FASEB Washington Update - October 29, 2010
Inside (The Beltway) Scoop - Jennifer Zeitzer
With both Democrats and Republicans focused on the outcome of the mid-term elections on November 2nd, Capitol Hill has been a virtual ghost town for the last several weeks and the outlook for what could be accomplished in the “lame duck” session seems even less certain than it did a month ago. Prior to adjourning at the end of September, Congressional leaders identified a long list of legislative issues that could be addressed before the end of the year, including passage of an omnibus package combining the unfinished fiscal year (FY) 2011 appropriations bills. However, Republican demands for reduced federal spending, coupled with the short window of time lawmakers are expected to be in session, suggests that there could very well be additional delays in completing the FY 2011 budget. More Details >
Briefs Filed in the Federal Human Embryonic Stem Cell Case
October saw several developments in the pending court cases involving federal funding for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. On the14th, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief asking the U.S. Court of Appeals to lift the preliminary injunction that had halted federal funding for hESC research. While the appeals court had issued a temporary suspension of the injunction issued by Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, it has yet to make a final determination on whether or not to overturn the lower court’s decision. More Details >
FASEB Comments on Proposed Revisions to the Federalwide Assurance
FASEB submitted comments on the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) draft revised Federalwide Assurance (FWA) and Terms of Assurance forms on October 25th. Institutions engaged in non-exempt human subjects research conducted or supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must hold an OHRP-approved FWA under which they commit to compliance with the requirements for human subjects research set forth in the Common Rule and the Terms of Assurance. The current FWA form requires that institutions specifically designate all of the institutional review boards (IRBs) on which they rely to review research involving human participants. More Details >
FASEB Societies Participate in USA Science and Engineering Festival
FASEB, the American Physiological Society (APS), American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Society for Nutrition, Society for Developmental Biology, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), and many other professional societies, academic institutions, government agencies, industry, k-12 schools, and science outreach organizations joined forces to hold the USA Science and Engineering Festival during the week of October 18, 2010. The primary purpose of the festival was to invigorate interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among children and parents alike, through a week long variety of events and attractions. More Details >
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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 Jennifer Zeitzer 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/