FASEB Washington Update - April 8, 2010
FASEB Releases Data on NIH Research Funding Trends, Highlights The Need for Sustained Funding in FY 2011
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) has released an updated compilation of data on research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as a statement about how current trends could affect biomedical research in next year. “Based on projections from the President’s budget summary, we will see a significant decline in the number of grants in FY 2011 at the proposed funding level,” said Howard Garrison, Ph.D., Director of FASEB’s Office of Public Affairs and author of the data resource. “This represents a reduction of research capacity and the potential delay or interruption of promising new efforts to find treatments and cures for life-threatening diseases.” More Details >
Inside (The Beltway) Scoop - Jennifer Zeitzer
Although Washington is crowded with visitors here to see the famous cherry blossoms, Capitol Hill has been very quiet the past two weeks as members of Congress spent time in their districts for a legislative spring break. Having passed the health reform bill prior to leaving town at the end of March, lawmakers will return to the District of Columbia on April 12th to face a long list of pending business. The Senate will resume debate on a bill to extend unemployment benefits, federal flood insurance, and other programs that have expired until May 5th. Consideration of the unemployment extension legislation could consume much of the week even though the Senate must also deal with a $5.1 billion supplemental appropriations package passed by the House that provides disaster aid funds to help states who have recently been affected by record levels of flooding. More Details >
FASEB Urges Senate Appropriations Committees to Increase Budgets for Science Agencies
As part of its ongoing efforts to secure increased funding for federal science agencies in fiscal year (FY) 2011, FASEB leadership recently met with staff from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and submitted testimony to the Senate Energy and Water and Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittees urging Congress to increase the budgets for the Department of Energy (DoE) Office of Science and the National Science Foundation (NSF). More Details >
FASEB Responds to White House Grand Challenges Request for Information
On April 7th, FASEB submitted comments in response to the White House Office of Science and Technology request for information regarding “Grand Challenges of the 21st Century.” The grand challenges are part of President Obama’s “Strategy for American Innovation” and aim to harness science and technology to address some of the most pressing issues of today. Rather than discussing specific grand challenges projects, FASEB offered recommendations for systemic improvements to the U.S. biomedical research enterprise that lend themselves to the achievement of the Administration’s goals. More Details >
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/
