Fresh off passing a 2011 spending bill that would pull science funding from U.S. EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, House lawmakers are slated to meet Thursday to examine President Obama's 2012 spending request for the two agencies that have faced controversy over their research on climate change.

Members of the House Science Committee will question NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and Paul Anastas, EPA's top research official, on their funding requests for fiscal 2012 that would keep EPA's science spending mostly flat and shift more resources to NOAA.

Under the proposal, EPA's science and technology efforts would see $860 million, $3 million more than in fiscal 2010 but $20 million less than it is getting under the current levels.

The request would provide $3.45 billion for NOAA research and operations, a $37 million increase from fiscal 2010 and 21 percent more than the $2.85 billion those efforts would receive under the House-passed spending bill for the rest of the current year. A competing spending bill introduced by Senate appropriators Friday would set the agency's research and operations budget level at $3.2 billion through the end of fiscal 2011.

Climate science likely will be a major topic of discussion at Thursday's hearing, a Democratic committee aide said. The cuts to research programs in the House spending bill were "indiscriminate," the aide said, adding: "We hope to be able to defend the need for investment in science."

An amendment from House Science Chairman Ralph Hall (R-Texas) in the continuing resolution passed by the House last month would block NOAA from using funds for its planned "climate service." Though the agency says the reorganization would create a central information source to help governments and businesses adapt to climate change, Hall is concerned that the effort would weaken the agency's existing scientific mission, a Republican committee spokesman said last month (ClimateWire, Feb. 16).

Though it has not faced as much pressure as the offices that develop new regulations, EPA's science and technology program also faces budget cuts proposed by the new Republican leadership of the House. The stopgap spending bill would bring the agency's science budget to $790 million, an 8 percent decrease.

Schedule: The hearing is Thursday, March 10, at 10 a.m. in 2318 Rayburn.

Witnesses: NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for research and development, U.S. EPA.