Skip to content

News and updates

Secretary Chu Delivers Testimony on Need for Comprehensive Clean Energy Legislation

As many are aware, prior to the July 4th Congressional recess, the House of Representatives passed a comprehensive clear energy bill. Consideration of clean energy legislation now rests in the Senate, where it is expected that a bill of some sort will emerge before the August Congressional recess. Today, Secretary Chu delivered the following testimony to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Statement of Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, Washington, D.C.

 July 7, 2009

Chairman Boxer, Ranking Member Inhofe, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on moving America toward a clean energy economy. 
 
We face many serious and immediate challenges.  American families and businesses are struggling in a recession and an increasingly competitive global economy.  We have become deeply dependent on a single energy source to power our cars, trucks and airplanes, and spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year to import nearly 60 percent of the oil we use.  We face an unprecedented threat to our very way of life from climate change.
 
To solve these challenges, the Administration and Congress need to work together to spur a revolution in clean energy technologies. The President and I applauded the historic action by the House to pass a clean energy bill, and we look forward to working with the Senate to pass comprehensive energy legislation. Continue reading “Secretary Chu Delivers Testimony on Need for Comprehensive Clean Energy Legislation”

DoE Announces New Grant Program for Young Faculty

The U.S. Department of Energy has released a new grant solicitation focused on providing support for early-career investigators. The program is the result of a AAAS report entitled Advancing Research in Science Education recommendation, which states that two essential keys to scientific achievement in the U.S. are funding early-career scientists as well as high-risk high-impact research. DoE has addressed the latter with funding for its new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Both the new grant program outlined below and ARPA-E are funding through the Recovery Act.

Solicitation Description:   The Office of Science of the Department of Energy hereby invites grant applications for support under the Early Career Research Program in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); High Energy Physics (HEP), and Nuclear Physics (NP). The purpose of this program is to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and to stimulate research careers in the areas supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Letter of Intent Due Date: 08/03/2009 by 04:30 PM Eastern Time
Application Due Date: 09/01/2009

Full DoE Grant Announcement

NIH Issues New Stem Cell Research Guidelines

Yesterday, July 6th, the National Institutes of Health issued new guidelines for the use of embryonic stem cells in research. The new guidelines reflect feedback received during a public comment period. Several higher education associations have praised NIH for addressing concerns with the initial draft guidelines.

SUMMARY: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hereby publishing final “National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research” (Guidelines).

On March 9, 2009, President Barack H. Obama issued Executive Order 13505: Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Director of NIH, may support and conduct responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research, to the extent permitted by law.

These Guidelines implement Executive Order 13505, as it pertains to extramural NIH-funded stem cell research, establish policy and procedures under which the NIH will fund such research, and helps ensure that NIH-funded research in this area is ethically responsible, scientifically worthy, and conducted in accordance with applicable law. Internal NIH policies and procedures, consistent with Executive Order 13505 and these Guidelines, will govern the conduct of intramural NIH stem cell research.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These Guidelines are effective on July 7, 2009.

SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS ON DRAFT GUIDELINES: On April 23, 2009 the NIH published draft Guidelines for research involving hESCs in the Federal Register for public comment, 74 Fed. Reg. 18578 (April 23, 2009). The comment period ended on May 26, 2009.

The NIH received approximately 49,000 comments from patient advocacy groups, scientists and scientific societies, academic institutions, medical organizations, religious organizations, and private citizens. The NIH also received comments from members of Congress. This Notice presents the final Guidelines together with the NIH response to public comments that addressed provisions of the Guidelines.

Full NIH Guidelines on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

This Week on Capitol Hill, July 6-10

Monday, 7/6

In the Senate:

  • The Senate will resume consideration of a Legislative Branch appropriations bill (HR 2918).  Vote on final passage is expected today.
  • Appropriations subcommittee will mark up draft legislation for FY10 appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.
  • Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions will mark up draft legislation for Affordable Health Choices Act.

The House is not in session.

 Tuesday, 7/7

In the Senate:

  • Full Committee on Appropriations will mark up legislation for FY10 for Agriculture and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs.
  • Subcommittee of Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs will hold a hearing on “Public Transit and Climate Change.”

 In the House:

  • Will convene at 2:00 pm to consider several measures under suspension of the rules.
  • The Full Committee on Appropriations will mark up FY 2010 appropriations for Energy and Water, and Financial Services.

Wednesday, 7/8

In the Senate:

  • Appropriations Subcommittees will mark up legislation for FY10 for Energy and Water Development and Financial Services.
  • Full Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will mark up bills on transportation, technology, and environment
  • Finance Committee will hold a full committee hearing on “International Trade, Climate Change.”

Thursday, 7/9

In the House:

  • Will convene at 10:00 am to consider HR 2997, Fiscal 2010 Agriculture Appropriations.

