NIST Director Testifies on Budget Challenges

NIST Director Laurie Locascio at a House Science Committee hearing in May 2024.
(House Science Committee)
Budget strains facing the National Institute of Standards and Technology were the focus of a House Science Committee hearing
Locascio highlighted how the president’s 2025 budget request for NIST
Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) applauded NIST’s work on AI in his opening statement but expressed concerns that the agency is being overburdened. “While mighty, NIST is a small agency, and its resources are spread exceptionally thin. I am concerned that some of these additional responsibilities may end up taking focus away from core NIST programs,” he said.
Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) emphasized the maintenance backlog in her opening statement. “Congress has not funded any real solutions to that problem. Now, the infrastructure issues are coming to a head, decreasing the effectiveness of the agency, damaging staff morale, and in some cases, putting those staff in real danger,” she said.
This news brief originally appeared in FYI’s newsletter for the week of May 27.