In Brief
Take Action: Share Your Story with BPS and Contact Congress
The Biophysical Society is calling on all members to take action in response to the onslaught of actions, guidance and initiatives coming out of the federal government over the past month. We are seeking your assistance to:
BPS Launches New Site to Track Executive Orders and Federal Actions
Actions and changes have been coming swiftly out of Washington, DC since the start of the new Administration, many of which are having a significant impact on the federal agencies funding scientific research. As part of the Biophysical Society’s efforts to keep members informed on these actions and their repercussions, the Society hosted an Emergency Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, February 18 in Los Angeles. President-Elect Karen Fleming, Council Members Emmanuel Margeat and Theanne Griffith and Public Affairs Committee Chairman Ronnie Ghose led a discussion on the Executive Orders, court and Society actions taken to date. The panel, joined by special guest Leslie Berntsen of Stand Up for Science, promoted the ongoing and planned advocacy initiatives being undertaken to protect investments and support science.
To support the actions begun during the Town Hall Meeting, the Society has launched a new Policy Issue page – Executive Orders and Federal Actions 2025 - to provide you with the most up-to-date information and resources available. This page will continue to evolve as information comes forward and new actions arise from the government and courts.
View the Executive Orders and Federal Actions 2025 Policy webpage and see what actions you can take to protect federal investments in scientific research!
Can Congress Avert a Shutdown with CR Expiration Date Looming
With only two weeks remaining before the current continuing resolution (CR) expires on March 14, a long-term funding deal seems increasingly improbable. House and Senate Appropriators are working with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to develop a CR agreement that would take us to the end of the 2025 fiscal year, September 31.
Given the small margins in both the House and the Senate, working toward a bipartisan solution is important for leaders on both sides of the aisle; however, Democrats have been adamant about including guarantees in any agreement to prevent the override of congressional spending decisions. Without those guarantees to protect agencies being targeted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to freeze and claw back federal funds, Democrats are unlikely to support any federal funding package, CR or otherwise, which leaves us facing a potential federal shutdown. While Speaker Johnson continues to assert his intention of passing a “clean” CR, a clear path forward remains murky.