Yesterday, September 30th, Congressman Jim McDermott led colleagues in the House in congratulating the UW softball team on their national championship. H.Res. 517, sponsored by Congressman McDermott, passed the House of Representatives unanimously (421-0). In addition to praising the team, Mr. McDermott noted the importance of sports in the lives of young people and highlighted the impact of Title IX on women in sports. Congressman Adam Smith also submitted a statement of congratulations for the record.
News and updates
AAAS and House R&D Caucus Discuss FY10 Funding for Science
Yesterday, September 30th, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in conjunction with the House Research & Development Caucus held a briefing on science and innovation investments in the FY10 budget. The session featured welcoming remarks by Congresswoman Judy Biggert (D-IL) and Congresswoman Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ), as well as a presentation by Patrick Clemins (AAAS Director, R&D Budget & Policy Program) which captured the FY10 uptick in federal R&D spending (largely due to the Recovery Act) and plan by President Obama to increase federal R&D investments to 3% of GDP -where the EU, Korea, and Japan already are. AAAS has produced a detailed reference manual on R&D funding trends (provided below). Additionally, Patrick Clemins invited the research community to submit ideas for AAAS analysis. For additional information please contact the Office of Federal Relations.
President Obama Marks Midway Point of NIH Recovery Act Awards
Today, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), President Obama announced that the Administration has released nearly half ($5 billion) of the funding provided the NIH in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To date, the University of Washington has drawn roughly $40 million in ARRA NIH awards.
President Obama stated that the more than 12,000 grants awarded at NIH would “support cutting-edge medical research in every state across America.” He added, “We know that this kind of investment will also lead to new jobs: tens of thousands of jobs conducting research, manufacturing and supplying medical equipment, and building and modernizing laboratories and research facilities.”
Secretary Chu Announces Competition for ARRA Funded Research Fellowships
Washington, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $12.5 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be awarded in early 2010 to support at least 80 graduate fellowships to U.S. students pursuing advanced degrees in science, mathematics, and engineering through the newly created Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Fellowship program. The goal of the fellowship program is to encourage outstanding students to pursue graduate degrees in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, and environmental and computer sciences – fields that will prepare students for careers that can make significant contributions in discovery driven science and science for national needs in energy and the environment.
“Training the next generation of U.S. scientists and engineers is critical to our future energy security and economic competitiveness,” said Secretary Chu. “This Fellowship is part of the Administration’s effort to encourage students to direct their talents towards careers in science and our nation’s next technology revolution.”
To be eligible for the Fellowship, applicants must be U.S. citizens and currently a first or second year graduate student enrolled at a U.S. academic institution, or an undergraduate senior who will be enrolled as a first year graduate student by the fall of 2010. Applicants must be pursuing graduate study and research in the physical, biological, engineering and computational sciences. Interested students can apply online at: http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/SCGF.html
Each fellowship award will be $50,500 per year for three years to provide support for tuition, living expenses, research materials and travel to research conferences. Fellowships will be awarded on the basis of peer review. Applicants may begin submitting applications on September 30, 2009. Completed applications are due November 30, 2009.
This Week on Capitol Hill, Sept 28–Oct 2
Congress continues to push through appropriations bills as fiscal 2009 ends on Wednesday.
In the Senate:
- considers HR 3326, 2010 Defense Spending;
- HR 2918, Legislative Branch and stopgap spending;
- Finance Committee consinues marking up its health care overhaul bill;
- HR 3548 (tentative), Unemployment aid extension.
In The House:
- Considers a bill to expand non-military aid to Pakistan;
- Considers HR 3183, the Energy-Water spending Conference Report;
- Energy & Commerce Committee marks up HR 2221, consumer data security, HR 1319, file sharing data disclosure, & HR 2190, mercury pollution reduction;
- Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment marks up HR 3585, solar technology, HR 3598, energy and water research integration, & HR 3650, algal bloom research.
- Financial Services Committee hold a hearing on financial regulatory overhaul with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke.
Source: CQ Today Print Edition