FASEB Washington Update - June 19, 2009
FASEB Comments on Extramural Conflict of Interest ANPRMThis week, FASEB submitted comments to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in response to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on the subject of conflict of interest (COI) regulations for extramural researchers funded through the Public Health Service. FASEB’s comments underscore the need for maintaining public trust in medical research and preventing the introduction of bias through stricter disclosure requirements, and, where appropriate, management or reduction of COI.
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FASEB Meets With White House Staff to Discuss Funding for NIH
On June 11th, Jennifer Zeitzer, FASEB Director of Legislative Relations, and Howard Garrison, Director of FASEB’s Office of Public Affairs, met with budget examiners from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OMB, a part of the Executive Office of the President, has a critical oversight role for federal programs in addition to responsibility for coordinating the President’s annual budget request and long term spending plans.
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Inside (The Beltway) Scoop – Jennifer Zeitzer
The race to complete the fiscal year 2010 bills went in to overdrive in the last two weeks as the House Appropriations Committee moved five bills (Agriculture, Commerce/Justice/Science, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment and Legislative Branch) through full committee and two bills (Military Construction/Veterans and State/Foreign Operations) through subcommittee mark-up’s. The House also adopted the final Commerce/Justice/Science (CJS) bill after a contentious debate and two days of marathon voting on amendments (see summary below). The House was also expected to take final votes on the Legislative Branch appropriations bill on the evening of June 19th.
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FASEB and ASN Discuss Ag Research With Senate Appropriators
FASEB has been working with member society, the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) to advocate on behalf of competitive agricultural research at the USDA. Carrie Wolinetz, of FASEB's Office of Public Affairs, and Mary Lee Watts, of ASN, met with the offices of Senators Durbin (IL), Bond (MO), and Dorgan (ND) to recommend a funding level of $300 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) in FY 2010.
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SBIR Reauthorization Moves Forward in House and Senate
Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship passed legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The Senate legislation (S.1233), spearheaded by Small Business Committee Chairwoman Mary L. Landrieu (LA) and Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (ME), is matched in the House by four bills: H.R. 2769, H.R. 2767, H.R. 2772 and H.R. 2747, which are expected to be combined before conference with the Senate version.
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Secretary Sebelius Defends FY 2010 Budget to Appropriations Subcommittee
On June 9th, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education to discuss and defend the Administration’s FY 2010 budget for the agency. Sebelius discussed health care reform plans and touted investments made in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the FY 2010 budget, stating, “The President is committed to a safer, healthier and more prosperous America.”
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FASEB Scientists Meet With Congress on Great Ape Protection Act
FASEB scientists met with House leaders and members of the House Energy and Commerce committee on June 18th to discuss the Great Ape Protection Act (H.R. 1326), a bill opposed by FASEB which would ban invasive research or blood and tissue collection from chimpanzees and other great apes. American Physiological Society members Dr. Robert Shade, from the Southwest National Primate Research Center, and Dr. Kevin Kregel, from the University of Iowa and chair of FASEB’s animal research issues subcommittee, together with Drs. Joann Boughman, Executive Director of the American Society for Human Genetics, and Carrie Wolinetz of FASEB’s Office of Public Affairs, raised concerns about the implications of the legislation for biomedical research.
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FASEB Joins Scientific Community On Visa Delays Statement
FASEB joined with over 30 science and higher education organizations in a statement and recommendations addressing the growing problem of visa delays for scientists and engineers traveling to the United States. The statement described the potential harm visa problems could cause to the country’s scientific, economic, and security interests and called for “a visa system that supports international exchange and cooperation.”
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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/