Last month, we highlighted that Congress would be out on recess for the month of August and that the recess is a great opportunity to get involved with BPS advocacy efforts. We are excited to share that our membership has been responding and is stepping up to be advocates for science!

On August 6, James Bashkin, University of Missouri – St. Louis, visited with Jasmina Hadzic, staff to Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-1-MO), at the Congressman’s St. Louis District Office. Bashkin touched on the importance of fundamental science research and pushed for the Congress to approve the Senate Appropriations Committee’s mark for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of $39.3 billion, a $2 billion increase over FY 2018 levels. The same day, Rep. Clay won his Democratic primary and is heavily favored in the November general election.

The next day, BPS staff joined Kelsey Bettridge, a graduate student at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, to visit with the Maryland Congressional delegation in Washington. Kelsey shared several videos of E. coli research conducted at the Xiao Lab that made an impactful impression as the team shared the importance of fundamental science research with Congressional staff. By the end of the day, the BPS team had met with the offices of Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD-7).

While we’re off to a great start, we need your help to keep our advocacy momentum going! There is still time advocate for science before the end of the August recess. Additionally, since this is an election year, Congress will also be out on recess for most of October, providing more opportunities to get involved with our programs.

Next month, BPS will be participating in and sponsoring the Rally for Medical Research and the Golden Goose Award ceremony on September 13. These events highlight the importance of strong investments in biomedical research and fundamental science. Both events are in Washington, DC, and are a great way for members to get involved.

If you are interested in learning more about our advocacy programs or upcoming events, please contact Sean at [email protected]. You can also sign-up for our advocacy programs here.