Federal Research and Development: Budgeting and Priority-Setting Issues, 109th Congress

摘要

Federal research and development (R&D) funding priorities change over time, reflecting Presidential policies and national needs. Defense R&D predominated in the 1980s, decreasing to about 50% of federal R&D in the 1990s. In non-defense R&D, space R&D was important in the 1960s as the nation sought to compete with the Soviet Union; energy R&D was a priority during the energy- short 1970s, and, since the 1980s, health R&D has predominated in civilian science. Defense R&D and homeland security R&D funding are also priorities.