110th CONGRESS- DEMOCRATS TAKE CONTROL OF HOUSE AND SENATE

On January 4, 2007, Democrats took control of both houses of Congress for the first time
in a dozen years and elected the first female speaker of the House, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). House Democrats wasted little time as they proceeded to pass numerous pieces of legislation in their first 100 hours in the majority, including a bill to lift
restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (see “Bills” section) and
new rules aimed at reining in deficit spending (see “Inside the Beltway” section).

APPROPRIATIONS - STATUS & OUTLOOK FOR FY2007 SPENDING BILLS (NIH, NSF & DOE)

Appropriations - Status and Outlook for FY2007 Spending Bills Appropriations - House and Senate Approve Subcommittee Assignments INSIDE (The Beltway) SCOOP – Jon Retzlaff Bills, Bills, Bills Congressional Schedule FASEB Washington Update Archives

FY2007 Funding Outlook
You may remember that Republicans failed to pass ten of the twelve FY2007 appropriations bills, and instead passed a continuing resolution (CR) through February 15, 2007, for those agencies whose FY2007 spending bills have not yet been enacted.

Democrats continue to maintain that their plan is to extend current funding levels (FY 2006 funding levels) until the end of the FY2007 fiscal year (September 30, 2007). Democratic leaders still intend to make “limited adjustments” to such programs as veterans’ medical care and to agencies that would have to furlough employees if they were forced to operate at their FY2006 levels. Senate and House Appropriations
Chairmen Robert Byrd (D-WV) and David Obey (D-WI) also indicated that they intend to provide additional funds to address “the nation’s most important policy concerns.” Therefore, on behalf of our twenty-one societies and 80,000 society members, FASEB’s President sent a letter to House and Senate Democrat and Republican leaders urging them to provide an increase in FY2007 for the life saving research sponsored by the NIH as well as to embrace the American Competitiveness Initiative to double spending on basic research at NSF and DOE over 10 years.

FASEB’s Office of Public Affairs also facilitated an alert that was sent to FASEB society
members asking that they urge their three Members of Congress (two Senators and one
Representative) to tell their Congressional leaders that NIH is an important priority for
our country, and that supporting NIH results in scientific breakthroughs and discoveries
that promise to improve the health and the quality of life for millions of people.
 

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APPROPRIATIONS- HOUSE DEMOCRATS APPROVE SUBCOMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

On January 10, 2007, the Democratic and Republican Caucuses approved new
subcommittee chairs for the House Appropriations Committee and selected subcommittee members. The following five subcommittees provide funding to the six agencies that FASEB advocates for.
 

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APPROPRIATIONS- SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS APPROVED

On January 10, 2007, the Senate Appropriations Committee unveiled its subcommittee
memberships, reorganizing to mirror the structure to that of the House Appropriations
Committee. The leaders hope that, with this common structure, the 12 appropriations
bills can be completed on-time for the first time since 1994.
 

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