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CONGRESSIONAL MEETINGS
FASEB Attends Breakfast Meeting with
Representative Walsh
On March 1, 2007, Jon Retzlaff, FASEB’s Director
of Legislative Relations, attended a breakfast
meeting with House Labor-Health-Education
appropriations subcommittee ranking member Jim
Walsh (R-NY). Congressman Walsh said that he has
a lot to learn,
but is looking forward to his position as
ranking member on the Labor-Health-Education
appropriations subcommittee. He also stated that
we are leading the world in medical research,
and that he intends to make sure the United
States maintains its lead. Representative Walsh
pointed out that hospitals and universities
(including Syracuse University), are the largest
employers in his district. In addition,
Congressman Walsh informed us that he is
unapologetic about Congress supporting earmarks
for their districts. He said that the
Administration includes earmarks in its budget
every year, and stated that he knows his
constituents a whole lot better than anyone
else.
FASEB Attends Meeting with Representative
Markey
On February 27, 2007, Jon Retzlaff, FASEB’s
Director of Legislative Relations, and
colleagues from the Campaign for Medical
Research, met with Ed Markey (D-MA) to discuss
how the research community can work together to
advocate for increased funding for NIH.
Representative Markey expressed concern that the
doubling of NIH’s budget is disappearing due to
the relatively flat growth in its budget since
2003. Representative Markey encouraged us to
bring all the research groups together to
advocate for a common message, begin to
translate NIH’s budget into English for Members
of Congress, provide information on how NIH
research impacts the lives of ordinary people
and convey our message into the campaigns of the
individuals running for President in 2008.
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
House Appropriations Hearing on Science
Funding
The House Appropriations subcommittee on
Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
sponsored a hearing on February 28 on science
funding. Norman R. Augustine, Retired Chairman
and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Dr.
Alan I. Leshner, Chief Executive Officer,
American Association for the Advancement of
Science, testified. Mr. Augustine chaired a
National Academy of Sciences panel that examined
what “actions policy makers could take to
enhance the science and technology enterprise so
that the United States can successfully compete,
prosper and be secure in the global community of
the 21st Century.” The Rising Above the
Gathering Storm report was the product produced
by the panel. One of the report’s
recommendations was that the budgets for NSF,
DOE’s Office of Science and NIST should double
over seven years. Mr. Augustine explained to the
Committee that the doubling is necessary because
the budgets for specific fields of science
(physics, chemistry, etc.) have been relatively
flat for twenty years. He also commented that
the NAS panel did not mean to suggest in any way
that additional investments in biosciences were
unimportant. In fact, he said that it is
counterproductive if one area of science is
supported at the exclusion of the other. Dr.
Leshner added that it is vital that all areas of
science are strongly supported because of the
interdependency across scientific fields. Dr.
Leshner said that if we want to maintain a
robust scientific environment, all areas of
science must receive significant and consistent
increases. Dr. Leshner also stated that the U.S.
economy’s growth is based on
innovation, and that such innovation relies on a
strong foundation of research and education.
UPCOMING HEARINGS
March 6
House Appropriations Subcommittee to Hold
Hearings on FY 2008 Budget – The House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and
Education (Representative Dave Obey [D-WI],
Chairman) will hold its NIH Overview hearing on
the FY2008 Budget, with Dr. Elias Zerhouni,
Director, NIH, testifying. He will be
accompanied by Drs. Elizabeth G. Nabel,
Director, NHLBI; John E. Niederhuber, Director,
NCI; Anthony S. Fauci, Director, NIAID; Duane F.
Alexander, Director, NICHD; John Ruffin,
Director, NCMHD; Francis Collins, Director,
NHGRI; Sam Wilson, Deputy Director, NIEHS; and
Griffin Rodgers, Acting Director, NIDDK.
March 7
Senate
Agriculture Committee to Hold Hearing on
Agriculture Research – The
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition
and Forestry (Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA],
Chairman) will hold a hearing on “Investing
in Our Nation’s Future through Agriculture
Research” . Dr. William Danforth, chair of
the task force that proposed the National
Institute of Food & Agriculture; Dr. Jeffrey
Armstrong from the NASULCG CREATE 21
committee; and Dr. Alan Leshner of AAAS are
expected to testify.
March 9
House Appropriations Subcommittee to Hold
Hearing on Emergency Preparedness – The
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS,
and Education (Representative Dave Obey [D-WI],
Chairman) will hold a hearing on HHS emergency
preparedness activities. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci,
Director, NIAID; Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director,
CDC; and ASPR, will testify.
March 19
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to Hold
Hearing on FY 2008 Budget - The Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and
Education (Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA], Chairman)
will hold its NIH Overview hearing on the FY2008
Budget, with Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director, NIH,
testifying.
April 17
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to Hold
Hearing on Autism – The Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and
Education (Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA], Chairman)
will hold a hearing on autism. Dr. Tom Insel,
Director, NIMH, has been invited to testify.
CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE
The House and Senate are in session.
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