House appropriators are proposing an increase in funding next year for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The House version of the FY 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, set to undergo subcommittee markup today, would provide a total of $29.9 million for the Board. That’s approximately $1.4 million more than the Board’s current funding level, and approximately $700,000 more than what the agency had sought in its FY 2016 budget request. In its request, the Board proposed a funding level of approximately $29.2 million, including an additional $1.76 million to hire additional employees and an additional $200,000 for an employee pay raise that would largely be offset through the use of approximately $1.85 million in available unobligated balances. “The Board’s requested FY 2016 budget of $29,150,000 in new budget authority and 122.5 FTEs is necessary to address congressional concerns and provide the scientific and technical resources needed to review DOE’s design and construction projects, remediation activities, and weapons programs in a timely and efficient manner,” the DNFSB’s request said.