BPS Members Rally for Medical Research; Support Golden Goose Award
On September 12 and 13, the Biophysical Society participated in and sponsored the annual Rally for Medical Research. The Rally brings together more than 300 organizations to advocate for biomedical research investments on Capitol Hill. This year, seven BPS members hailing from Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and participated in the event Illinois and conducted over 20 Congressional meetings. Read about their experiences on the BPS blog (link pending).
Also on September 13, the Seventh Annual Golden Goose Award ceremony took place. The award was established in 2012 and officially recognizes scientists whose silly-sounding federally funded basic research has led to innovations or inventions which have a significant impact on humanity or society. The Biophysical Society is an annual sponsor of the event. Read about the awardees here.
British Scientists Fret a No Deal Brexit
Scientists in the United Kingdom (UK) are raising alarms over the impacts of a no deal Brexit on the research community. Scientists for the EU, a campaign group started by British scientists, released a report in late August on the British government’s latest technical notes on Brexit stating the UK will no longer be eligible for three of the European Union’s (EU) major research funding programs. Their analysis states that up to 45% of EU research funding to the UK would be lost in a no deal Brexit.
The British government maintains that it hopes to avoid leaving the EU without a deal, and is working hard to ensure that the UK maintains access to EU-supported research projects. The British government must put a deal in place with the EU by March 29, 2019, or risk a hard Brexit. Read more at BBC News.
DOE Office of Science Funded On Time
On September 21, President Donald Trump signed a minibus spending package, providing annual appropriations for energy, water resources, veterans’ affairs, and legislative branch operations, into law. The package includes a five percent increase, over FY 2018 levels, for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. More specifically, the $6.59 billion – in total funding – will advance vital early stage research at universities and the network of 17 DOE National Laboratories focused on high-risk, high-reward research areas – such as machine learning and quantum information science. Read more here.
President Trump Approves a Funding Increase for NIH, NSF Left Flat
On September 13, House and Senate negotiators approved a conference committee report and advanced a minibus funding package which included appropriations for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In the package, NIH is set to receive a $2 billion funding increase compared to Fiscal Year 2018 levels. However, the package also included a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which provides flat, continued funding to keep federal agencies from shuttering on September 30. Unfortunately, the National Science Foundation (NSF) fell under the CR and any increase in funding will have to wait until the lame duck session begins, after the midterm elections. This is particularly unfortunate as both House and Senate appropriators had proposed funding increases for the agency.
On September 18, the Senate advanced this package by a resounding 93-7 bipartisan vote. The House quickly followed suit and passed the package by a 361-61 vote on September 26. On September 28, President Trump signed the package into law, averting a potential government shutdown on September 30.
The House is now expected to be in recess through the midterm elections. The Senate is likely to remain in session, periodically, to consider various nominations for executive and judicial positions. We wanted to thank our members for taking action over the last month, in favor of the NIH funding increase. BPS members generated over 225 messages to Congress in support of the package. Thank you!
NSF Announces New Sexual Harassment Policy
On September 19, the NSF announced new terms and conditions for grant awardees that will require their institutions to report any findings or determinations of sexual harassment or assault and/or if an awardee has been placed on administrative leave for any reason. The NSF has been working with stakeholders and the public on this proposal since February, and received over 200 public comments in response. Read the NSF press release here.
Senate Panel Advances Kelvin Droegemeier, White House Office of Science
On September 5, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation voted unanimously to favorably report out Kelvin Droegemeier’s nomination as Director, White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP), to the full Senate. Droegemeier is an expert on extreme-weather events and was a former member of the National Science Board, which oversees the NSF. He now awaits a vote from the full Senate. For a recap of his confirmation hearing, read BPS’s write-up here.
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