FASEB Washington Update - January 30, 2009

President Obama Assembles Science Team
Since President Barack Obama took office on January 20th, the scientific community has been buzzing with information and speculation about the new President and his emerging science team. FASEB has compiled a list of the key nominees and appointments.

Cabinet Appointments
Department of Agriculture
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Energy
Department of Education
Department of Veterans Affairs

OSTP and Other Offices
Environmental Protection Agency
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Science and Technology Policy
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

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FASEB Advocates for Science Funding in Economic Recovery Bill

Since meeting with the Obama transition team in December, FASEB has been building a compelling case for including funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research program in the economic recovery legislation expected to be considered by Congress this month. Recent reports have shown that NIH is a significant economic contributor, creating more than 350,000 jobs nationwide and returning $2.21 million in new business activity for every $1 million invested. Including a significant investment in science through the stimulus bill will immediately create new jobs and prevent job losses for researchers, technicians, and thousands of others who provide equipment, supplies and services to laboratories across the country. FASEB President-Elect, Dr. Mark Lively took this message directly to Capitol Hill, meeting with Congressional staff from key offices in the House and Senate Democratic leadership, as well as members of the House and Senate

Appropriations Committees to explain that stimulus funds for NIH, NSF and the VA could be rapidly distributed for research grants, instrumentation, and improvements in research facilities and infrastructure.

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Inside (The Beltway) Scoop

After weeks of anticipation and speculation, the first details about the economic recovery legislation emerged on January 15th when House Appropriations Committee chairman Dave Obey (D-WI) released a summary and the text of HR 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a bill outlining a variety of specific proposals to create jobs, cut taxes and boost the economy by making investments in priority areas. The bill recommends $10 billion for a variety of investments in science facilities, research and instrumentation including $3.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $3 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), $2 billion for the Department of Energy (DoE) Office of Science, $209 million for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and $950 million for improvements to Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities.

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FASEB’s Washington Update is brought to you bi-monthly by the FASEB Office of Public Affairs. We welcome your questions and comments – please contact Carrie Wolinetz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 301-634-7650. For more information about how to get involved in research advocacy, visit: http://capwiz.com/faseb/home/

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