Federal support of research

Abstract

One of Mr. Johnson's last official acts as President came at midmonth when he sent the federal budget for the coming fiscal year to Congress. As might be expected, the message accompanying it dwelt almost entirely on our present major preoccupations: inflation, defense, social insurance, welfare, education, manpower training, health care, housing, community and regional development. Mr. Johnson calls for outlays in fiscal 1970 of $195.3 billion. As we reported last week (page 11), he suggests federal obligations for R&D of $17.1 billion, with $5.5 billion of that sum for research. The $5.5 billion, if Congress allows that much, will be up from the $5.3 billion likely obligated in fiscal 1969. It will still be well below the $6.0 billion for research Mr. Johnson had originally requested in his fiscal 1969 budget message a year ago. In the period 1956-64, federal support of (for want of a better term) basic research grew 29% a year, ...