 Friday, 7/10

In the House:

  • Will convene at 9:00 am and is expected to consider HR 3081, Fiscal 2010 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations, and HR 3082, Fiscal 2010 Military Construction-VA Appropriations.
  • Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up FY 2010 appropriations for Labor-HHS-Education.

 Source: CQ Today

Proposed FY10 Funding for Oceans Research

Below, please find an overview of funding provided for ocean research — thus far — in the FY10 appropriations process. The FY10 appropriations process will continue to play out over the course of the summer and early fall, with final bills expected by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2009.

NSF Appropriations Account FY09 Final FY10 Request FY10 House FY10 Senate
Total NSF 6490.4 7045.0 6936.5 6916.8
Research and Related Activities 5183.1 5733.2 5642.1 5618.0
   Polar Programs 470.7 516.0    
    Geosciences Directorate 807.1 909.0    
        Ocean Sciences 330.4 359.1    
      Atmospheric Sciences 244.6 269.2    
      Earth Sciences 171.0 186.9    
Major Research Equipment 152.0 117.3 114.3 122.3
AdvLIGO 51.4 46.3 46.3  
    Atacama Large Millimeter Array 82.3 42.8 42.8  
    IceCube Neutrino Obs. 11.3 1.0 1.0  
    Advanced Solar Telescope   10.0    
    Neon        
    OOI   14.3 14.3  
   ARRV        
Education and Human Resources 845.3 858.0 862.9 0.0
NASA Appropriations Account FY09 Final FY10 Request FY10 House FY10 Senate
Total NASA 17782.4 18686.0 18203.3 18686.0
Science 4503.0 4477.2 4496.1 4517.0
Earth Science   1379.6 1405.0 1443.0 1405.0
Heliophysics 591.6 605.0 605.0 646.6
Planetary Science 1325.6 1346.2 1348.3 1354.8
Astrophysics 1206.2 1120.9 1170.9 1169.8
         
Earth System Missions 898.9 715.5 730.5 720.5
  NPOESS Prepatory Mission 57.1 112.8 112.8 112.8
  Decadal Survey 82.3      
  Ocean Surface Topography 8.0      
         
     Exploration Systems 3905.5 3963.1 3293.2 3940.4
     Aeronautics Research 650.0 507.0 501.0 507.0
     Education Programs 169.2 126.1 175.0 140.1
NOAA Program or Account FY09 Final FY10 Request FY10 House FY10 Senate
         
Total NOAA 4373.9 4483.8 4602.9 4772.8
Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research 396.7 394.2 426.7 419.8
   Ocean & Coastal Research 122.8 107.4 114.4 119.8
      Sea Grant College Program 55 55.1 59.1 63.1
      National Undersea Research Program 8.9 0 9 8.9
      Ocean Exploration 18.6 27.8 21.8 22.8
      Coastal, Ocean & Great Lakes Labs & Inst. 24.2 21.8 21.8 25.0
  Total Climate Research 196.5 209.8 229 209.8
      Climate & Atmos. Labs and Insts. 49.3 54.5 55.1 52.7
      Climate Data and Information 8.3 12.1 12.1 12.1
      Competitive Research Program  132 144.2 149.2 144.2
      Climate Operations 0.9 0.9 0.9 913.0
      Regional Climate Assessments     12  
     Weather Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes 53.3 52.7 54.9 54.5
   Info Tech, R&D, Science Education 14 13.1 13.1 13.2
         
 National Ocean Service (ORF) 497 462.7 482 511.6
Navigation Services 166.4 155.1 152.3 163.4
Ocean Resources Conserv. & Assess. 164 159.7 164.9 161.4
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 53.3 52 49.2 53.8
         Competitive External Research (HABS) 15.8 15.8 15.8 16.0
   Ocean Assessment Program 94.5 83.4 89.6 107.6
         Ocean Health Initiative 4 1 1 4.0
         Integrated Ocean Observing System – Grants 20 14.6 20 27.5
            IOOS Program Office 6.5 6.6 6.6 6.6
          Ocean Research Priorities Plan Implementation 0 6   6.0
   Ocean & Coastal Management 155.1 147.9 155.4 152.7
       Coastal Zone Management Grants 66.1 67.2 67.5 66.5
       Estuarine Research Reserve System 22.3 22.3 23.5 22.8
       National Marine Sanctuary Program 47.4 45 49.9 49.9
         
 National Marine Fisheries Service (ORF) 754 890.6 915.9 872.4
         
 National Weather Service (ORF) 848 867.2 857.2 889.1
         
National Environmental Satellite, Data & Information Service (ORF) 187.4 171.7 199.5 176.1
NESDIS PAC 990.6 1256.9 1268.9 1232.4
NESDIS TOTAL (ORF+PAC) 1178 1428.6 1468.4 1408.5
         
 Program Support total (ORF) 451 420 436 432.2
   Education Initiative/Program 46.1 20.7 35.3 35.0
         
 Procurement Acquisition & Construction 1245.7 1393.3 1441.2 1397.7