Another year, another budget declared DOA

The Trump administration released its FY 2021 budget this week. As with the past three iterations, Congress is unlikely to consider the proposal, which would cut domestic spending by 20 percent over a decade. Nonetheless, a quick review of the White House’s budget reveals the administration’s priorities: EDA, ARPA-E and MEP would be eliminated; total R&D would be cut by nine percent while dramatically increasing funding for AI and quantum information science; loan programs at USDA and SBA would see funding cuts made up through increasing user fees; and, technical education would see a boost through both investments in high school programs and apprenticeship initiatives.

Congress has already agreed to topline funding that allows for a slight increase in spending this year, and so the final FY 2021 budget seems likely to be more similar to the current-year budget than this proposal.

SSTI’s Innovation Advocacy Council is on the Hill this week to talk with members of Congress about the importance of supporting locally-driven innovation initiatives. Over the next few months, SSTI members will be involved in sharing their impacts, sending letters, and otherwise reinforcing this message with their delegations. Join us in these efforts! Contact Jason Rittenberg (rittenberg@ssti.org | 614-901-1690) to get started.