Space Exploration, Radicalization and Other R&D Highlights in the Spending Bill

The 1,200-page spending bill signed by President Trump Friday appropriates billions of dollars to research and development efforts across civilian agencies, including NASA and the departments of Homeland Security and Justice.

Nextgov dug through the bill to highlight some of the largest and most interesting R&D allocations, which include:

• $37 million for Justice Department research, development and evaluation programs, including $4 million for research targeted “toward developing a better understanding of the domestic radicalization phenomenon.” It also includes $1 million for research to study the root causes of school violence.
• NASA will receive several chunks of money that can be used research and development purposes, including $958 million “for space exploration research and development.” Other mission areas receiving unspecified amounts of research and development funding include space technology and aeronautics.
• The DHS Science and Technology directorate will receive $511 million for research and development, with funds available through the end of fiscal 2021.
• $17 million to the U.S. Coast Guard for research, development, test and evaluation.
• The Transportation Security Administration will receive $20.6 million for traditional research and development.
• The U.S. Secret Service will receive $2.5 million.
• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will get $13 million for research and development. The agency, responsible for protecting the country’s election infrastructure, also nabbed $33 million to beef up election security.
• The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, also within DHS, will receive $83 million for research and development.
• The Federal Railroad Administration will receive $40 million for railroad research and development.
• The Environmental Protection Agency will receive $717 million for science and technology, including research and development activities.
• $8 million for research and technology to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology within the Transportation Department.