing sustained support for federal R&D activities. The federal government has played an important role in supporting R&D efforts that have led to scientific breakthroughs and new technologies, from jet aircraft and the Internet to defenses against disease and communications satellites. Most of the research funded by the federal government is in support of specific activities of the federal government as reflected in the unique missions of the funding agencies. The federal government has become the largest supporter of long term fundamental basic research, primarily because the private sector asserts it cannot capture an adequate return on long-term fundamental research investments. Some of the major agencies funding basic research include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DOD).
