Science Agencies Targeted by Congress

Last week was a rough one for the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, after the release of two separate congressional reports drawing negative attention to the funding agencies.

House panel approves $32 billion for NIH in 2011

On July 15, the House Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for the National Institutes of Health budget approved a $32 billion budget for the agency as part of the subcommittee’s appropriations bill for 2011. While subcommittee Democrats defeated amendments that would have reduced the overall funding levels contained in the bill, the subcommittee’s NIH budget falls well short of recommendations from the scientific community.

Spending concerns dominate ASBMB Hill day meetings

In meetings with members of Congress and their staff on April 13 and 14, ASBMB members advocated for an increase in the budget for the National Institutes of Health. While ASBMB members asked for support of a $37 billion budget for 2011, members of Congress and their staff were concerned about further increasing federal spending.

Those in the nearly 30 Democratic and Republican offices ASBMB members visited made it clear that they understand and support the work of the NIH.

A strong science budget, but NIH heading for a cliff

In his annual budget request to Congress, President Obama on Monday recommended strong funding increases for many scientific agencies that support the life sciences. However, the president’s budget request for the National Institutes of Health is unlikely to prevent a decline in biomedical research in 2011.

NIH needs $37 billion in 2011

On Jan. 28, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and its member societies, including ASBMB, recommended that the NIH budget be increased to $37 billion during 2011. As the research community awaits the Monday release of the President Obama’s budget request to Congress, FASEB and its members believe the biomedical research community needs a large budget increase to sustain research funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery act, known as the stimulus bill.

A confusing message for science

During his first State of the Union address, President Obama highlighted the importance of science and innovation for the American economy. But, despite a mention of “the largest investment in basic research funding in history,” he did little to clarify how science agencies would fair after the stimulus package expires.

NIH promotes jobs and science from stimulus

The National Institutes of Health has published 166 “investment reports” about specific jobs and breakthrough science being funded by the stimulus act.  Reports detail a variety of research projects being performed with stimulus dollars in a variety of important fields of biomedical research.  In total, 2,000 of the 12,000 research grants funded with stimulus dollars are featured in these reports.

Read the investment reports on the NIH Web site.  The NIH also provides a state-by-state look at how stimulus dollars have been spent.

McCain and Coburn single out science as “waste”

In a report released Dec. 9, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., identify 100 projects funded by the stimulus package that they claim are wasteful government spending. Among these projects are 14 research grants funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

McCain and Coburn’s report singles out 10 studies from the NSF. Specifically, the report criticizes the use of stimulus funds to study the learning patterns of honey bees and to support educational programs that expose undergraduates to rainforest research.

Researchers thank Obama for NIH stimulus, urge continued support in 2011

Biomedical researchers around the country are thanking President Obama for the medical research funds that were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  With their thanks, researchers are urging him to continue to make the biomedical discovery a national priority.  Because Obama will decide on the 2011 NIH funding recommendation before the end of the year, patients, scientists and other research advocates believe that they must demonstrate their collective support by sending a strong call to robustly invest in NIH.

Join this effort by thanking President Obama for making the NIH a priority.  Ask him to continue his commitment to biomedical research in 2011.

Find out more information on the federal budget process here.

Stimulus jumpstarts ‘Challenge’ areas at NIGMS

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, is reporting that $16.4 million in stimulus money has been committed to address critical gaps in basic biomedical science.  Nineteen grants in 12 states will tackle a wide range of important topics.  For example,  one grant recipient will attempt to develop a new laboratory research model for a wide range of human social behaviors, including alcoholism and autism, while another will search for innovative approaches in chemistry and engineering that enable more environmentally friendly methods for developing and producing pharmaceuticals.

Read the full story on the NIH Web site.