There is a well established precedent in the federal government that agencies involved in the regulation and monitoring of financial firms and markets are funded through assessments placed on the regulated firms.  Funding the NIF in this way yields three principle benefits.  The first is that the taxpayers would not be burdened with paying the budgetary costs for the NIF.  The second is that financial firms will realize significant reductions in operating expenses as a result of the standardization of data systems that will be a core responsibility of the NIF.  It would not be fair for the taxpayers to absorb the cost for this effort and then have the financial firms reap all of the financial benefits.  The third is that Congress has recognized that attracting the special skills needed to perform this work requires being able to pay salaries that are above the standard civil service pay scale.  Funding the NIF with non-appropriated funds makes it possible to pay more competitive salaries.