FASEB Washington Update - Sept. 4, 2009

FASEB AND COALITION PARTNERS MEET WITH OMB TO ADVOCATE FOR 2011 NIH BUDGET
On August 12th, FASEB organized a meeting for President Mark Lively with Rob Nabors, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to discuss fiscal year 2011 funding for NIH. To reinforce our message, FASEB invited Darrell Kirch, President of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Myrl Weinberg, President of the National Health Council (NHC), an organization representing over 50 disease-specific patient groups, to participate in the meeting.
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Inside (The Beltway) Scoop – Jennifer Zeitzer Activity in Washington has been exceptionally slow over the last month, even by traditional August Congressional recess standards, as lawmakers focused attention on holding town hall meetings to hear their constituents’ opinions about pending health reform legislation. Many members of Congress were confronted by large crowds of voters in their districts – some who were angry about the direction the health reform discussions were taking in Washington and others who pleaded for changes to the current system. Although it remains to be seen how public opinion will influence the next phase of the debate in Congress, it is clear that health reform will be the dominant legislative battle this fall.
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SBIR PRE-CONFERENCE NEGOTIATIONS TO RESUME, SET-ASIDE OUTCOME UNCERTAIN
As Congress prepares to return from the August recess, many questions remain about the future of legislation to reauthorize and improve the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The legislation previously stalled in late July, prompting lawmakers to pass a bill (S 1513) extending the current SBIR program to September 30th, in hopes that the extension would provide Congress with sufficient time to work out several contentious issues in the reauthorization.
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FASEB LAUNCHES CONGRESSIONAL VISIT TOOLBOX
This week, FASEB launched the Congressional Visit Toolbox, an online resource aimed at empowering, training, and equipping scientists to build relationships with their elected representatives in Congress. The Toolbox contains everything needed to plan and conduct a Congressional visit, including templates for meeting requests and follow-up letters, printable, state-specific “leave-behind” materials, and customizable talking points on the importance of biomedical research. Training materials, such as a slideshow tutorial on advocacy and a video of Congressional visit role-plays, are also linked to the site. More Details >

NIH DIRECTOR REPORTS FOR DUTY, OUTLINES PRIORITIES FOR AGENCY
Newly-confirmed NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins, began his tenure on Monday, August 17th and wasted no time getting down to business. Addressing a packed auditorium of NIH staff, Dr. Collins spoke for over an hour, outlining what he hopes to accomplish as Director. He also answered several questions that were submitted ahead of time by NIH employees in addition to responding to inquiries from the audience.
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PCAST DISCUSSES EXPANDING CLINICAL DATA ACCESS FOR RESEARCHERS
On August 6th, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) discussed, among other topics, expanding scientists’ access to clinical data as a key goal related to the implementation of a national health information infrastructure. At its inaugural meeting of the Obama Administration, PCAST worked to establish priorities for advancing the President’s science and technology policy agenda. Health and energy – important components of the Administration’s agenda - were the foci of the meeting.
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FASEB COLLECTS DATA ON ARRA-FUNDED NIH SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCES PROGRAM As part of our continuing efforts to promote education in the biomedical sciences, FASEB is conducting a study of students and teachers participating in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) summer research experiences for students and science educators program. Supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this funding opportunity allows NIH investigators to apply for administrative supplements to hire high school students, undergraduates, and science educators from the elementary to the college level to engage in research in their laboratories during the summer.
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FOUNDATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF ANIMAL RESEARCH
The Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) has launched an exciting, new campaign to garner public support for the humane use of animals in medical research. The “8Twenty10” campaign – named for the date after which public support for animal research is predicted to drop below the 50 percent level – is a multi-media approach to educating the public about the important role animals have played and continue to play in medical advancements.
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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/